Verve: S/D ?

But still, A Storm in Heaven is definitely IT. What a wonderful experience to just listen to it.

b-but there's some wank in every era becuz there are cocks flying around (apart from riot gurl, where they were cut off).

And it's not in the same league as early Verve, but am I the only person who likes the first Ashcroft solo album?

destroy: a northern soul, most of urban hymns

Urban Hymns is mostly what would have been Ashcroft's first solo album until a last minute reconciliation with Nick. There's a few halfway decent songs on it aside from Bittersweet but plenty of crap like The Drugs Don't Work.

The Leckie produced Storm in Heaven is also magic - Butterfly and Blue being the standout tracks for me. Less an album experience, this and the B-side collections show the Verve not only to be fine songwriters and manipulators of mood but also tripped out and wide-eyed, which I dig. As has already been said, check A Man Called Sun and Gravity Grave.

Fuck Urban Hymns. Bittersweet is a good single but the album is really a cheery-bite from Ashcroft - it's Ashcroft impersonating the Verve. Well, it worked from a marketing point of view, but that doesn't make the music any good. It always sounds to me like McCabe's heart isn't in it. Either that or Ashcroft has asked the producer to keep him on a leash in order to open up the band's prospective audience. Utter speculation I know but the only track on the album that recaptures any of the majesty of the band's previous work is the overlooked Catching The Butterfly, where you can sense the band cutting loose a little.

I haven't rushed out and bought everything else, but storm in heaven is top-notch if you're into shimmery reverb-drenched guitar, like I am. Also search "no come down" just for the song "where the geese go", one of my all-time faves and one of verve's best imho.

I did see them a lot round that time and it was always disappointing to be honest, in part because you were hoping for something like Ned describes above; the reality of standing in a puddle of beer in a goth club in Glasgow does little to help.

Seriously though, I think they're great. Urban Hymns is largely rubbish; however, some of the b-sides from the time contain belting tracks (more like their early stuff such as "The Longest Day", which is probably their best track since "A man called Sun"). First two albums are great and most of the singles too. The problem with Urban Hymns appeared to be the fact that Nick McCabe had little to do with it. His John Martyn-esque stuff is amazing... Richard Ashcroft's crap attempts at the Stones is rubbish give or take the odd tune. I would argue that it's nothing to do with the "The" and more to do with Nick McCabe.

Then finally saw the emasculated version live in Seattle. What a crummy show, first Massive Attack drops off the tour, then McCabe leaves and then our drugs certaintly did not work. Oh well the legend is still there. I'm curious what the shows with the Black Crowes, Smashing Pumpkins and Acetone were like.

Leckie made them beautiful and hazy, Morrison made them ugly and nasty and painful and AWESOME. Not sure which I prefer, but the latter certainly does weirder things to me.

Just grabbed Storm for a relisten today, is all.

I did get to see the Verve at CBGBs once back in 93-4. Totally psyched the way out, nothing like they were on record. Ashcroft squaking around sticking his head into the bass bins.

mainly i'm listening to she's a superstar over and over.

Yeah, I completely agree. The success of Urban Hymns was just the worst thing for this band. After that, Ashcroft's ego ballooned and I often get the feeling that he thinks he was The Verve. In reality, the appeal of this band for me comes from the interaction between the other three members.

After that, Ashcroft's ego ballooned and I often get the feeling that he thinks he was The Verve

If you read the latest interview with him in Q magazine (Prince cover), your feeling will be confirmed.

is McCabe/Jones' recent project Black Submarines any good?

I thought Ashcroft saw himself and McCabe as the Jagger and Richards of The Verve. Every time the band broke up it was because Ashcroft thought he could carry The Verve on his own, and every time he realized there could be no Verve without McCabe he reformed the band.

rereading this thread: "i feel like we're flying" O_O <3

it's interesting that people dismiss latter-period Verve output by equating it with '73-5 soft-rock. i enjoy all Verve eras, and have specifically cited the later stuff's being "modern 70s soft-rock" as something that appeals to me! hell, even some of richard's solo stuff (ok just "i get my beat"). i get that folks who only like the earlier, wilder sound would feel betrayed by the shift, though. for me, it feels like an indulgence in exactly the same way 73 soft rock does -- i have to let go of certain tendencies (like balking at corny lyrics) and just melt into this giant soft rock jacuzzi.

roxy otm I love Urban Hymns as well as the early stuff. Even forth has some great moments. Not so keen on the solo stuff mind

I gave A Northern Soul a re-listen this weekend and it still sounds like Rattle and Hum-era U2 to me. Airless and overblown. You can hear in the guitar playing how good it would have been had Leckie produced it and Ashcroft tried to sing with the music instead of over it. I think I'll like Urban Hymns better... let's try!

The best songs on Urban Hymns are the ones written by the band, IMO. 'Catching The Butterfly', 'The Rolling People' etc. The stuff on there written solely by Ashcroft points towards his solo work which holds less appeal for me. It's weird, though, how their biggest album is actually their most obviously "transitional" work.

Czech singer Natalie Kocab's new album has McCabe all over it. Haven't heard anything other than what's on the YouTube promos - kinda gothy sounding, but am curious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvi2x0l9p5c

Intrigued!

also intrigued

Dug out my vinyl copy of A Northern Soul tonight and it sounds muddier than I remember but goddamn McCabe's guitar tone - it's like solar wind.

