Verve: S/D ?

Embrace never split-up or hated each other or anything though; it's just that no one cared for a couple of years.

"No Come Down" (their B-side comp) and the original EP are the only things i still listen to.

"for a couple of years"

So a good quality recording of one of the new shows leaked out and... well goddamn...

McCabe is fucking killing it... I don't know if he changed around his set-up and got rid of the Quadraverb, or if he's just showing off but he sounds like Townshend doing shoegaze. The set-list is equal parts old and new ("Gravity Grave" is fortunately in and still just as epic) and yeah, there's a good chunk of Urban Hymms in the set-list but they sound like the old 1992 Verve stomping through them. I could even stand listening to the otherwise odious "Sonnet."

The new stuff sounds like they would fit in on ANS - best thing I can say about them right now. Otherwise I'm pleasantly surprised.

These are all good things, I would say...

I didnt go see them incase it ruined my good memories of seeing them in 1995 t in the park and 3 times around the urban hymns stuff, wish i had went now as the sunday mail said they played All In the Mind. I only saw them do gravity grave once(1995) I didnt go incase they played new stuff and it was crap. Sp where can i hear this recording Mr T? ;)

http://ocstwosway.blogspot.com/2007/11/verve-live-blackpool-nov06-2007.html

Roxor and then some!

Haha, I LOVE "Sonnet".

Yeah, this is pretty spectacular. MUCH better than I would have guessed when news first surfaced.

I was gonna say, why is everyone hating on "Sonnet" in this thread? It's hardly the greatest song in the world, but it's very pretty. "Lucky Man" helped me quit smoking, no idea why. And "History" is awesome. "Bittersweet Symphony" does still hold up, too. Love the Northern swagger (of the video).

Ha, I capitalised "northern", silly me.

I'm more than fine with "Sonnet" but I can see how it would irritate.

why is everyone hating on "Sonnet" in this thread?

It's a victim of sequencing. I was (and still am) a huge fan of "Bittersweet Symphony" and so when I got around to hearing the album for the first time, I couldn't believe that such a weak song would be #2.

Here's the set-list for the show BTW...

This Is Music
Space And Time
Gravity Grave
Weeping Willow
Life's An Ocean
Sonnet
Sit And Wonder
Velvet Morning
Already There
Stormy Clouds
Let The Damage Begin
On Your Own
The Rolling People
The Drugs Don't Work
Bittersweet Symphony
A Man Called Sun
History
Lucky Man
Come On

LET THE DAMAGE BEGIN FUCKING HELL FUCK FUCK

I've listened to the set about 3 times now & I have to say it wildly exceeds all of my (admittedly cynical) previous expectations. Their turn toward AOR during the UH era & the sheer crapness of Richie's solo "career" had me shrinking at the prospect of a reunion, especially when it was announced they would be recording another album. But: (A) The performance is tight, the band sound genuinely reinvigorated, and Elvis is OTM about McCabe in particular sounding better than ever (B) The range of the setlist would indicate that they are actually enjoying the exploration of their back catalog, rather than trotting out UH and going through the motions (C) The psychedelic haze throughout, and the fact that they're playing shit like "A Man Called Sun" bodes very well for the possibility of less Sonnet, more Stormy Clouds in the future. (D) The new song "Sit and Wonder" actually sound good, not so much nu-Verve as teleported in from 1995 - which, when you think about it, is pretty much all one could ask for, considering the circumstances.

the UH era

In retrospect, no finer term could define it.

The performance is tight, the band sound genuinely reinvigorated

Aye... I gotta shout out to Jones and Sobbo too.

Sheesh, the least expected (or even wanted) reunion might just turn out to be one of the best.

Agreed. Some of my burblings (written just before the MBV news came down the pike).

Ned, I just read your blog post & your friends got it spot on: Because of the magnitude of "Bittersweet Symphony" and the saccharine quality of some the (mostly Richard-penned) surrounding material from that time, those seeking to write off the band don't have to look very far. But those early gigs.. Like the fellow in the first block quote, I have been to hundreds of shows, and Verve in 1993 (St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit) is easily top five. Just the bog rock standard set up of guitar, bass & drums - but goddamn they ignited a shitstorm betweent the four of them. Literally the old cliche: "a sonic whirlwind." I saw them a few more times between then and 1995 & they managed to maintain the impossible standard they set in '93. But when the cult of Ashcroft took over, the magic quickly dried up.

Interesting you should bring up The Pixies reunion in comparison, but I don't think the shared qualities stop at quality control. Each band was the sum of its parts in the truest sense, and both suffered when the singer's ego gradually came to dominate the sound - and in both cases the bands' final albums were essentially the singers' solo debuts. But in reuniting, ego is scaled back somewhat and the bands have again allowed groupthink to occur, resulting in concerts that unhindered by interband bitterness. Just as I feel the Pixies reunion gigs were superior to their stint supporting Trompe Le Monde ten years prior, so do the new Verve shows promise to surpass their live presence circa-Urban Hymns. Beyond that, "Sit & Wonder" >>> "Bam Thwok"

And now that MBV are "officially" planning new gigs, it seems I'll finally be able to see them too. This is turning out to be a very good week.

your friends got it spot on

You will find most of those friends quoted upthread. ;-)

Anyway, that introduction song before "This is Music" at the show -- David Axelrod, yes?

do we know if they're coming to the us?

do we know if they're coming to the us?

