Artist: Verve, The
Label: EMI Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 3.7/5
It’s been quite a while since Verve’s name last came up in connection with any new projects, and it’s been almost exactly ten years since their last album. Richard Ashcroft has put out quite a lot on his own, sure, but Verve isn’t just about him. This is a band where Richard Ashcroft is admittedly the key piece, but everyone contributes their own ideas, and it’s precisely these different approaches from each individual that have always set this lineup apart and lifted it above the average British pop/rock.
Of course the album has that unmistakable Verve sound. There are loads of beautiful melodies that lodge themselves in your memory. But this time around, there have been some small changes. The band has always liked to dive into psychedelic improvisation, but this time it feels to me like those parts are a bit more polished. There’s a lot more of the post-rock approach of building melodies up layer by layer. And even though Verve aren’t exactly known for that kind of skill, they pull it off really well. Of course there’s still plenty of classic British pop/rock (with the emphasis on rock), psychedelia, and one more specifically Verve-ish element – country music. So the album has all the recognizable Verve ingredients and a bunch of new ones too. But that’s not all. In the past, Verve often drifted toward gloomier, almost depressive themes, but not this time. The record is much more positive than its predecessors, though don’t expect any mindless optimism. As far as lyrics go, Ashcroft has always been the intellectual type, and that hasn’t changed.
For me, Richard Ashcroft is still one of the best British singers around. His voice has such a distinctive, warm color that it can drag you along with him even in his most depressive moments. No question, that voice can talk you into almost anything, but I found that over time his excessive “whining” starts to wear a bit thin. That’s a thing of the past, though. It’s gone. Sure, there are a few more melancholic parts again, which I figure Richard is mostly responsible for, but there’s no self-pity at all. The whole thing is surprisingly upbeat, which maybe isn’t even all that surprising when I think about how Richard’s life has sorted itself out nicely lately (he’s got a lovely little family), and the other members were never really that controversial anyway. The Verve have always stood out for the tightness of their sound. No single element in the music sticks out too much. Everything serves one single goal – good music. Technically they may not be the best in the world, but they don’t need to be. For what they want to tell the world and for the music they want to make, they’re good enough. If anyone stands out a little, it’s Richard Ashcroft, who’s always been the center of attention in Verve.
So Verve are back, rested and full of fresh ideas and novelty. Forth is the kind of record that the likes of Coldplay and Keane will never make, at least that’s how I see it. After all these years in the business, Verve still haven’t hit the bottom of the well of their inspiration. Maybe the long break had something to do with it, giving the guys a chance to rest up and recharge. It’s no secret that singer Richard Ashcroft had quite a few struggles with addiction and plenty else, but now it seems he’s come back more confident in himself and in the mission of Verve. You’d be hard pressed to hear better British pop/rock right now, and that’s exactly why this record deserves even more attention.
Lineup
Richard Ashcroft – vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar
Nick McCabe – guitar, keyboards, vibraphone, zither
Simon Jones – bass guitar
Pete Salisbury – drums and percussion
Production
The Verve
Tracklist
1. Sit and Wonder” – 6:52
2. Love Is Noise 5:29
3. Rather Be 5:38
4. Judas 6:19
5. Numbness 6:35
6. I See Houses 5:37
7. Noise Epic 8:14
8. Valium Skies 4:34
9. Columbo – 7:30
10. Appalachian Springs 7:34
