10,000 Maniacs

This record stands out from the rest of the Maniacs' catalogue only because it was the last release before Natalie Merchant left the band. Not particularly essential, but it does contain good acoustic versions of their best-known songs and a cover of "Because the Night" by Patti Smith.

Although its "Look, we're real musicians" gambit once seemed refreshing, the unplugged
format now seems shopworn -- often it only certifies the wonders that Leo Fender and Les
Paul worked. One would've thought that Chuck Berry demonstrated to everyone but
Grandma that volume and electricity are integral to rock & roll and that killing the juice
violates the aesthetic. But in the proper hands -- that is, the hands of those whos... More >