Includes seven previously unreleased tracks.
Personnel: John Lennon (vocals, guitar); Yoko Ono (vocals).
Released in conjunction with the reissue of John Lennon's 1975 covers album ROCK 'N' ROLL, the ACOUSTIC compilation is a new collection that spotlights the quiet, ballad-oriented side of Lennon's work. Though Lennon is celebrated for songs whose forward-looking production style changed the course of popular music, ACOUSTIC serves to remind listeners that he was, first and foremost, simply a great songwriter, and that his compositions are equally as effective when stripped down to the simplest possible arrangement.
Toward that end, this collection culls material from a variety of sources, including demos and concert recordings, some of which are previously unreleased and will be manna to Beatles collectors. ACOUSTIC spans both time and themes, ranging from great early tracks such as the bluesy "Well Well Well" to the later, contemplative "Watching the Wheels," which would appear in finished form on what would sadly become Lennon's swan song, DOUBLE FANTASY.
What the critics say...
Rolling Stone (p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A] gripping, bare-bones portrait of the artist at work....Concert renditions of 'Imagine' and 'John Sinclair' showcase Lennon the visionary and activist."
Spin (p.120) - "[T]he performances are mostly riveting."
Uncut (p.136) - 3 stars out of 5 - "His gift was his passion, his voice and his songs, and it's those that make ACOUSTIC indispensable to hardcore fans..."
