Life Acoustic

Everlast refashioned himself into a badass troubadour only a few years after pulling the plug on House of Pain, so his release of an all-acoustic album isn't such a surprise (although it has to be said, the Wes Anderson parody of the title and artwork of The Life Acoustic is indeed a shock). Strictly speaking, the 12 songs on The Life Acoustic aren't just Everlast-with-guitar. There are some subtle additions of keyboards or another six-string and, when he gets around to singing the immortal HOP song "Jump Around," there's a rhythm section, too. This stripped-down setting emphasizes some lingering blues and country influences lying within his songs -- listen to the swinging skip of "My Medicine" -- and sometimes it makes him seem like a bit of a sensitive singer/songwriter. Either way, his songs are served well in this intimate setting and the record also reveals Everlast has a deeper catalog than some might think. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine