Punk Goes Acoustic -wt Various Artists -wl Fearless -wf It’s certainly an interesting concept – to showcase another side of a genre which often gets accused of being one-dimensional – but despite its best efforts, Punk Goes Acoustic fails its mission. -wm The main problem is a few too many uninspiring songs and too many bands, leading to a real sense of overkill by the time you near the end of the 20-track collection. Also, the title is somewhat misleading, with a lack of acoustic versions of full-on punk tunes and too many of the songs being more heartfelt acousti-pop than anything else. -wm That said, it’s not all bad. Open Hand’s “Time To Talk” has a decent level of intensity, while “Firewater” by Yellowcard merely strips down an up-tempo track and gives it a different slant with the use of a fiddle. The pacing of Taking Back Sunday’s “Cute Without the E” provides a new interpretation of a well-worn song. -wm Although both Finch’s “Letter To You” and The Starting Line’s “Playing Favourites” may be good songs, they are a little too laid back for a collection such as this, with the latter displaying a Morrisey-esque level of depression. -wm The second half of the album is less impressive. With a surfeit of unknown bands, it begins to drag, and quantity inevitably triumphs over quality. But Rise Against’s “Swing Life Away” and Sugarcult’s excellent “Memory” are reasons enough to purchase this collection. -wm Overall, Punk Goes Acoustic is a mixed bag and not as punk as you might expect a collection from Fearless Records to be, but it’s a decent effort nonetheless. -wd Fearless Records: http://www.fearlessrecords.com/ -wb Andrew Ellis