Aquostic II – Thats a Fact!

2016 studio album by Status Quo

Aquostic II – That`s a Fact! is the thirty-second studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released on 21 October 2016. It is the last album to feature guitarist and vocalist Rick Parfitt, who died on 24 December 2016.[1] Hannah Rickard, with whom Francis Rossi collaborated on their 2019 duet album We Talk Too Much, can be heard as violinist and background singer.[2]

Upon its initial announcement, Aquostic II was promoted with the subtitle "One More for the Road", taken from the title of the band`s ongoing acoustic tour and one of the album`s original compositions.[3] The subtitle was changed shortly before release to the more recognisable "That`s a Fact", using the name of a re-recorded track from the 1976 chart-topping album Blue For You, and reflecting the song`s status as one of Aquostic II`s lead songs and promotional singles. The album is the band`s second - and second consecutive - acoustic record and is a direct sequel to 2014`s commercially and critically successful Aquostic – Stripped Bare. Like its predecessor, the album once again features a range of older and often particularly popular Status Quo songs played acoustically, making use of special rearrangements for the enhanced acoustic instrumentation, which again includes a female backing ensemble and several classical instruments.

The album also features three entirely new compositions: "One for the Road" and "One of Everything" on the standard edition (and all CD and digital releases of the album), and "Is Somebody Rocking Your Heart", exclusive to the deluxe edition. A rearranged version of the latter song, written by Rossi and Bob Young, reappeared as a duet between Bonnie Tyler and Rossi on the former`s 2019 album Between The Earth And The Stars under the title "Someone`s Rockin` Your Heart".[4]

The two released singles from Aquostic II, "Hold You Back" and "That`s a Fact", each consist of only the title track. Both releases were solely for promotional distribution (e.g. to radio stations).[5][6]

Critical reception

Barney Harsent of The Arts Desk called the album "a fun addition" to the band`s catalogue, highlighting "That`s a Fact", "Roll Over Lay Down", "In the Army Now" and "Ice in the Sun" as songs that benefitted from the new arrangements, and said it was a reminder that "Status Quo are gifted masters of their craft. Simple songs they may be, but never simplistic".[7]

Writing for Classic Rock, David Quantick stated that "the results are just as effective" as on the previous Aquostic album, and that they are "never less than delightful to the ear".[8]

For Get Ready to Rock, David Wilson observed that "a myth has grown up around Quo that all songs sound the same and that their songs amount to the ABC of rock" but asserted that those who take the time to listen to their discography in depth will realise that "the band and music are a lot more complex than most people give them credit for". He concluded that the original Aquostic album "ably demonstrated there is a lot more to Status Quo than meets the ear" and that Aquostic II emphasises the same point.[9]

Track listing

Personnel

Status Quo

• Francis Rossi – guitars, vocals
• Rick Parfitt – guitars, vocals
• John "Rhino" Edwards – bass, guitar, vocals
• Andy Bown – guitar, mandolin, harmonica, piano, vocals
• Leon Cave – drums, guitar, vocals

Additional musicians

• Geraint Watkins – accordion, melodica
• Martin Ditcham – percussion
• • Amy Smith
  • Hannah Rickard – vocals
• Richard Benbow – string arrangements
• • Lucy Wilkins
  • Howard Gott
  • Nicky Sweeney
  • Alison Dods
  • Rick Koster
  • Hannah Rickard – violin
• Sophie Sirota – viola
• Sarah Willson – cello

Production

• Mike Paxman – producer, photography
• Gregg Jackman – recording engineer, mixing
• Martin Haskell – mastering engineer
• Tanja Buck – assistant producer

Charts