Everlast, also known as Whitey Ford, is known to mainstream audiences as the man that gave the world the ’90s hit What It’s Like and as one third of the trio that rocked the world with Jump Around.
More recent years have featured the talented musician settling his sound a bit more. His albums have become more independent, more political and lyrically spellbinding. His newest album, The Life Acoustic, is no different.
The Life Acoustic is Everlast’s first full acoustic album and he doesn’t skimp on this release. The album treats listeners to 12 hand-picked songs. Most are unappreciated songs from all over Everlast’s career while there are also a few covers. It’s really what an acoustic album should be. Most acoustic albums can feel snobby as one can almost sense no effort put forth in the tracks, and the albums usually only cover a small handful of songs for the same price as a full release.
Life Acoustic is different in all the right ways. Every song is crisp from Everlast’s acoustic skills to his raspy voice. The only additions to the tracks are some extra keyboards and sometimes extra acoustic which add just enough to most of the tracks. Highlights include the very fun and very original cover of Slick Rick’s Children’s Story, a cover of Snoop Dogg’s My Medicine (a song Everlast helped out with a few years back) and a Bill Withers cover titled Grandma’s Hands.
The album also features new acoustic versions of Everlast’s own music from Today to Stone in my Hand (a song that many freedom lovers will find rings as true as any revolution loving theme). All the tracks here from Everlast’s career are preferable to their original versions. He’s one of the few artists that sounds better when it’s just him and his guitar. That’s saying a lot when you consider the context of the music industry today.
If you’re still doubting the purchase then let me put your mind at ease. On Life Acoustic, Everlast does a cover of Jump Around. It’s astounding and sounds completely new and original. It made me fall in love with the old tune all over again and in a completely new way. It might be worth the purchase in and of itself.
Life Acoustic is a perfect soundtrack to end your summer with. It’s one of the more original and better albums we will probably see all year. If you’re looking for something new to put on your iPod or in your car’s CD player that doesn’t sound like robots having bad sex then give Everlast and his guitar a try. You’ll listen again and again. I know I have.
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