Reviews (page 10 of 13)
A couple of good ones, overall not the best album but enjoyable.
More Brit rock, yay
i was pleasantly surprised by this one! obviously i knew bitter sweet symphony before listening to this album, but didn't know what to expect from it. would it be mostly filler and the big track, or something more? well, i think it was something more. and perhaps every song on here is not as lofty as bitter sweet symphony, but it is a very fun of-the-era britpop album. I do feel like the first two-thirds of the album are very good and the last third really grinds the album to a halt, feeling very lethargic, and not in a great way. but overall, i liked this one, and am glad i gave it a listen!
Enjoyed
bittersweet symphony is a banger per usual, i liked 'this time', and 'space and time' a lot, a few other cool songs, but some of it dragged on a bit
This is a really chill album to have on in the background to zone out to. Pretty boring/repetitive on the front half but DAMN does it hit its stride in the back half. If the album was just Bitter Sweet Symphony + the back half it would be a 4/5.
6/10 i was able to look past my blind hatred of bittersweet symphony and actually enjoy this album worst song: bittersweet symphony
Soft, slow songs. Could listen to these while I have a headache, they are soothing.
Je n'avais écouté que Bittersweet Symphony et The Drugs don't work sur cet album. J'avais un peu peur de ce qu'allait donner le reste, en mode "c'était sympa jeune mais en fait c'est cringe", mais en vrai ça se tient très bien. Rien de révolutionnaire, mais un album de pop-rock bien ficelé, qu'on associe tout de suite à une époque.
Mouaaais... Je ne peux plus trop écouter Bittersweet Symphony que j'ai l'impression d'avoir beaucoup trop entendue, mais d'autres chansons sauvent le cd (The Drugs don't work). Je concède que cette écoute me fait partiellement revenir sur un a priori négatif
Standouts: Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work, Sonnet, Lucky Man 3.5
When I first heard this in the 90s I thought that (with the exception of Bittersweet Symphony) the songs were all either dour acoustic ballads or low-fi discordant jams. Enjoyed the re-listen much more than expected, though doesn't feel like groundbreaking stuff.
Bitter Sweet Symphony is well known and pretty catchy. The Drugs Don't Work is a meme these days isn't it? Lucky Man is ok. Fave tracks from this session: Catching The Butterfly and Deep Freeze
That one great song but mostly just OK for me
Petite déception pour moi. Je l'ai trouvé moins intéressant que l'album précédent que j'ai entendu d'eux, sauf en ce qui concerne la pièce «Bittersweet Symphony», qui vieillit très bien dans sa composition hétéroclite.
Pop rock, I'd describe it as spacey/lackadaisical
6/10. Decent, but too coldplay-y
Perfectly fine. Pretty one note for the most part. Nothing to be bothered by.
meeiro
Hasn't aged well, but some decent tunes in here.
Bittersweet Symphony is genuinely one of the top 5 most beautiful songs I've heard but the rest of the album falls so flat comparatively. Want to give it a 4 because of how easy and smooth it was to listen to but despite that, the songs werent all that good
It's nice, and of course has an epic beginning.
Occasional banger, rest are average
Some of the bangers are all right. Some of the songs I hadn't heard before were all right. All right (iha jees) / 5
Bittersweet Symphony is one of my favorite songs ever, but the rest of the album was just okay. It didn’t vary much from song to song and faded into the background quickly for me.
Bit of a snooze fest, if you've heard brit pop you've heard this.
Bittersweet symphony is amazing, but the album dies down a bit as it drags on.
A decent listen but a bit too 'run of the mill' 90s brit pop.
Another 90s insertion for 1 good song. There were so many good albums from that decade but they just keep finding the one-hit-wonders. I swear if Chumbawumba is in here...
Was this group formed to sell Oasis B sides? I think so. It is a bit of a guilty pleasure, please don't tell anyone.
