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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A worthy sequel to Vol. 1, March 4, 2008
On his new CD Solo Acoustic 2, Jackson Browne has produced another intimate, classy collection of "unplugged" material from throughout his career. As with Vol. 1, it's just Browne and his guitar (or sometimes piano), a setting that seems to highlight the lyrics more strongly, prompting a greater appreciation of the songwriter as a poet. I'm impressed that his vocals have remained so pure and true after all the years, and what minor trembling or breathless moments occur just add character to the performances. Vol. 2 has a somewhat more obscure songlist - many of the more "famous" Browne tunes already having appeared on Vol. 1 - but they're still a well chosen set of tunes. Most of them converted really nicely to the acoustic mode, particularly "The Night Inside Me" and a movingly beautiful "Sky Blue And Black." A few songs, particularly "In The Shape of a Heart," fall a bit flat without the band. Seven cuts have brief spoken introductions by the artist. Most are pretty uninformative and completely off the cuff, and include a lot of shout-outs from the live audience. Fortunately (also like Vol.1), the spoken bits are separately indexed so they can be skipped. I will be listening to the CD many more times, but I won't need to hear the intros ever again.
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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you can't hear Jackson Browne live or if you have and want to relive the memories..., March 11, 2008
I've loved Jackson Browne and his music since I first heard "Fountain of Sorrow" back when it was a new song. I have most of his recordings and many have been moved from scratched vinyl to tape to CD.
What I love best about the two solo acoustic CDs is that nothing comes between the man and his music. While these are live concert recordings, the sussurrus of voices and applause are kept to a minimum so all you hear is Browne's crystal clear voice and his guitar--with an occasional piano for accompaniment.
These aren't the Browne songs with a lot of radio play. "Somebody's Baby" is probably the most commercial of this collection, followed by "Redneck Friend." Still, every song is beautifully engineered with the quality Browne's voice and musicianship deserves.
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much More Than Just An Unplugged Rehash of Songs, March 5, 2008
Jackson Browne's second installment of "Solo Acoustic", shows an introspective and revealing side of Browne. Not just music, there is a self-biography and story-telling approach to the songs, much like Harry Chapin used to do in the 70's that endeared him to millions worldwide. There is no backing full piece band behind him: just Browne, his guitar/piano and the small intimate audience. It's a `here is what i am really like' performance that is made to be heard from beginning to end, and will not lend itself well to IPODs.
Even the songs that Browne selects from his vast catalog are personal, close to the vest songs that don't need much embellishment for a listener to understand that they are more than just words and music. It's also not some kind of unplugged retread of his hits either: it's an intimate recital that you could only get from small venue atmosphere. It opens up, perhaps, a new genre of recordings: personal presentations with the artist speaking ad-lib about the songs, life, loves and disappointments. It differentiates itself from other uplugged cds in this way.
The songs are mostly culled from his latest studio release: 2002's "The Naked Ride Home" (4 songs); "Somebody's Baby" from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack; "From Everyman" and from "Looking East". With the exception of 3 or 4 songs, the body of the work will be largely unknown except to Browne fans who know his entire catalog. For me, this made the music even more evocative, since it's just not something you sing along to in the car, it's a bonding between listener and artist: something only a privileged few in music can pull off.
Jackson Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, deservedly so, and not just for his music, but for the impact he's made on it, and the humanitarian events he has been famous in contributing to.
If you think this review might help others decide to purchase it,
please check the box below, and thanks,
Jeff Feezle of Macafeez
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~ Jackson Browne
~ Van Morrison
~ Steve Winwood
~ Counting Crows
~ Emmylou Harris
by Jackson Browne 
