CD review: Ultimate acoustic - various artists (From Barry And District News)

CD review: Ultimate acoustic - various artists

ULTIMATE Accoustic is a double CD full to overflowing with chill-out tracks to sooth the troubled soul.

But there are so many compilation albums out at the moment vying for room on shop shelves, it's just a matter of finding one that fits.

This collection is a fairly varied mixture. You can float away on Norah Jones' and Katie Melua's melodious vocals, while Gary Jules cries about this Mad World.

Then it carries on with a touch of Kate Bush and George Michael before fast-forwarding to Coldplay and Dido, Damien Rice and the Coral. On the way, it pays passing tribute to Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and Nilsson.

As you can tell so far, there isn't much call to get up and boogie. However, mixed in with The Byrds and Leonard Cohen is a spot of Finley Quaye, Moloko, and Joss Stone. There is also an indie feel with Radiohead, Tuin Brakes, The Thrills and Oasis.

So all things considered there should be enough on these two discs to keep you going for a while. Forty tracks in total means well over two hours listening and there is nothing offensive to insult the casual listener (apart from a few heated words from a revolutionary John Lennon in Working Class Hero).

One might say that this is a perfect album as background music for a select and intimate gathering - or to just bung on the player for your own enjoyment when you get a spare hour and a good book.