The Verve
 

Alright, so I'll be the first to admit that I have VERY little experience with this band. In fact, I'm sort of on my first listen through their first album right now, an that's sort of all I've got. I'm about... 5 or 6 songs in.

This is mind-blowing shoegaze, unbelievably textured, with copious amounts of reverb and atmosphere, just the way I love my shoegaze. A bit heavier than the shoegaze I've been used to, but I surprisingly like it. Every track on here has been gold so far, but I'll give this as a taste:

Enjoy the shoegaze side of the Verve while you can because they don't stay that way for long. Richard Ashcroft said the band wrote "A Storm in Heaven" while taking a **** ton of ecstasy...I guess once they stopped they didn't feel like shoegazing anymore. By "Urban Hymns", they convert almost completely to a more britpop kind of vibe.

A Storm in Heaven and Urban Hymns are fucking great. Northern Soul and Forth are generally the complete opposite.

I've sadly neglected the Verve throughout my whole music listening career (criminal I know). Of course I've known they're more than Bittersweet Symphony but I think it was hearing that over and over again on BNZ ads that put me off them :o:

So I'm finally downloading their first 3 albums now and I'm ready to hear some great shoegaze/Britpop.

ahhh, good good stuff.

Urban Hymns is terrific, but I can't really get into their newer stuff, or Ashcroft's solo work

Love is noice <3

Just tried The Drugs Don't Work out on my american GF, she told me to cut it out before she slashed her wrists lol, personally I think it's a great song and of their earlier work I'm a sucker for "She's A Superstar"...

haha.. yeah that song's got a pretty pessimistic tone. Great track though

Wrist cutting? Wow...I don't think it's a depressing song at all. In fact, I think it's a very touching song.