[Guitarplayer.com] 30 Classic Acoustic Albums You Must Hear

duotone · August 2023

https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/30-classic-acoustic-albums-you-must-hear

Woodandwires · August 2023

Some great albums there, I am ashamed to say I only recently discovered Elliot Smith via the Prime documentary, I could probably add to the list but in general I agree with most with the exception of the Clapton one.

Winny_Pooh · August 2023

Quite alot of general folk music from 50 years ago there thats not particularly guitar intensive like Paul Simon, Dylan, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison... a bit of a Rolling Stones editors list.

I'd remove a few and add some personal favourites
Gillian Welch - Time the revelator
Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang - dislocation blues
Jon butler trio - sunrise over sea
Kelly Joe Phelps - shine eyed mr zen

Philly_Q · August 2023

I think I'll get by without 'em.

Kilgore · August 2023

The list is missing Folk Singer by Muddy Waters.

robgilmo · August 2023

The only album worthy of that list IMO is Pink Moon, most of them arnt even what I would call accoustic albums.

Stuckfast · August 2023

Are they supposed to be albums that showcase great acoustic guitar playing? Or great albums that happen to be mostly based around acoustic guitars? Either way I'd say at least half of them are pretty baffling.

duotone · August 2023

@Stuckfast This is how they made their choices:

” If you want to immerse yourself in some of the finest acoustic guitar albums recorded over the past 60 years, these discs are a great place to start.

For this list of 30, the GP team refrained from collections, and thus excluded some obvious selections from masters like Robert Johnson and Django Reinhardt. But we also made sure to include artists over a range of genres, including folk, rock, country, singer-songwriter and even New Age.

While it’s by no means comprehensive, this list will open your ears to some acoustic artists and albums you may have forgotten about and others you may not be familiar with. Dig in and see if anything here inspires your own creativity.”

oh_pollo · August 2023

Some crackers in there but mostly this is a safe uninspiring list.

TTony · August 2023

There's a couple in there that I wasn't aware of - which is always a good opportunity for some listening.

And any top30 that includes Joan Armatrading is at least 1/30th correct.

Devil#20 · August 2023

robgilmo said:

The only album worthy of that list IMO is Pink Moon, most of them arnt even what I would call accoustic albums.

Out of those that I do recognise that it by far the best one IMO. If you could just have one Nick Drake album I'd have said Bryter Layter first.

Van Morrison's Astral Weeks is one of the most overrated albums ever and if I never hear a track off it again it'll be too soon.

Joan Armatrading's album gets a regular spin, as do one or two others.

Philly_Q · August 2023

TTony said:

And any top30 that includes Joan Armatrading is at least 1/30th correct.

Yeah, but it's got Van Morrison for minus 1/30th to cancel her out.

oh_pollo · August 2023

Even if you don't like 'Astral Weeks', and you should, the Lester Bangs review of it is a work of art.

Philly_Q · August 2023

oh_pollo said:

Even if you don't like 'Astral Weeks', and you should, the Lester Bangs review of it is a work of art.

Oh crikey, that's going to take a long time to read. Longer than it'd take to listen to the album, probably. I'll get back to you.

EricTheWeary · August 2023

I love Johnny Cash at San Quentin but I don’t think I’d describe it as an acoustic album. Some others on there that seem to be barely meet the description.

Still, at least it’s not a Rolling Stone list which would have included a random scattering of 1990s hip hop and an early 2000s indie album that was only ever available as a flexi disc with cartons of soya milk.

digitalkettle · August 2023

InvalidListException: no 'Intuite' by Pierre Bensusan!

Reverend · August 2023

oh_pollo said:

Even if you don't like 'Astral Weeks', and you should, the Lester Bangs review of it is a work of art.

Bangs is not someone I would trust for music.

Cranky · August 2023

I am going to enjoy this list and all the snubs listed by fellow tFbers.

Elliott Smith and acoustic Jimmy Page are why I started playing guitar.

robgilmo · August 2023

Devil#20 said:

robgilmo said:

The only album worthy of that list IMO is Pink Moon, most of them arnt even what I would call accoustic albums.

Out of those that I do recognise that it by far the best one IMO. If you could just have one Nick Drake album I'd have said Bryter Layter first.

Van Morrison's Astral Weeks is one of the most overrated albums ever and if I never hear a track off it again it'll be too soon.

Joan Armatrading's album gets a regular spin, as do one or two others.

The only Van Morrison album that I really listen to is Moondance, I really like it. Joan never really got into my collection, she was played out on the radio at work which put me off her , that thingy had a fast car , it was like so go already Joan, get in his fast car and just go. I am sure the rest of her stuff is good though , its just that song , jesus that song.

Edit - I am having a quiet listen to Bryter Layter now, stunning. Im wondering if recording Pink Moon with just John Wood was because it was Joe Boyds idea to include the wind instruments etc? Drake apparently said he didnt like the sound because it sounded too full. He reminds me of Van Gogh in many ways.

hollywoodrox · August 2023

I would include Hell freezes over by The Eagles as even though it’s not all acoustic, the acoustic tracks on there are stupendously brilliant .
same goes for the first Crosby Stills and Nash album

dindude · August 2023

Some goodies in there and some I’ve never heard of which I might check out. The big long list with adverts is killing my phone even with good wi fi so it’s taking an age to get through! Im up to Harvest, how many more are there?

Born and Raised by John Mayer Shilluk be in there.

duotone · August 2023

dindude said:

Some goodies in there and some I’ve never heard of which I might check out. The big long list with adverts is killing my phone even with good wi fi so it’s taking an age to get through! Im up to Harvest, how many more are there?

Born and Raised by John Mayer Shilluk be in there.

@dindude ;
Harvest is the last album in the list!

digitalkettle · August 2023

robgilmo said:
...Joan never really got into my collection, she was played out on the radio at work which put me off her , that thingy had a fast car , it was like so go already Joan, get in his fast car and just go. I am sure the rest of her stuff is good though , its just that song , jesus that song.

Tell us how you feel about Tracy Chapman, Rob

robgilmo · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

robgilmo said:
...Joan never really got into my collection, she was played out on the radio at work which put me off her , that thingy had a fast car , it was like so go already Joan, get in his fast car and just go. I am sure the rest of her stuff is good though , its just that song , jesus that song.

Tell us how you feel about Tracy Chapman, Rob

OMG , yes, it was Tracy not Joan , my bad, sorry. Joan though, I do hope she got to make love with affection and a little dedication. Oooh ooo.

Edit to add - Oooh ooo , because you cant read ' make love with affection and a little dedication ' without doing it in Joans singing voice with an 'Oooh ooo' in there too.

bacchanalian · August 2023

I don't really think of Harvest as an acoustic album. Some great electric and orchestral tracks.
Comes a Time would be a better fit.

Some Richard Thompson would have been nice.

Philly_Q · August 2023

bacchanalian said:

I don't really think of Harvest as an acoustic album. Some great electric and orchestral tracks.

I think of it as a fairly acoustic-y album, but you're right. It's the only one on this list I've got, apart from Led Zeppelin III and Nirvana Unplugged (I'm not actually sure I've got the latter, but I probably have).

I'm no expert on John Martyn but I'd imagine he had albums with more acoustic content than Solid Air?

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[Guitarplayer.com] 30 Classic Acoustic Albums You Must Hear

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