Acoustic in New York is a collection of 10 previously unreleased songs Ed Hale recorded as demos while in New York City in late 1995. The songs were recorded live to a two-track as record company demos only and were never meant for public release.
Although the sound quality of the recordings themselves is less than perfect – evidenced by the honking of car horns and the ringing telephones in the background – the power and the passion that comes through as Ed sings and plays each song has a tremendous impact and tells a lot about the artist in the peak of his craft as a guitar player and as a singer/songwriter.
There is an ambition and a hunger and a passion that pours out of his voice and guitar on these tracks that is breathtaking.
And so it was that this collection was put together as a compendium of some of Ed Hale’s most complex and intricate compositions during this particular time period – the anthemic I’m so fucking bored is almost 10 minutes long. More than anything else this collection showcases the versatility of Ed Hale as the songwriter and illustrates the ease with which he can spin a great song.
It highlights the start of the open tuning phase of his guitar playing and song writing style, where the songs take on an almost orchestral tone, with long and lush instrumental introductions before the vocals are even introduced. It provides an intimate environment in which to soak up some of “the paradise spilling all over us” when Ed Hale sings some of his best songs ever. His voice is the strongest it has ever been on record. And there is an optimism that comes through in most of the songs that is entirely different than his previous work with Broken Spectacles.
Many of the songs are uplifting and spiritual in nature, such as The Greatest Gift and Promised Land. The longest song on the album, the Dylanesque Rooms of My Mind, is another standout track, and like the album as a whole, it is raw soul-music, pure expressive poetry set to music on a six-string. Acoustic in New York is a deep and heartfelt exploration of the soul of the artist as a young man in one brief moment in a tiny studio in New York City.
| Song | Hear | Free | Price | Buy |
| Buy the CD (physical media) | $10.99 |  |
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| Buy the whole album (download) | $8.99 | |
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