They added a couple of December shows in the UK, but I surmise that their focus is on new songs, seeing what works live, and not doing anything else until the new album is done.

In short, probably yes but not for awhile.

"...and we'll be coheadlining with MBV in the States. We hope that won't be a problem."

Anyway, that introduction song before "This is Music" at the show -- David Axelrod, yes?

Aye. It's "Holy Are You" from The Electric Prunes' Release Of An Oath

I hadn't kept up with the latter stages of Richard Ashcroft's solo "career", so I was disappointed to hear how much his voice has deteriorated judging from that Blackpool gig. He sounds so hoarse and tired now, particularly on slower stuff like "On Your Own" where the vocals really have to carry the song. But the rest of the band sounds incredible, especially (DUH) McCabe. The coda to "Bittersweet Symphony" has justified the entire reunion already.

Odyssey Arena, Belfast from a couple weeks ago
http://ocstwosway.blogspot.com/2007/12/verve-2007-12-17-belfast-odyssey-arena.html

Dreadful audience recording here, but at least that Blackpool show is no fluke

McCabe at O2 a couple weeks ago...

http://www.gibson.com/Files/AllAccess/2008/Feature_Images/TheVerve1.jpg

I see a Boss EQ and a MXR-something, but I wanna clear shot

McCabe speaks. In short, 20 CDs of new idea material to sift through and work on, one song "could fit comfortably on A Storm In Heaven." Interestingly, Ashcroft is still supposed to do another solo album, so maybe the oatmeal will go over there.

They're also scheduled to play Las Vegas on April 28th (the night after they're at Coachella). I may just spring for a ticket to that.

20 CDs of new idea material to sift through and work on

GUH.

They're also scheduled to play Las Vegas on April 28th (the night after they're at Coachella). I may just spring for a ticket to that.

Tempting. Very tempting.

Okay, I hope to god that this one song they mention, "Bauhaus," comes out, and sounds just like I want it to sound.

(I'm trying to imagine Verve doing "Mask" and GODDAMN.)

Anyway, Elvis T. saw them last night in Vegas so I await the report.

While this Coachella report has a roffle or two. Unintentionally.

i used to think they were the link between the stone roses and spiritualized. not sure why any would care now.

You might perhaps consider reading the posts regarding the reunion upthread or something. Maybe.

but it is still richard ashcroft right? surely he hasn't become less of an idiot just because a few years have passed. i've read the posts and these seem of the same sort that are giddy over that mbv atp lineup. i must be waiting for the majesty crush reunion in order to be won over, swervedriver tours blah, the return of mat from revolver ugh, toni halliday making horrible enya-style things yikes, it's not good.

Actually the Las Vegas show is tonight. I understand all the doubt, especially when Ashcroft is involved, but more than anyone else involved in Reunion 2008 I believe the Verve have the most amount of unfinished business. I'm excited more about this show than I am for MBV or Terrastock.

I just realized that I used a lower-case T in "the." I suppose that's my equivalent of Mulder's "I want to believe" poster.

Ummmm Wow!

You know, Jones and Salsbury are terribly underrated.

Shocking highlight of evening: McCabe had guitar/effects rig problems all night. Not detremental overall but he was clearly frustrated enough to javelin-toss his guitar straight into his amp at the end of "C'mon." Coming back for the encore he made a great "fucking hell don't make me play that doomed guitar!" face.

Irritated McCabe made for some amazing moments though. "Already There" and (of all things) "Lucky Man" which transformed into an upwardly-spiraling moment of Hawkwind proportions. Ashcroft said "I feel like we're flying" and I had to agree with him.

New songs are promising. Final song was a strange one that reminded me of New Order's "Elegia" with McCabe going full-bore. I wanna hear it again.

Sold. I already was but Jesus this is good to hear.

San Francisco show online: http://www.wavesandwires.com/?p=37

Set list from Vegas:

A New Decade
Sonnet
This Is Music
Space And Time
Life's An Ocean
Already There
Weeping Willow
Sit And Wonder
The Rolling People
Velvet Morning
The Drugs Don't Work
Lucky Man
Come On
History
Bitter Sweet Symphony
Love Is Noise

I've never really noticed how much Dickie sounded like Ian McCulloch before.

If anyone in the NYC area has an interest, a friend has an extra ticket to tonight's show she's happy to sell at face value. Get a hold of me ASAP, though!

According to early rumors the new album will be out August 19 with a US tour to follow in Sept.