Episode #7: Going Acoustic

I’ve always liked the intimacy of the acoustic performance, regardless of whether it’s done live or in the studio. There is a fresh perspective that is lent to a song when an artist decides to strip down the instrumentation to the barest essentials, usually just a guitar and the singer’s voice. Even old standby material can sound new, and for that reason I chose some selections from several well-known bands such as Oasis, U2, and Radiohead to illustrate how the acoustic version can give such a song a second life. An acoustic rendition can also give someone else’s song a unique feel, heard here with great covers performed by Sublime, Elliott Smith, and Nirvana.

Give it a listen and enjoy.

Track listing:
1) The One I Love (4:08) – R.E.M.
2) Coming Home (4:37) – G. Love & Special Sauce
3) Old Apartment (3:17) – Barenaked Ladies
4) Frying Pan (3:10) – Evan Dando
5) Jealous Guy (3:53) – Elliott Smith
6) Creep (4:15) – Radiohead
7) Rivers of Babylon (2:29) – Sublime
8) Laid (3:44) – James
9) On My Way (3:57) – Ben Kweller
10) Down Under (4:19) – Colin Hay
11) Mi Vida (2:50) – Manu Chao
12) Don’t Go Away (3:58) – Oasis
13) Dancing In The Moonlight (4:15) – Smashing Pumpkins
14) Staring At The Sun (5:33) – U2
15) Jamie (4:05) – Weezer
16) Big Empty (5:00) – Stone Temple Pilots
17) Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (5:06) - Nirvana