That violin that begins “Bittersweet Symphony” was ubiquitous in 1997. The Verve’s “Urban Hymns” didn’t have much life in the US past that, but “The Drugs Don’t Work” and “Lucky Man” were also successful in the UK. I didn’t know if the rest of “Urban Hymns” would be more like “Bittersweet Symphony,” or more like their previous album “Northern Soul.” I remarked that “Northern Soul” was heavier than I expected based on that one hit. “The Rolling People” brought the sound I was hoping for, but alas that song is by far the album’s best. “Weeping Willow” is a decent slower track, and several others are ok, but overall I prefer the previous album. The Verve aren’t a strong enough band to place two albums if they were American.
This fits squarely into 90s Britpop. Into the meaty part of the curve. I hear some Oasis, the quintessential 90s Britpop, in these tracks.
A reasonable album with some decent tracks, but The Verve were a lot more exciting when they were also exploring psychedelic rock, space rock, and shoegaze rather than trying to follow the success of bands like Oasis.
Bitter Sweet Symphony is one of my least favourite songs of all time. The reasons I hate it are the same reasons many love it. The two violins playing the same melodramatic phrase over and over and over is so annoying, only to be outmatched by Richard Ashcroft's drab, droning delivery. The first 6 minutes of this album fucking suck. I hate this song and most of that hatred is irrational. Fuck this song fuck it fuckit ahhhhhhhhh So it turns out the The Verve are a pretty good band. The Drugs Don't Work is an excellent song, and I get emotional every time the chorus kicks in. Sonnet, Lucky Man, and The Rolling People are other highlights. Some of the slower points on this album are forgettable. One Day sounds like a song written by the frontman of The Verve's tribute act. That being said it's inoffensive, palatable, and its biggest offense is adding five minutes to the album's length. I think 5/10 is a more appropriate rating based on how I feel about these songs individually, but as an album it is cohesive and very well executed. Ashcroft clearly has great writing chops, and it is a damn shame that I can't tolerate his masterpiece for a single second. 6/10.
Bitter sweet symphony is awesome. Long album though. I liked it but they needed to cut some fluff
Bittersweet Symphony could be in my personal top 100 songs. Sonnet is a pretty good song too. The middle of the album gets pretty boring. Lucky Man was pretty good amidst the boring. I actually liked the ending a good bit too. All in all it ends up squarely as a 3. It's way too long as well.
Ahh Bittersweet Symphony. What a classic. Not sure I know anyone who doesn't like this piece of art! I hate when the drugs don't work. Not the song but just when the actual drugs don't work. This song is pretty peaceful though. Unlike drugs not working. Really like the background guitar work on Catching the Butterfly. Ah I've actually heard another song by these guys in Lucky Man. Pretty song. Was working with this in the background but found some songs a bit boring. Might come back to it again we'll see.
Wasn’t familiar with this band, sonically well done.
“Bittersweet Symphony” is an iconic track. The rest of this felt like pretty standard, unremarkable 90s music. Best tracks: The Drugs Don’t Work, Bittersweet Symphony
Bitter Sweet Symphony and Lucky Man are the best songs. The others don't stand out. Not a bad album.
3.5, I'd say. Bitter Sweet Symphony stands out, rest of the album was just okay.
Not a bad listen, albeit pretty forgettable. However, I would put this on again as some background noise.
Bittersweet Symphony is hands down the best song on the album. Unfortunately the rest of the album is nowhere as good. Totally unremarkable. I will round up to a 3 simply because of Bittersweet Symphony.
Very very good
Good
It's like a second rate Oasis album... Not in a mean way, like, if I bought the album I wouldn't be mad about it. In the same breath, the radio hits are the best songs.
Some good tracks can be found here but overall it has not aged very well. At least for me
Pretty good 90s rock. I like that the album didn't stick to too-rock or too-soft - that it went back and forth between the two - so it didn't feel like it was dragging on (even after 65 minutes)
90s as it is
4/12, 33%
This album defines a time. Guitar forward rock record, rock star sound and lyrics. Sounds like Oasis. Bittersweet Sympathy ironically is the outlier on this album. Occasionally some strings enter the arrangements of other tracks, but mostly Urban Hymns to me is an extension of modern hair rock like Poison or Def Leppard, even Aerosmith - drugs, alcohol, guitars, and a couple acoustic ballads. It doesn't rock like those bands' records do, but the bones of that sound are here. Sadly, as the album goes on...and on (this album is also very long - like 76 minutes) it becomes diminishing returns. Some producer lost a battle with the band because no album, not even like if Jimi Hendrix came back from the dead, should be 76 minutes long.
