A Northern Soul

A bit dull all the songs kind of blended together into a boring miasma

Watching Paint Dry, the soundtrack. I’d almost respect it, if the Verve had intended to make me feel like my brain folds were being smoothed from boredom. I’m still not entirely convinced they didn’t just put a saltine cracker on a record player and let the needle drop.

The verve are far too average to have more than one album on this list. Frankly, this can be set for most artists with more than one album listed.

Before listening I didn't really know The Verve for anything other than Bitter Sweet Symphony, and after listening I can see why. I'm definitely not a fan, and will not be listening to this album again. Nothing really stands out about this album, it just feels a bit empty.

Not a fan. Can't quite put my finger on it but the singing seems off trying to be melodic(inside a tunnel- some kind of distracting echo) over weird screeching guitars. Like the the band each recorded something on their own and then they mashed together whatever they came up with. No harmony in the music and just seems disconnected to the singing.

No notes

Never realized how in-the-same toy box The Verve and Radiohead were at this time

For an album that has a lot going on sonically, this was really boring.

This album kicks ass. Right from the opening bass and drums this was exactly what I needed. Dig the guitars, lots of swagger in the vocals. I enjoyed this album a lot.

It was really good. TIL I like the Verve.

Ahh here we go ladies. Finally some music with more prowess than my hand. Superb all the way through

Possibly their finest moment.

Ok, this was pretty rocking - did not fit my preconception of what The Verve sounded like. It pairs pretty well with Spiritualized's "Ladies & Gentlemen..." which came up on here recently, for being a bit droney wall-of-sound-style rock. Fave track - "A New Decade". I'm definitely up for more listens to pick out other faves though...

well, i am definitely a sucker for dreamy guitars, as i believe i've mentioned in other reviews. this album delivers those in heaps, which i super appreciate. closing track is easily my favorite, though i found i liked a surprising number of others on this album. i of course only knew of them through their massive late-90s hit, which i did actually love, but please don't tell anyone that. i ended up feeling like this album gave me permission to love that track, and probably a lot more by them. i think the real takeaway here is that i'm a fan of northern england in general. that seems to be a running theme.

Not as polished as Urban Hymns, but a solid album nonetheless. Not really in the best place while listening, but it seemed to compliment where I was well.

Awesome neo-psychedelic album, definitely inspired some Radiohead vibes.

I don’t understand why the verve were not more popular in the 90s

Nothing happens for 54 minutes. This band has never done anything worthwhile. Their hit isn't on this record but even that is a ripoff where the verse and chorus are the exact same.

Sounds a U2 cover band. Not great

группа одного хуесосного хита

The goat.

I'm mostly only familiar with The Verve because of bittersweet symphony, a song that I really love. I'm sure I've listened to the album that song was on before but I haven't listened to their other music much. It's right up my ally.

I recently reviewed Urban Hymns by The Verve, and (spoiler alert) found it to be a load of boring, over-produced todge. But Urban Hymns at least had two pretty strong songs in Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work. A Northern Soul does not benefit from _any_ songs nearly that strong. Nothing on A Northern Soul is worthy to touch the hem of Bittersweet Symphony or The Drugs Don't Work. I find the songs amorphous, vague, unmemorable with turgid lyrics. A record company rep visited them in the studio, stating that he realized "that here was a band that were in the throes of excess. They were on the brink of collapsing or damaging themselves but at the same time hearing songs like 'A New Decade' or 'History' – you just heard that tension, almost darkness that was there. There were the classic highs and lows of a really drugged-up session and that was reflected in the music." Not a good thing, guys. The resulting album is an unfocussed, meandering, pretentious, rambling miasma. Andy Gill at The Independent lambasted the album, saying it was the audio "equivalent of crushed velvet flares sagging over scuffed plimsoles", adding that hearing the album was "undoubtedly the longest hour of my life so far." He said the band incorporated the "worst aspects of both the progressive guitar rock that is their clearest historical precedent, and the baggy scene that was current at their inception: sluggish and preposterously self-indulgent" There is bloat on this album; songs are too long and the meandering instrumentals remind me of incessant Jimi Hendrix jam sessions, slathered in delay and reverb, but with no discernable point or direction. 1.5 stars

