Simply Acoustic (4CD's Of Classic Mellow Moods) - Various Artists

I asked Ciao to add this on as I got it for my birthday and frankly it's so good I have to tell you about it.

As the title suggests, this is a 2 CD compilation of acoustic guitar tracks (39 in total).

As a rule, I'm quite sceptical of 2 CD albums as I usually love CD 1 and loathe CD 2. No such problem here.

I don't really want to just list the whole lot of tracks, periodically saying "I like this ...
...website you want. I'd be wasting my time and yours.
(But for the keen ones amongst you, I'll list them at the end)

The thing that struck me first of all was that I didn't really think I recognised more than 10 tracks off the whole album. That usually puts me off straight away but I duly loaded disc 1.

It kicks off with a few tracks I wasn't overly familiar with (Satellite of Love - U2 for example). I resisted ... more

I asked Ciao to add this on as I got it for my birthday and frankly it's so good I have to tell you about it.

As the title suggests, this is a 2 CD compilation of acoustic guitar tracks (39 in total).

As a rule, I'm quite sceptical of 2 CD albums as I usually love CD 1 and loathe CD 2. No such problem here.

I don't really want to just list the whole lot of tracks, periodically saying "I like this one" because you can get the track listing off any website you want. I'd be wasting my time and yours.
(But for the keen ones amongst you, I'll list them at the end)

The thing that struck me first of all was that I didn't really think I recognised more than 10 tracks off the whole album. That usually puts me off straight away but I duly loaded disc 1.

It kicks off with a few tracks I wasn't overly familiar with (Satellite of Love - U2 for example). I resisted the temptation to skip forward and was duly rewarded with some great music.

Feeling a lot more mellow a track I knew started. Track 6, Homeward Bound by Simon and Garfunkel, gave me a lovely sing-a-long as did Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay.

Half an hour flew by before Crash Test Dummies (Mmmm...) restored the familiarity. And so continued disc 1. A lot of unknowns punctuated by some classics (especially Cat Stevens - Father and son which you may recognise by Boyzone).

Disc 2 follows in the same vein. Oasis (Half the world away), Toploader (Achilles Heel) and the La's (There she goes) some of the more easily recognisable names.

I know I haven't said a lot about the songs themselves but I think it's actually quite difficult to review a song on it's own. Especially when there's nigh on 40 of them. But as an example of what to expect, take Ocean Colour Scene - Better Day.

For anyone familiar with this song I apologise for not doing it justice. It starts off really quiet and melancholy before a rousing guitar riff kicks in making you mumble some words until you get to "... A better day!..." >;o)

Not every song is like that though. Beth Orton's "She cries your name" is quite sombre and quiet whereas Lullaby (Shawn Mullins) is sombre but with a more electric guitar feel to it.

I don't really feel as though I've done this album justice but it is superb. For me, the fact that there were so many songs that I didn't recognise makes it all the better. I've since bought a Jeff Buckley album on the strength of his track on this compilation.

I have a modest (200) CD collection but this is one of the best things I own. What's more out of the 39 tracks on this I only owned 2 of them before hand so it's not like you're paying £13.99 for a load of tracks you've already got. At least I didn't have - I can't speak for everyone of course..

Listen to it when you want to lay back and relax, when you want some background music to work to or even if you want a sing-a-long. It's brilliant.

As I've put in the drop down box affair below the quality and consistency is excellent and I've listened to other acoustic albums and not enjoyed them even half as much. The mix of "pop" artists with "indie" as well as classic performers such as Eric Clapton is wonderful.

Kick back with a cuppa and realx. Two thumbs up.

And now the tracks.

DISC 1

1. U2 Satellite of love
2. Sheryl Crow - Strong enough
3. Eric Clapton - Let it grow
4. Paul Weller - Wild wood
5. Elvis Costello - Alison
6. Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward bound
7. Bob Dylan - Lay lady lay
8. The Beautiful South - Prettiest eyes
9. Sutherland brothers & Quiver - Arms of Mary
10. Bread - Everything I own
11. Crash Test Dummies - Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm
12. Del Amitri - Always the last to know
13. The Connells - 74-75
14. Sarah McLachlan - Adia
15. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Perfect Skin
16. Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
17. Jim Croce - Time in a bottle
18. Cat Stevens - Father and son
19. Joan Armstrong - Willow

DISC 2

1. Oasis - Half the world away
2. Sting - Fields of gold
3. George Michael - Heal the pain
4. The Charlatans - A man needs to be told
5. Toploader - Achilles Heel
6. The Bluetones - After hours
7. Ocean Colour Scene - Better Day
8. Ben & Jason - The wild thigs
9. Shawn Mullins - Lullaby
10. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
11. Beth Orton - She cries your name
12. Nick Drake - River Man
13. Elbow - Newborn (edit)
14. Tom McRae - You cut her hair
15. Lifehouse - Hanging by a moment (acoustic version)
16. Suzanne Vega - Marlene on the wall
17. The La's - There she goes
18. Lisa Loeb - Stay (I missed you)
19. Prefab Sprout - When love breaks down
20. The Jam - English rose

Sorry it's so long. Thanks for reading. Andy >;o) 

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