Sounds of the 90's
Fine
If Oasis was actually good at music. A lot of the songwriting is a bit bland though, but beautifully performed.
Not bad but nothing too special.
Great first song. Solid rest of the album, but nothing mind-blowing for me...
Good album, not great, but their hit was huge
This is fine but really didn't blow me away.
Middleschool me would have absolutely adored this album, which is tragic as It was out then. As it is I don't really care for his voice. That makes this album a middling affair to me.
If U2 and Oasis had a love child, it would be The Verve. Liked it more than I thought I would. A bit uneven and not everything works. Note to bands. If you're not The Clash and your hidden track isn't Train in Vain, don't do hidden tracks. Overall, decent but not spectacular.
WHY does the music that England was producing in the late 90's leave me so cold? Albums like this should be right up my alley, but this does nothing for me. More off-brand Oasis, who were just off-brand Beatles. It's perfectly serviceable, but not memorable. And wow, at 75 minutes it just feels like a slog. I think this could have been a much tighter album if it was edited down by half an hour.
Nice album and their break through album but do like their earliest stuff like a Storm In Heaven and Northern Soul better. This one a 3 star,
Easy to listen to. Gave some big Coldplay vibes, but like better for the most part. Nice
I never really gave these guys a chance when this came out because "Bittersweet Symphony" was SO overplayed I just decided that the band and everything they did pissed me off. Nuance wasn't always a huge part of my teenage music criticism! Anyway, it's fine enough fare if a tad too long. Some nice symphonic bits here and there. "Bittersweet Symphony" IS actually a pretty good song when you're not hearing it every damn where you turn.
The only required listening of the Verve is Bitter Sweet Symphony. The only reason Bitter Sweet Symphony makes the Verve a must-listen and merit entry on this list is because of the fucked up copyright laws that allowed Alan Klein snatch the rights of the song because someone messed up on the sample clearance and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are credited as the writers of the magnificent song. They're not and it's not their fault, as a matter of fact, they reverted the rights back to The Verve, but anyways the rest of the album is meh 90s Brit-Pop-Alternative-Rock. 3/5.
Þrjú af fyrstu lögunum fjórum eru frábær, enda talsvert meira spiluð en öll önnur á plötunni nema eitt. Þetta byrjar svo vel, en svo rennur þetta út í eitthvað miðjumoð. Synd.
álbum um pouco longo demais, apesar de num geral ter curtido a sonoridade. a primeira música é um baita hit, algumas outras achei boas, ainda mais com a utilização de instrumentos clássicos em diversas. num geral gostei do álbum.
2.5
Enough here to come back for another listen
Some great tracks, a good listen, but it just never elevates higher. Still like it though!
The flaw with this album is that it starts off with their biggest hit ever, by a mile. It’s hard to appreciate anything else on the album, even though the talent is there. The Verve throw together some interesting tracks, some slow, some poppy, some rockin, some absolutely space and time affluent. Nothing here is bad. It’s just average; and the contrast to Bittersweet and the rest of the album is just too great of a divide to appreciate anything much more than a forgettable track here and there.
Pretty decent album, though it seems because of label influences, the hit single got placed first on the tracklist and everyone forgot about all the other songs. 3.5/5
ну альтернатив рок, да
I remember this being a one hit wonder. The album is better than I expected. Glad I listened, but not sure I will be going back for more
The first song is obviously a 5 but after that it varies.
decent
Not bad
Perfectly acceptable
Didn't mind the singles from this back in the day. They do capture the mood of the time for me; a more contemplative antidote to the BritPop nonsense. But the more rockist album tracks here didn't do much for me. I have never been a fan of The Doors, unlike this band, clearly. Close, but no cigar.