I typically find that drug-fueled albums highlight why I believe artists should abstain during writing and recording... Regardless of the hype and fan-mania that many works borne from narcotics abuse seem to attract, I usually find one listen enough to convince me that I'd need to partake of some illicit substances myself to enjoy them. A Northern Soul, then, surprised me immensely and has earned its place as a new personal favourite. I gave four stars to Urban Hymns, and as that album seems generally considered to be The Verve's magnum opus, I was expecting to deliver a lower rating for A Northern Soul, but how wrong I was. It's definitely one album that I am glad I took time to listen to. I love the energy of it along with the musicianship in general. The only track I didn't really like was "Drive You Home"... It's a bit whiney, goes on too long, and just seems to be at odds with the rest of the album. Still, it doesn't detract enough to lower my appreciation of the album as a whole. I will certainly be adding this one to my Tidal library, and giving it five stars. While The Verve are famous for their proclamation that "The Drugs Don't Work", I think that in the creation of A Northern Soul, the drugs worked very well indeed. In fact, the album probably makes a very good job of promoting the mind-altering benefits of Ecstasy. If I was a few years younger, it might even have inspired me to give it a try.

another masterpiece by a band who only made em..

I have always loved this album and listened to it often. As I get older, I do struggle to listen to it too frequently as the backend is very good but a bit mellow. I like pretty much every song, yet find myself having difficulty adding it to my collection. Still, there isn't a misfire on this album even if some of the songs go too long. This is the kind of music that requires repeat listenings and eventually it creeps into your soul and you find yourself singing "Stormy Clouds" randomly. The instrumentals are probably not necessary but all the songs with words are great. Highly recommend this listen as this is the more interesting and prog-rock version (not really) of brit-pop. "History" foreshadows where the group would go next and is just a great song.

A very nearly lost classic of britpop, since they split up shortly after it was released. They went on to be massive, and rightly so, but this album slhas an innocence and naivety that their later work slightly lacked. 'History' is probably my favourite song by the verve, and one of my favourite tracks of the 90s in general

This album is brought to you in part by… drugs. Most people probably know The Verve through Bittersweet Symphony and their psychedelic pop masterpiece Urban Hymns, for good reason. And while the follow-up to A Northern Soul is almost inarguably their magnum opus, this album is far from a write off. It’s pretty wild and trippy, paranoid and hazy from the drugs that the band openly consumed during its creation. It’s probably one of the better drug albums ever made, up there with Station to Station and Maggot Brain in terms of albums that drugs played a key part per the artists who made them. The guitar work is great and Richard Ashcroft’s voice is perfect for the atmosphere created by the music. It’s not an every day listen, but every time I've listened to this album I come way thinking “damn this is good”.

Awesome!

I'm only familiar with Bittersweet Symphony so I was curious what their other stuff sounds like. I would listen to this again and again.

Never really listened to The Verve outside of that one hit they had in the 90s but I really liked this album. One of the best so far.

I love this album. Apart from brainstorm interlude and drive you home, which I tend to skip each song has something which always makes me want to listen again. Nick McCabes guitar work is outstanding. Checkout the acoustic version of On Your Own. Brilliant version which is good to play along to.

The instrumental tracks were v good and atmospheric - I would defo listen to these again.

Brilliant choice to include this 5 star album and not Urban Hymns. Best of Britpop, forget Blur/Oasis. The First two albums of the Verve are brilliant, as is the sampler No Come Down. Butterfly, and of this album On Your Own and A New Decade and the amazing History, and of No Come Down the live version of Gravity's grave all make me bloody annoyed that I never some them live! What was I thinking?

Masterpiece

I was really into this about 15 years ago; I loved its combination of Spacemen 3 psych, shoegazey rock, and baggy tunes. Not a fan of The Verve's later work ("History" feels like a dry run for "Bittersweet Symphony"), but this is great.

Awesome album. It’s just a little long and could do without a few of the slower songs to help the pace. As a whole this is one of my favorites from this list so far. 5

Less a collection of songs than a landscape of sound This blew me away Only knew them from Urban Hymns really (which is both as brilliant as this and more accessible) but this was a fantastically immersive listen

Biased again. Such a great, deep, atmosphericly but still pop-relatable sound. Ashcroft helped this ambitious Psych-Rockers to be digestible on a larger scale without selling out and - even more important - being forgotten like most of the 1 in a million Britpop outfits at that time. 4.7

Great album.

