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!
― erry red flag (f. hazel), Monday, 6 June 2016 17:42 (seven years ago) link
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.
― Turrican, Monday, 6 June 2016 17:58 (seven years ago) link
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
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 17 July 2016 12:09 (seven years ago) link
Intrigued!
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 17 July 2016 13:45 (seven years ago) link
also intrigued
― jello my future biafriend (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 July 2016 20:49 (seven years ago) link
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.
― Sunn O))) Brother Where Art Thou? (Chinaski), Friday, 9 September 2016 19:47 (seven years ago) link
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.
― Stevolende, Friday, 9 September 2016 19:59 (seven years ago) link
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
― 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.
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Saturday, 10 September 2016 01:51 (seven years ago) link
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
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 1 August 2017 00:51 (six years ago) link
Denise Johnson
― Odysseus, Thursday, 3 August 2017 12:17 (six years ago) link
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
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 30 August 2017 19:28 (six years ago) link
Whoa, will have to read THAT.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 August 2017 19:30 (six years ago) link
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.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 August 2017 19:47 (six years ago) link
McCabe sadly suffers from that most common of musician disorders, recency bias
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 30 August 2017 19:51 (six years ago) link
In any event, happy to hear whatever he eventually puts on Bandcamp.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 August 2017 19:53 (six years ago) link
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.
― more Allegro-like (Turrican), Thursday, 31 August 2017 12:01 (six years ago) link
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
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 21 November 2019 02:06 (four years ago) link
https://nickmccabe1.bandcamp.com/album/sankey-brook-rat-lab-n-o-s?
― Pfunkboy AKA (Oor Neechy), Friday, 26 November 2021 23:06 (two years ago) link
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.
― brimstead, Wednesday, 20 December 2023 22:48 (four months ago) link
Album is boring af as befits lads in the studio on x
― calstars, Wednesday, 20 December 2023 23:36 (four months ago) link
its a brilliant album
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Thursday, 21 December 2023 00:14 (four months ago) link
The recording sessions were dysfunctional and tense to put it mildly
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 21 December 2023 00:20 (four months ago) link
"History" could have been a Bon Jovi song.
― henry s, Thursday, 21 December 2023 02:07 (four months ago) link
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
― mookieproof, Thursday, 21 December 2023 03:04 (four months ago) link
nah lyrics on Storm in Heaven are classic
― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Thursday, 21 December 2023 04:41 (four months ago) link
IM GONNA DIE ALONE IN BEEED
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 21 December 2023 05:57 (four months ago) link
You can do anythin' you want toAll you've gotta do is tryI thought the best days had left meMy best years had left me behind
same : /
― mookieproof, Thursday, 21 December 2023 06:10 (four months ago) link
Album is boring af
So otm
― Sam Weller, Thursday, 21 December 2023 08:33 (four months ago) link
― brimstead, Thursday, 21 December 2023 16:17 (four months ago) link
“stormy clouds” is otherworldly, kinda the most “storm in heaven” sounding one so it sounds extra WHOA in the context of the rest
― brimstead, Thursday, 21 December 2023 16:19 (four months ago) link
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.
― Bee OK, Friday, 22 December 2023 01:14 (four months ago) link
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”
― brimstead, Friday, 22 December 2023 01:24 (four months ago) link
“weeping willlow” ffs
― brimstead, Friday, 22 December 2023 01:25 (four months ago) link
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.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 22 December 2023 02:10 (four months ago) link
ANS was my first Verve and I love it. The guitar textures are scrumptious. I like it as much as ASIH.
― Cow_Art, Friday, 22 December 2023 03:07 (four months ago) link
forth is great, worth checking out the numerous outtakes too, as is verve tradition
― ivy., Friday, 22 December 2023 05:37 (four months ago) link
Forth really is great. Also Nick said it was the most enjoyable experience they had making an album.
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Friday, 22 December 2023 21:01 (four months ago) link
cool, I will definitely dig into it
― brimstead, Friday, 22 December 2023 21:08 (four months ago) link