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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Calling it a day in early 1999 was probably the best thing the Verve ever did, as it meant that they quit when they were at the pinnacle of their success, sparing their faithful followers an unsightly degeneration. Urban Hymns is a fitting final testament to Wigan's favourite sons, as Richard Ashcroft and Nick McCabe temporarily buried the hatchet and reformed one of Britain's greatest songwriting partnerships since Lennon and McCartney. From the unmistakable introductory chords of "Bittersweet Symphony" to the sheer pop perfection of "Lucky Man" via stoner rock-outs like "Weeping Willow" and the call to arms that is "Come On", every track justifies its presence by being part of a cohesive whole. Their previous album A Northern Soul was already marked down in the annals of rock history as a classic; Urban Hymns surpasses it and then some. --Helen Marquis
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now...,
By
This review is from: Urban Hymns (Audio CD)
Urban Hymns - for me the greatest record of all time. If I can somehow convey at least a part of the reason why I believe this to be true, I'll have done well. Because it's hard to put into words how good this album really is. Both musically and lyrically, it is as close to perfection as I think any record will ever get.
There are four very famous songs on here, but they are just one dimension to Urban Hymns, there is so much more to this record than the first four singles. Even so, each is outstanding. Bitter Sweet Symphony is emphatic, euphoric and exhilarating. The strings begin, but once the beat kicks in it sends a chill down my spine. Sonnet is sweet, a beautiful acoustic song. The Drugs Don't Work was number one on the day of Princess Diana's death. It has another beautiful acoustic melody, but The Verve are so good at adding depth to their songs, this is them at their best. And Lucky Man, if I had to choose, this is my favourite song on the album. It has been such an inspiration to me at difficult times of my life, whenever I feel low I can play it and it reminds me of who I am. Then there are the nine other songs here which really make the album into what it is - a masterpiece. That word is overused a lot in music but here it truly does apply. There are three songs I'd like to point out here, which show that The Verve are more than just a one man show, and that they know how to rock out as well. The Rolling People is a huge song, full of spark and craft, "here we are the Rolling People, can't stay for long, we gotta go." Weeping Willow is the hidden gem on this record, if you aren't paying attention it can pass you by, but stop and pause to listen to this because I assure you it will grab you and suck you in. This is one of the most intense songs I've ever heard. I'd been playing this album for seven years before I discovered how great Weeping Willow "the pills under my pillow" really was. Then there is the raging climax - Come On. It is completely different to all that went before because rather than encouraging you to reflect, it encourages you to stand up and shout, with a fist in the air, "**** you - Come On!" I cannot think of a better way to end an album like this, one that takes you on such a life affirming journey, than to finish with such a jubilant celebration. And still, there so many more great songs on Urban Hymns... "I'm gonna keep Catching That Butterfly in that dream of mine... in a Neon Wilderness, he was restless... there ain't no Space And Time to keep our love alive... maybe One Day we will dance again... good times are hard to hold, This Time I'm gonna find... into the half light, another Velvet Morning". Altogether, these thirteen songs make up seventy-six minutes of pure genius from start to finish. It represents a great year in modern history, 1997, a year of hope; expectation, celebration and tragedy; but in the end, this album is completely timeless. I love it.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best albums ever!,
By taters "taters_is_mint" (york, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Urban Hymns (Audio CD)
the history of the verve (previously without 'the') is a quite extraordinary journey that produced two under rated albums ('storm in heaven' and 'northern soul'). The journey in the early 90s took its toll ...forcing verve to split after the fantastic single 'history' in 1995.its unclear how they started up again two years later but my guess is cos the genieus that is richard ashcroft wrote songs such as 'bitter sweet symphony', 'sonnet', 'lucky man', 'drugs dont work', 'space and time' and decided it would probably be a good idea to record these songs. i reckon it was probably a wise decision as this is without doubt a classic that will still sound fantastic in years to come. it seems after years of trying to make the big time the two year break was what ashcroft and the boys needed.anyone who has heard the fantastic b-side 'so sister' will realise how strong the album was for it not to be included.'catching the butterfly', 'weeping willow' and the amazing 'this time' will never tire from my cd player. not a bad track on the album at all and from the opening song 'bitter sweet' to the closing number 'come on' the verve finally achieved their place in history....and then split up again!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No dead wood in sight,
By
This review is from: Urban Hymns (Audio CD)
'Urban Hymns' is one of *those* albums - it should be found in everyones CD collection, and listened to religiously. They are hymns, after all!The Verve have achieved something spectacular here. Each and every song on the album is a cracker, and together they form a cohesive whole. There is a flow between songs that is just *right*. The songs themselves range from the catchy (but possibly somewhat longwinded) 'Bittersweet Symphony' to the contemplative, in 'The Drugs Don't Work'. However, it is when you move on from the hit singles that an album often reveals its true colours. Are the other tracks merely filler? Well, here, the answer is quite clearly "NO!" Particular highlights are the mood swings of 'Velvet Morning', the soaring triumphalism of 'Lucky Man', the melancholy of 'One Day' and the developing fury of 'Come On'. All the tracks have clearly recieved a lot of love and effort, as the quality of production for this album is first rate. The ambient sounds and textures wrung out of guitars and electronics make this a CD you will always find something new to hear at every playing. The quality of the lyrics matches the quality of the music - there is not a bad line to be found. So, there you have it, an album scarily close to perfection. All in all, an amazing, essential album.
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