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.

Very underrated band. A storm in heaven contained some great music.

Saw them headline Glastonbury in 2008, quite a weird headliner selection considering they have fizzled back into nothingness since! But nevertheless they were really sensational live, all the layers of their music really translate well to a live show. And theres nothing better than a field of 80,00 people singing along to Bittersweet Symphony!

In my opinion though I'm only really a fan of Urban Hymns, that is such a solid complete album bar 1 or 2 songs. A song that really caught my attention of the new album however was Appalachian Springs, really really good song, that reminded me of old style Verve.

That's the only album they done like that unfortunately. With the exception of 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' there other stuff is pretty bland by the numbers dadrock.

I recommend the NO Come Down collection of early rarities and Verve Ep. Both are full of the echo drenched, swampy Jazz rock of the debut. Clearly, the drugs did work for them at this time, and the were better for it.

I liked A Northern Soul and Urban Hymns just fine. Some of the better britpop that's out there if you ask me. Way better than most of what Oasis pumped out, that's for sure. I still have yet to hear the Verve's latest, though.

Yeah some of Northern Soul is decent. 'On Your Own' and 'Drive You Home' are beautiful songs. And the lyrics to 'History' are immense. Can't say I like Urban Hymns though. Just a bit wet and inoffensive. Almost on the level of Travis/Coldplay, music I'm not too keen on.

I liked the early music the best, when there was some kind of epic making and mystery in their sound. Storm works great at night, A Northern Soul was good as well. Urban Hymns occasionally grabs my ears, especially "The Drugs Don't Work" (The song I go to any time I put the disc in), but as one who had my first time experience with the first album, I heard something slightly lacking and disappointing when you remember the sample of "Bittersweet Symphony" which was the hook that grabbed when that they had the talent to create something on their own with that voice and the lyrics. I have not heard much of Ashcroft's solo music, but I should check it out as he is a great singer, and I still have yet to experience the 2008 album.

I have to listen to A Storm in Heaven again to remind me that they were beyond just an interesting band at one time who had the potential to go further into the cosmos.

I think I read some review that had the line From "Mad Richard to Dad Richard" somewhere, but no matter what that seems right on the target.

With Dickie Ashcroft never has someone so alternative turned so commercial. One of the biggest falls from grace for me.