It was only a matter of time before Collective Soul released an acoustic album, and kudos to the band for appeasing the die-hard fans! Sure, there have been alternate versions of songs here and there in unplugged form, but never a dedicated, legitimate “wires out” album, and while From The Ground Up doesn’t exactly make an all out full-length, eight tracks of hits and acoustical goodness (some of which are considered rarities), in addition to their insanely popular Youth released late last year, make for a nice one-two punch for CS fans. 

The record has an extremely intimate feel, which isn’t anything new for CS, but this time around, all we hear is the beautiful guitar strums and hooks, and Ed Roland’s smooth, melodic voice; the way it was meant to be listened to. While every track is a great listen, certain tracks translate particularly well to the acoustical sound, namely “Satellite”, “Youth”, “She Said”, and “Compliment”, what with the sweet but melancholic guitar licks and genuine, heartfelt lyrics. I can almost see myself in a small theatre waving a cigarette lighter with a look of reverence and contemplation frozen on my face. That may indeed be the case if I ever get a chance to catch them live.

From The Ground Up will be available in late May, and is a worthy appendage to Youth , rich in atmosphere and emotion, and more than compliments any CS album. Highly recommended.
 

• Visit the Official website.
• Listen to samples and Purchase this CD online

Fanspeak removed due to spam and abuse