I have though, after years of listening, just worked out that at the end of ' On Your Own' Ashcroft is singing 'I'm just a poor little wifeless fella.' What a twat.

Need to get that A Storm In Heaven deluxe thing.

the 1998 live set that was on tv at the time has McCabe back doing similar guitar stuff so is really worth checking out.

I always heard his guitar as sounding a lot like Richard Thompson for some reason. Wondered if i was alone in doing so but think one of the reviews I read in a current monthly refers to something along the lines.

I have though, after years of listening, just worked out that at the end of ' On Your Own' Ashcroft is singing 'I'm just a poor little wifeless fella.' What a twat.

― Sunn O))) Brother Where Art Thou? (Chinaski), Friday, September 9, 2016 7:47 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Isn't that 'So It Goes'?

I usually find that the better Verve songs for me are the ones where the lyric feels secondary to the music, which is probably why I like their earliest stuff so much.

McCabe, Salisbury, Martin Blunt from The Charlatans, and unknown vocalist (think she sings with Primal Scream?) yesterday playing some favorites...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQRSP8tFGA&sns=fb

Denise Johnson

They started with Super Stupid

Surprisingly, McCabe speaks out on the 20th anniversary of UH and the box set release.
http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4151276-urban-hymns-at-20--dis-meets-nick-mccabe

Whoa, will have to read THAT.

These are words I would have never associated with Nick McCabe before now, and yet.

Steve Perry from Journey is on it alongside loads of other bizarre and interesting people.

McCabe sadly suffers from that most common of musician disorders, recency bias

In any event, happy to hear whatever he eventually puts on Bandcamp.

Just finished reading that McCabe interview and man, Ashcroft is such a twat.

The other three should just form an instrumental combo, I could listen to that band jam for hours.

McCabe and fellow Black Submarine member Amelia Tucker now have a two person project, litter and leaves:

https://litterandleaves.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-is-come

https://nickmccabe1.bandcamp.com/album/sankey-brook-rat-lab-n-o-s?

a northern soul is bizarre, I get the impression they had basically no material before they entered the studio? History especially sounds like it’s being made up as it goes along. I remember reading that they were fucked up on ecstasy the whole time they recorded this. The band themselves sound absolutely amazing, of course.

Album is boring af as befits lads in the studio on x

its a brilliant album

The recording sessions were dysfunctional and tense to put it mildly

"History" could have been a Bon Jovi song.

would (the) verve have actually been better with a capable lyricist?

feel like urban hymns might have been improved(?) but the earlier stuff is better off with random pablum largely buried in the mix

also gaunt motherfucker walking down the street bumping into people is a pretty iconic video

nah lyrics on Storm in Heaven are classic

IM GONNA DIE ALONE IN BEEED

You can do anythin' you want to
All you've gotta do is try
I thought the best days had left me
My best years had left me behind

same : /

Album is boring af

So otm

IM GONNA DIE ALONE IN BEEED

“stormy clouds” is otherworldly, kinda the most “storm in heaven” sounding one so it sounds extra WHOA in the context of the rest

its a brilliant album

OTM

I was a huge fan in the 90s and even love Urban Hymns but will admit it's their worst release. Not counting Forth as I never gave it a fair shake.

urban hymns is better, but different. incredible second half. never really listened to forth either.. I do remember Ashcroft singing “ a latte, a double shot for Judas”

“weeping willlow” ffs

Fourth is an album where you can easily tell when Rich and Nick are and aren't getting on. But when they are its sometimes top drawer Verve for me, esp. "Sit and Wonder".

Actually the writing credits for the first three songs in order are The Verve, The Verve/Ashcroft and Ashcroft. And it is easy to tell.

ANS was my first Verve and I love it. The guitar textures are scrumptious. I like it as much as ASIH.

forth is great, worth checking out the numerous outtakes too, as is verve tradition

Forth really is great. Also Nick said it was the most enjoyable experience they had making an album.

cool, I will definitely dig into it

god i am really obsessed with forth

there's that brief run of single material at the start ("love is noise" -> "rather be") which is probably the least interesting part of the record, even though they are perfectly fine songs, but the rest of it sits in this space of psychedelic jamming that i just can't get enough of. i want to call it my favorite verve album, even though i grew up on urban hymns, even though storm in heaven has also kind of taken over my life recently bc of its delayed phosphorescent guitar stuff, but forth legit feels like the best of both worlds to me, space + songcraft + incredible pocket grooves. "judas," "i see houses," "noise epic," "columbo," "appalachian springs".... all really astonishing imo

loved forth since day one, even if at the time i mostly just listened to the front of the record. i've never really understood why so few people care about it, even when their pre-urban hymns albums percolate yet. cus as far as shoegaze reunion albums go...

"sit and wonder" is still my favourite though - all facets of the band get along well on that one. enjoying "rather be", as i do, despite it sounding pretty much like a richard solo track ("check the meaning" especially) probably exposes how i can never fully join the chorus of hate against richard solo, as much as i sometimes want to.

great pop memory: watching the verve headline glastonbury with my tv with my dad - who owned urban hymns for the singles. after the umpteenth minute of lanky figures silhouetted against lights and fog to droning noise he dismissively said something to the extent of "they're on drugs. this music is drug rubbish. terrible"

I wish Black Submarine had found its footing. I like the album reservedly... it's like they had all the elements but couldn't get momentum somehow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TRpuL4gu_s