Artist: Everything but the Girl Album: Acoustic

Year: 1992
Duration: 0:0-1

A Critical Review of Everything But the Girl’s Acoustic Album

In the late 80s and 90s, Everything But the Girl was a well-known British duo composed of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt. The group had several hits such as “Missing,” “I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” and “Walking Wounded.” In 1992, they released “Acoustic,” an album filled with stripped-down versions of their songs from the previous decade. The album drew inspiration from the band's love for country and folk music, emphasizing the duo's vocal harmonies against acoustic guitars. Today, we’re going to take a critical look at the album, its most significant aspects, and its best songs.

The album Acoustic is a perfect mix of songs from their previous albums, which presents a new, much-anticipated version of fans' familiar hits. The opening track Love is Strange is an excellent introduction to the album, showcasing their incredible vocal harmony and their strumming acoustic guitars. The second track, Tougher Than the Rest, is a faithful cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic with Tracey Thorn's expressive and dreamy vocals stealing the show.

The album's standout track is the melancholic 25th December, a song that depicts the bittersweet feelings of Christmas. Tracey Thorn’s voice is the main attraction in this song, with her evocative yet calm delivery. The song is also well-supported by the simple guitar strumming and the occasional use of strings, which add to the song's somber mood.

Missing, one of the band's biggest hits, is presented in a stripped-down format in this album. While the original was dance-pop, this version features an acoustic guitar that leads the song's melody, making it sound more melancholic and emotional. Ben Watt sings the verse in low register, while Tracey Thorn delivers the chorus in her trademark breathy voice.

However, despite the album's beauty and simplicity, it has some drawbacks. The pacing can be monotonous after a while, especially since all tracks are in a slow and mellow pace. Also, while the stripped-down versions feature some fantastic acoustic guitar performances, there are moments without too much variety in arrangement or melody.

In conclusion, “Acoustic” remains a beautiful album that showcases Everything But the Girl's incredible vocal harmony. It's an intimate and genuine album that serves to reintroduce their best hits with acoustic arrangements. While there are moments in the album when the pacing could have used a bit more variety, the duo's inspired reworkings of their hits provide enough excitement to make the album stand on its own. Overall, Acoustic is a must-listen for fans of folk, acoustic music, and Everything But the Girl.