Excellent stuff

Love it, great music

I've become quite reasonably wary when a Britpop album shows up on this list, since that has been one of the main avenues the author of the list used to shovel garbage in my direction (though I have benefited immensely from his musical selections in other sub-genres). This album was a very pleasant surprise. I liked it better than the previous Verve album. It sounds great for a mid-90s album, both of it's time and yet very much its own thing. The song-writing and the production come together really well. You could have told me that this album came out 10 years after it did, and I still would have been impressed with it 4/5

Objectively, this album should probably get 3 stars, however, I found it so unremarkable and forgettable that I felt appalled it should be included on this list, and for that reason lower my score to 2.

old favorite

Right from the first track, Richard Ashcroft declares "This is music!" and this statement is to be taken seriously for the next 60 or so minutes. Great musicians in the groove and a singer singing deeply about life from his perspective. It should be noted that Salisbury's drumming is much different than the average rock drummer. His beats are original, unpredictable and add a lot to the song being played. McCabe's intense guitar playing stands out too. Liked Songs Added: This Is Music On Your Own History No Knock On My Door

I’ve only ever heard Bittersweet Symphony from them and I’m not the biggest fan of it due to how overplayed it is. But DAMN this album?? It’s so smooth and haunting but almost grunge, such a perfect amalgamation of sound. Huge fan.

имба. одна из любимых групп сейчас.

More Oasis rock. I do like The Verve but don't miss that era.

I had never heard of this album before surprising as their later work is popular in North America. It shows you how insular the music industry can be. Excellent album and I’ve added it to my library.

This album really clicked with me! I have always liked Richard Ashcroft's vocals and The Verve in general but never got around to listening to them properly. This album was a very pleasant surprise. A 21st century version of psychedelic rock. No bad songs, beautiful soundscapes. They seem to be mentioned quite often with Oasis but there is no comparison in my book. A 4 or maybe a 5. Go on then, a 5.

Waited too late and was pretty tired, but really liked this one. Nothing stood out specifically better than other tracks, but i thought all were equally solid. 4.5/5

Oh it's good

4, but bonus point for History, so 5

A lot more raw than Urban Hymns, but stil a cracker nonetheless

This does feel a little samey after a while but the overall sound is supercool. I really hate bittersweet symphony so it's nice to finally have an intro to the verve actually sound like this shits great

С первых двух треков слушается необычно круто и атмосферно, надеюсь дальше также будет очень нравится

Loved it. Reminds me of Iasis and Toad the Wet Sprocket.

cool

Surpreendente. Ouvir mais vezes

This is totally in my wheelhouse, and I have been a fan of this since it was released; back in the day, before we knew anything about Urban Hymns. I enjoy the dreamy shoegaze landscapes and RA wailing over soaring guitars. It’s got an abrasive, unpolished sound, which I really love. Lyrically it’s very angsty, and that suits the low-Fi sonics. However, it’s long and a bit flabby. It starts off well, but then runs to fat in the middle. It picks up again with History and No Knock on My Door, then loses me again at the end. Overall though, I still enjoy it.

This album sounds like someone gave Oasis a philosophy degree and locked them in a fog machine.

My 800th album, and it’s my second Verve album to review. I don’t know any of the songs off of A Northern Soul, but I really loved Urban Hymns, so I’ve really been looking forward to reviewing this. Here’s hoping that I love this one just as much or more! I didn’t love A Northern Soul, but I still thought it was a really good album, and I enjoyed listening to it. I thought The Verve sounded a bit like U2 on some of the songs on Urban Hymns (it didn’t detract from my enjoyment any), but I felt like that similarity was a lot more pronounced on A Northern Soul, especially on the first two tracks. The only song that stuck out to me as unenjoyable was “No Knock on My Door,” where the vocals had a quality to them that I really didn’t enjoy. The rest of the album was really good, but the songs that featured an acoustic guitar or were a bit softer (and consequently less U2-esque) were my favorites on this album. “History” really stood out to me as the best song on the album. I loved the strings (a feature that was more prominent on Urban Hymns, and also a feature that I loved), and I thought it was easily the most beautiful and complete song on the album. The title track was really good too, and I felt like it featured some of the best vocals on the album, and it was my favorite of the songs that were a little bit rougher and more rock-based. The songwriting on this album was good as well, and it felt very cohesive. However, some of the songs were a little too long for my tastes, and the album as a whole dragged a bit at times. Overall though, I enjoyed listening to this album, but I definitely enjoyed Urban Hymns more.

