The Verve's 'Urban Hymns'

[BrandNewCadillac]

1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Richard Ashcroft) – 5:58

1. "Sonnet" (Ashcroft) – 4:21

3. "The Rolling People" (The Verve) – 7:01

4. "The Drugs Don't Work" (Ashcroft) – 5:05

5. "Catching the Butterfly" (The Verve) – 6:26

6. "Neon Wilderness" (Nick McCabe, The Verve) – 2:37

7. "Space and Time" (Ashcroft) – 5:36

8. "Weeping Willow" (Ashcroft) – 4:49

9. "Lucky Man" (Ashcroft) – 4:53

10. "One Day" (Ashcroft) – 5:03

11. "This Time" (Ashcroft) – 3:50

12. "Velvet Morning" (Ashcroft) – 4:57

13. "Come On" (The Verve) – 15:15

Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Hymns

I've had it on rotation a lot recently, I'm really starting to love it. I used to prefer A Northern Soul to this, but it's starting to go the other way now. "The Drugs Don't Work" is a fantastic track, along with the massively popular "Bitter Sweet Symphony".

What does everyone else think?

[BassLikeHot]

Yeh. Contrary to popular opinion, they have more songs than that totally gay Cruel Intentions monstrosity. Weeping Willow has 'zhat smooth wah.

[Songbird]

I haven't been listening to them in a long time, but they're absolutely fantastic imo. & Drugs Don't Work is one of my favorite songs of all time.

[Marky]

I never liked it, but I gave it a try when there was a thread created about 'Forth' here a few months ago, and I love it now

Shame about the Jagger/Richards bollocks though.

[Arsenal]

One fine rock album.

[Shuffle]

Not too fond of it.

[appetite4illusions]

I dig brit-pop (mainly Oasis, I hate Blur) so I checked this album out awhile ago.

Beyond their two trademark tunes (Lucky Man, Bittersweet Symphony) I didn't find anything that appealed to me. The same goes for the rest of The Verve's albums.

[Midnight Rambler]

I liked it, like so many others when it first came out. Its a cool album i suppose.

[A Northern Soul]

very very much so

[Lithium]

I love it, it's one of the defining brit-pop albums. I've listened a lot to "Catching the Butterfly" whilst on the bus lately.

[Marky]

Rolling People is epic.

[Pico]

Average album. "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Lucky Man", "Sonnet", "The Rolling People", "The Drugs Don't Work" and "Velvet Morning" are all outstanding tracks, I find the remaining ones boring.

"Come On" is the closer of all album closers.

THIS IS A BIG

FUCK YOU

COOOOOME OOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNN

[lawrence]

Rolling People is epic.

so is velvet morning

[6lake sa66ath]

Great album indeed!

[Estranged Reality]

Their new album's good, too. I love The Verve.

[Ant]

Haha, I read the title as "Does anyone really like this album?" thinking it was going to be a bash fest. I came in here with pistols drawn! Glad to see it's mostly positive .

I think Nick McCabe is a genius. I read he doesn't even like guitar, relative to stuff like synthesizers, so he's always channeling that soundscape / sonic texture vibe. I just can't get enough of it, man. Every time I go to my Dad's house, he's got an amazing stereo setup, I always throw on The Verve to listen to all the awesome shit going on in every song . I think I might like Forth better than UH, but that may just be a product of it being fresher. I used to like A Storm in Heaven better than Northern Soul, but that's recently swapped.

All and all, a sweet band that everyone on this side of the pond seems to think were one-hit-wonders. I get nervous trying to introduce people to The Verve though, because it seems like you either really connect with their sound, or you absolutely hate the plodding, unconventional song structure etc.

Edited November 2, 2008 by Ant

[appetite4illusions]

Oasis have them beat in every department.

I can count on one hand how many memorable songs The Verve has done and put three or four albums worth of memorable Oasis tunes.

[Marky]

Oasis have them beat in every department.

I can count on one hand how many memorable songs The Verve has done and put three or four albums worth of memorable Oasis tunes.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments, you can't compare a band with 7 albums and albums worth of Bsides to a band with 4 albums and little bsides.

[New Rose]

I've been listening to a lot of Weeping Willow from UH lately. It reflects my life right now perfectly. Amazing song, amazing album.

[KBear]

I bought the album years ago. I tried to like it, I wanted to like it, but it just left me feeling empty. For some reason I didn't connect with the music. I think I may have even sold my copy, I don't remember.

[Jumpin' Jack Flash]

I detest Britpop. Bittersweet Symphony is "ok" though. It's funny though, since it turns out that the orchestral sample from the song is from one of my favourite [if not my favourite] Stones song.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Jumpin' Jack Flash