An unplugged retelling of many of the band's best-known songs,
Simple Minds
'
Acoustic
is an enjoyable if not particularly organic set. Employing the criteria used during the heyday of MTV Unplugged, the veteran Scots do indeed reimagine their catalog using acoustic instruments, though the amount of manipulation via effects and creative mixing makes for something a bit different. The resulting album is a sort of hybrid of stripped-down arrangements with just enough rock sweetening to reach the back seats. In the case of monster hits like "Alive and Kicking" and "Don't You (Forget About Me)," this approach feels a bit underwhelming and bland. While these renditions aren't necessarily bad, it does seem like
missed out on an opportunity to dramatically shake up their repertoire in any number of possible directions, but instead settled for simply swapping out the electric guitars and synths with acoustic guitar and piano. The whole point of doing acoustic versions is usually to lay bare the material, deconstructing it down to its roots, but for the most part,
feels a bit too polished and adjusted. ~ Timothy Monger