A powerhouse in the Brit Pop era that should be rediscovered outside of the mega hit that most people know.

For some reason, 90s Britpop has always given me bad vibes, and whenever I come across an album from that scene, I'm always hesitant to start it. But once I listen, most of the time they're better than I expect. Well, this is one of those albums. I can't say I really enjoyed it, but it was pretty solid. It was heavier than I was expecting, and I really like the psychedelic element.

Always thought these guys were a bit of a joke but this is actually pretty good you know

Cool, Coldplay was inspired

Great album. Thought it would be some mopey rock but actually wasn’t

Decent sounds and a good vibe. Overall not super memorable though. Nothing in particular stood out, but I enjoyed the album overall.

These are the Bittersweet Symphony guys. The opening track A New Decade is very good. This Is Music is great too. On Your Own too. Self-titled song is cool. History is great with some strings. The album has lots of psychedelics sounds and droning. Pretty good overall.

Sure the get a bit poppy with the next record, but this is a psychedelic hit parade with many layers

Taking the mdma rock of Madchester out of the Hacienda and into a dingy dive bar, keeping some of the groove, but mostly slowing everything down and adding layers of swirling shoegaze guitars covered in wah wah and reverb, this album is full of big sounds and spacious songs that spiral and sprawl out. It does that trippy pyschadelic thing of using drone notes and warm overdriven repetition of melodic loops to draw you in hypnotically, allowing the rest of the sound to work on the rest of your mind and body - the high-register loping basslines create a loose floaty feel, the gutiar leads introduce little phrases that repeat and interate and transform into fuzzy feedback and fade away. Blissed out music and depressing lyrics, the classic combo!

Er rigtig godt album som jeg ikke kendte noget fra. Der er lidt for meget Oasis over det til tider. (ikke så tydelig Verve.) Jeg fik ikke lyst til at sætte den på igen da den var færdig, derfor 4.

Det er faktisk okay fedt. Lidt shoe-gaze, psych-rock agtigt

I’ve always liked the Verve less than the other Britpop bands (still do) but did enjoy this album. I think I’ve tried their other two albums and didn’t get much out of them but the first half of this I liked a decent bit. Still it’s more of a like and never a love with any of these songs. I feel so bad for the guitarist after reading the background of this album. Sounds like a miserable time. Rating: 3.9

4/5

The Verve before all the spiky edges were sanded down and they made gazillion-selling anthems. Inevitably, it's a bit longer than it might be but it proves that the drugs did work for a while.

I'm just amazed that one of these guys managed to look like all 4 Beatles at the same time

The Verve was a British band that had a short but very successful career. A Northern Soul was their second album, which met with significant critical success, but limited commercial success. Their third album included the single "Bittersweet Symphony," which was incredibly successful, and unfortunately led to the band's demise. Their fame has led to renewed interest in their earlier work, and A Northern Soul got a "second look," both from critical and commercial audiences. The Verve were one of the bands to dominate Brit pop in the 90s. They made a guitar-driven, psychedelic version of alt rock. This is an interest collection of songs that was fortunate enough to get a re-evaluation.

One of the things about britpop is that a lot of these bands over here are known for the one song. Blur is known for "Song 2" (a billion streams). Oasis is known for "Wonderwall" (a billion streams). And The Verve is known for "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (a billion streams). But this album came BEFORE their big hit. Having said that, there is a lot to like here, but some of the songs do overstay their welcome ("A Northern Soul," for example). And really, we didn't need the falsetto on "On Your Own". The instrumentals felt a little jammy, like you had to be there to "get it". But the music as a whole had a very psychedelic to it. I dug it. Top tracks: "A New Decade," "Brainstorm Interlude," "Life's An Ocean"