Twenty years Bitter sweet symphony was everywhere and I hated it. Never heard the album but now I say it's good (except Bitter sweet symphony), even if he's 'oasising'.
Nothing too special. I can tell why the hits were big but the rest of the tracks didn’t really connect with me. Kinda remind of crowded house.
Some good songs, but not particularly engaging. Probably didn't need to be a double album.
As excellent as that title track is, the rest of this album comes off as fairly generic. It's well enough made late 90s Britpop, but pretty forgettable. Fave Songs: Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man, Space and Time, Neon Wilderness, This Time
Classic album that combines Oasis and Radiohead sounds into something very 90s. The Rolling Stones had no business suing them for using a sample on Bittersweet Symphony!
Not anything groundbreaking, but a pleasant listen, quite unforgettable in most cases Saved tracks: Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Rolling People, The Drugs Don’t Work, Weeping Willow
I recognize Bitter Sweet Symphony from the radio back in the 2000s. Feels nostalgic. Instrumentation and production is pretty good, don’t like this vocal style too much though. Drums get 👍 Snoozefest... Neon wilderness skip About halfway through, super boring. Yeah didn't care for this album.
My favorite part about this album is that it has Bittersweet Symphony on it. My least favorite part of the album was listening to the rest of the album afterwards. It's fine as an album, but it's another Brit pop album that feels like nothing special to me 3/5
I'll admit to a precise weakness for this tone, but there's also an objective case that the album is not nearly as overstuffed as it appears. It leans hard on the second syllable of Britpop, opens with the unmistakably good, continues strong for an admirable stretch. The sound of the B side pushes patience more than any frontier, but represents decent variety.
Solid album, pretty standard BritPop (which is way overrepresented on this list IMO). Bitter Sweet Symphony is a classic but I've heard it enough for one lifetime. 3 stars.
Meh.
Straight down the middle
3/5 I knew and therefore liked the first song. The rest just kinda blended together. I will go back and relisten cause that was probably on me. It felt very familiar and it was good on the technicals.
Sounds like the Smiths going 90´s Brit-pop
Quite good, but nothing crazy good to me. Very comfortable 3, almost 4
Four really good songs (three of the first four, plus Lucky Man), supported by a lot of less good stuff. I've seen Richard Ashcroft live, supporting someone else (can't remember who). He was quite good, but got visibly frustrated that almost no one knew any of the songs he sang other than Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work. It's too long (even without the 15 minute final track which is mostly silence), and it's a bit beige other than the singles, but they lift it up to a 3/5.
3-4
It was a solid 4 until I got to the hidden track. Who the hell wants to hear a baby crying, it grates my nerves. Putting music over it doesn't make it edgy, just stop.
3.5 - .5 extra for Bittersweet Symphony
An album for the times, has aged OK. 3/5
it's not oasis
Pretty nice but a bit boring
seems like a very popular album but I only like a few of the songs
Lol I was clowning on this album and then next thing I know I’ve listened to it twice back-to-back. This fully dunks me in 90s cheese and I love it
Outstanding opening track. But, apart from Bittersweet, Lucky Man and Drugs don't work, the album feels very mid.
Bitter-sweet, gets mundane after some time
Bittersweet Symphony is 5/5, the rest is like 2-3 range. Classic one hit wonder type of stuff lol.
First time hearing a complete The Verve album. There were at least 2-3 songs that are very recognizable as being hits by them. Easily an album to enjoy with the family in the car.
It's the hits. Album drags a bit I must say.
Overall the album is fine, there are some tracks I really like, yet there were many that aren't memorable. Fairly generic sounding Brit-Pop and If I played tracks of Oasis and The Verve, I probably couldn't differentiate the two bands and at times, I swear I was listening to U2. Nothing special here, but a pleasant and enjoyable listen. ***1/2
Bittersweet Symphony is 5*
Aucun intérêt une fois qu'on a passé les violons et le plagiat du premier morceau.
