Black Eyed Sons was in my eyes the best CD are its beginnings, a great mix of hot rock songs and beautiful ballads. The acoustic live part was a kind of Best Of unplugged, and the live DVD was very well the dynamics of a performance of the Quireboys.
Now wanted the Quireboys revive the proven recipe for success again for the new CD, to dress older songs in an acoustic garb and to make them public, probably to take advantage of the opportunity and implement the current popularity in sales.
But come out now is much more:
When in the recording sessions in Sweden the ideas only as bubbling, it was decided short hand to publish directly a CD with all new songs, but as planned acoustic exclusively.
Herewith the titled with St. Cecilia 1st CD is the most exciting of the package by far. Gracie B makes a rocking acoustic piece in the style of an acoustic Sammy Hagar the successful launch and powerful fun. Even the title song with a immediately to sing along inviting Hook leaves attracted the reins and drives forward, followed at irregular series ballads as they conjure up Spike and comrades seemingly endless from the wrist: The Promise in old singer / songwriter tradition, just beautiful, Can not Hide It Anymore, the scores violently with the slide and - positive connotations - mood à la Smokie, Out Of Your Mind as reduced Boogie with cool piano application I'd like to get sometime nachgeschoben as an e-version, The Hurting Kid operated again as of early Bruce Springsteen, the Storyteller, and Adaline is just another good mood ballad. In my eyes only Land Of My Father and Why Did Take So Long drop a little, that's me then but just a little too quiet. But that's a matter of taste.
Up to this point I would give smooth the CD 5 star, just also because I am happy as a fan of the band always have new songs.
On CD 2 the Halfpenny Dancer is reprinted from 2009. Here the choir boys had met for the first time a completely acoustic CD as it as the Best Of albums until then at a high level at a pleasing song for appropriate selection. That's why here and a good idea, because you no longer or hardly gets this CD today. Halfpenny Dancer would have been something like the predecessor of the St. Cecilia, if the situation in the studio would not have otherwise developed. For this CD, there are still "only" a 4 star rating because it was just already there.
On the CD's 3 and 4, the Live CD's Halfpenny Live Part 1 & Part 2 Halfpenny Live are then attached by the Halfpenny Dancer subsequent acoustic tour as an encore. A pretty period piece, but more then also no longer. I myself would not have known that the Quireboys were ever completely unplugged go. It is the content made class again, every song heard individually on their own enjoy, but eventually it will be for the listener too much of a good thing.
Here I find the Black Eyed Sons mix far more successful and recommendable, because significantly more diversified.
Overall, it is enough for a 4 star rating on all from the perspective of the fans. I had the St. Cecilia part have been sufficient standing on its own. However, I have also the Halfpenny Dancer. The price of 4 CD's is certainly fair - there is plenty of value for money, and the fans will be pleased. But I fear that the Quireboys are hereby open up any new groups of buyers - if it was because ever devised.
A tip maybe for fans of more withdrawn SPIKE his solo CD "100% Frankie Miller" is mercilessly good because more varied and a bit bluesy, exactly the way as his Altwerk "It's A Treat To Believe".