This album left with me mixed emotions. Initially, I was annoyed to even see a second album by The Verve. Their big breakthrough Urban Hymns wasn't that special in my opinion - good but not great. And it was very well-regarded by critics so it's not as if it was commercially successful but not musically accomplished. Upon listening to this album, I was struck by the first bunch of songs and wondered if I might like it more than their big follow-up. It's sort of trippy and Brit-grungy, with higher tone distortion (not low fuzzy distortion of American grunge). A New Decade, This is Music, So It Goes, the title track, and Brainstorm Interlude (5 of the first 6) all have that sort of slow-building and brooding buzz that is captivating. And except for the last one, they have a crooning from Richard Ashcroft that you can hang on. That was my one knock on the other song of the first 6, On Your Own. Ashcroft's vocals are a bit different and the high pitched stuff toward the end isn't as good. The second half of the album kept it up for the first few songs - I quite enjoyed Drive You Home, History, and No Knock on My Door. The last 3 songs sort of dropped off; too decadent, long, boring, aimless. Still, we're talking at least two-thirds of the album that I thought was pretty good. Does that mean this album is better than Urban Hymns? I had to go back to it to listen again and compare. Yeah, it's better. I'd say half of the songs on Urban Hymns are too decadent, long, boring, aimless and they come about every other song. It has some great singles but the rest is pedestrian. This album is more consistent, and it gets on a real roll before it runs out of steam. It should be their only entry on this list.

Really good!

Good 90’s album

7/10

To me, this is the real "The Verve." "Bittersweet Symphony" is a good song, and that album is also incredible, but "A Northern Soul" is really what they were as younger lads putting their own sound out into the world. The sound is a mix of "shoegaze" and the same Manchester sound that led Oasis in the direction they went. It really is a sound that has to wash over you, and I think Ashcroft has his own unique voice and lyrics that help separate them from what could have ended up as much more niche (as many shoegaze bands are).

The Verve's second album is more psychedelic than their debut and less commercial than their third one. I love the intensity and the hypnotic sound of 'A Northern Soul', it's also quite dark and mellow. 'History' is one of, if not *the* finest moment in the band's career. I love their music, it's my kind of thing an I think they were one of the best in the mid-90s UK alter rock/psychedelic rock scene (I don't consider them britpop, because they were vastly different from Blur/Oasis). It's one of those times I wished we could give half stars as well, because this album is better than most of my 4 star albums, but a bit worse than my 5 star albums. I rounded up Bittersweet Symphony, so I round down this one, but it's a strong 4.5 star album.

Will definitely revisit, could be a 5 in time.

I would have given it a 5, but some of the songs got kind of whiny.

I liked it but it’s different

I liked it but not a lot

i checked out my other review for this band on this site and it talked about nostalgia. that’s honestly the best descriptor of this band for whatever reason. it’s not REAL nostalgia because i’ve only heard of them from this site but it’s just baked into their music. it’s very cool every time

The vocals are all that very familiar sound of Bittersweet Symphony with a harmonious, lilting, musical side.

Northern Soul was always a genre me and Len wanted to really get into. Something we both had a real affinity towards. We told Ashcroft that this was a misleading title if it wasn’t packed with Northern Soul. He simple replied ‘where’s the houmous and chutney then lads?’….alright soft lad. Pipe down. Over the moon that it was only downhill for him from here. Only idiots think Urban Hymns is better than this. 4.1

Meestal niet van de britpop maar vind dit wel vet, zit wel diepgang in. Favo liedjes: title track, history

Славный альбом. Славный предшественник Urban Hymns. Многие стилистические приколы из будущего альбома можно уже услышать на этом. Лично для меня не хватило не много разнообразия. Да и есть ощущение, что работу оценят лишь фанаты The Verve или Urban Hymns

I'd never heard any of these songs before, but I enjoyed it more than I expected! History in particular is a great song.

Liked this a lot. Very easy listening

History is pretty epic, kind of forgotten how huge The Verve were for a year or so

4.5 rounded down very nice! a little meandering but its ok cuz they were apparently zonked out of their gourds highlights: a new decade, this is music, a northern soul, drive you home (nov 1 2024)

Not heard this in a while. It probably is better than Urban Hymns to be honest, and History is definitely their best song. Fair play, it's stands up. Something of a midway point between decent shoegaze and half decent britpop/baggy, which it basically is. There are much fewer 'standout' tracks than on the poppier accessible Urban Hymns, which you could read as this being 'boring', or just a very chill vibe to drift off into, depending on your perspective. I'm in the latter camp. Definitely grow into this as it goes along. Really takes me back, I don't think I've listened to it in 20 years. Enjoyed.