Un album de bonne facture de la part de The Verve, mais le manque d'urbanité pourtant promise sur le titre de l'album leur empêche d'accéder à la caste très resserrée des 4/5.
U2 + Oasis = The Verve
This album was really good It exceeded my expectations. The cover looked pretty cool and I really enjoyed a few songs from this album. I give it a 6/10
Very unique sound for this band. Good album. Glad I listened to it.
Better than usual for Britpop, with 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' obviously being my top pick. The rest of the album was fine after that, but I doubt I'll return.
Some great tracks, and a lot of filler.
the drugs don't work, and this album has been cut with Vim
While this album certainly has it moments (it peaks with the first track), it ultimately suffers under its own weight. Despite the interesting mix of britpop, alternative rock, and psychedelia, the running time makes the album sound very much the same. The Verve are masteries of melody and orchestration, but in the year that saw the release of OK Computer, it falls a bit flat.
Besides Bitter Sweet Symphony, this album didn’t really have any highlights. All of the songs were the exact same. Same instrumental, same lyrics, same mood, everything. This album was by no means a bad album, but it could have been better. To be honest, I forgot that BSS was on this album. Overall, this album is pretty forgettable as The Verge as been a very forgettable band. Rankings: Ovr. -> Weak 7 Best 3: 1. BSS (Favorite) 2. Sonnet 3. TDDW Worst 3: 1. CO/DF 2. TRP (Least Favorite) 3. S&T
Hi, we're The Verve. Not to be confused with the Verve Pipe. We're the band with the one ginormous song that you actually like, but one with a melody we might have borrowed from the Stones. But we gave Mick and Keith songwriting credit on it. The lesson, as always, is Allen Klein is a huge prick. Whatever. When's the last time you listened to "Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe? We even give you a hidden track here at the end, which doesn't mean shit now but was a nice little surprise back in the CD era.
Discount Oasis that is surprisingly better than the real thing - besides the notorious main single which is also still a great song - this record is peppered with very memorable tracks yet it feels a bit too long and the fillers are fillers with not much to remember them by.
Would prefer to give this a 2.5 or 5/10 but due to this rating system it gets a generous 3 stars. This album really dragged The rolling people and catching the butterfly felt really slow with the 7 minute play time, I don't mind a long song but it really didn't feel like there was any major progression or pay off here, just droning back ground music. Coming away from this album I guess I can say I enjoyed the singles and time and space. My biggest issue with this album is it really feels as if most of these songs aren't supposed to be paid attention too and just exist for filler and background noise.
I was unaware they wrote \"The Drugs Don't Work\" - I thought it was Ben Harper. Wow. A beautiful, devastating song. It is emblematic of British Arena rock.
Love the 90s!
Fine
Bittersweet Symphony ist der einzige Track, der mich abholt. Sonst eher durchschnittlich.
Bittersweet Symphony is one of my favorite songs and really the only song by the Verve that I know coming into this album. The Drugs Don't Work was instantly my new favorite song on the album. Singles: ---------------------------------------------- Bitter Sweet Symphony (UK #2, USA #12, US ALT #3) The Drugs Don't Work (UK #1) Lucky Man (UK #7, #14 US ALT) Sonnet (#74 UK, #4 Iceland) Standouts: Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man Others: Sonnet
love
Got the cassette out. Not sure why I've got it as never liked it much. I guess I didn't know until I had it.
3.5/5
Best songs are in the first half but then the second half kinda dragged on. I think what really hurt this album is how long the song where. Don't get me wrong some of the long tracks were good.
3.5
Shocker, Brit Pop. My brother had this album when I was younger, there's more than the one hit wonder on here, but not enough to justify 75 minutes.
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: Mostly I think it has some highs and lows. It probably could have been a shorter listening time and increased its rating by removing a song or two. The highs aren't worth mentioning as they're the pretty obvious ones. I'd say a pretty high 3 stars
-Definitely have heard the first song. 7/10 -It's oddly nostalgic? 7/10 -I've noticed old songs are so much longer than modern songs. 3/10 -I feel like I could both sleep and cry to this. 9/10 -Reminds me of \"Dancing Queen\" by ABBA for some reason 8/10 - I forgot it was playing, so I guess it was decent. 7/10 -Title is very fitting. 7/10 -The songs all sound very similar. 6/10 -Got slightly more interesting, but I'm starting to get tired of the album. 8/10 -Got good again, reminds me of a song from \"The Wall\" I think. 9/10
2.5.
Brought me back to high school days! I only knew their more famous hits (e.g., Bitter Sweet Symphony) but have never listened to one of their albums before. It was good- they have a U2-type sound. Easy music to work to. There's a "hidden track" 13 min into the last song on the album- not worth waiting for. It's 2 min filled with psychedelic music with something that sounds like either a crying baby or cat in heat...Just stick to the original tracks on the album.
Fine, kinda sounded like u2
Átti fína spretti, en ég bara get ekki Richard Ashcroft
The singles are really good, they sound pretty dreary on their album tracks, might improve with more listens
I can appreciate that the album is very good, just not for me.
A few good songs with Bitter Sweet Symphony being top tier. Overall an alright album.
I love melancholia but think this album is a bit much! The hits are great, but played to death. Lucky man is probably the best song imo
A week after giving '90s Britpop shit, I get a Britpop album I actually enjoy. Maybe it's because this feels a little more rock 'n' roll than the others I've gotten thus far? Maybe it's the fact that the album's full of legitimate existential musings rather than treacly, angst-ridden love songs? I honestly don't know. One thing I do know is that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a fantastic song. It's Britpop done right, and one of the defining tracks of the '90s from any genre. At the time of its release, it was played, overplayed, then overplayed some more, and while my interest in adding it to my playlists may have waxed and waned over the years, I enjoy it thoroughly every time I hear it. As for the rest of the album, the biggest surprise for me was "The Drugs Don't Work." I first ran across the song on Ben Harper's "Live from Mars" album, and thought it was one of his own songs. Discovering it on this album was definitely another point in the Verve's favor. The rest of the album didn't exactly knock my socks off, but I think I need to give it another listen or two. It appears that Richard Ashcroft is a talented songwriter, and I suspect I'll find more to enjoy if I pay closer attention. Gonna give this three stars, but I wouldn't be surprised if I listen to it some more and end up thinking it should have been four.
Definitely a 90s album with sounds reminiscent of U2, Stone Roses & Oasis. It was a bit too long for me, but enjoyed it all in all. 3.5
I just can't seem to get into BritPop from this era.
Not for me. Everyone recognises Bitter Sweet Symphony and it’s a classic, but the songs all just sounded too similar and went on for way too long.
'Bitter Sweet Simphony' remains a classic. Some other good tracks, but also some generic stuff. Overall ok-ish album. 3/5
It’s a bittersweet symphony
Idk why but this guys voice annoys me for some reason
Good record
hasn't aged very well. some excellent song that hold up but a lot of filler.
Pop elegante británico y sin contemplaciones. Voz característica. Alguna canción muy recordada
Another album from which I'd only heard the hits (a lot) before this project. It was OK, though not sure I'd bother going back to it
Not much of a britpop guy but I enjoyed this album. Nice guitar tone and melodies and solid lyricism. I'd listen again.
Not fully my style but still a good listen
Some classic somgs
(3.8) Really enjoyed the full album. I had heard a few of the songs prior. Lucky Man was my favorite
I've always thought of The Verve as being one-hit wonders. That assessment was correct. But man, what a one-hit wonder! Very few songs bring the late 90's rushing back like Bitter Sweet Symphony! Coming out around the same time as that other deep one-hit wonder, The Freshmen (by The Verve Pipe, no less. Coincidence? I think not), it brings back memories of hanging out in Athens OH, finishing my MA, and thinking - 'man, this is deep'. And man, was it. The rest of the album isn't bad - but it's like a montage scene in Felicity (before she cut her hair). It's there, and it's VERY definitely late 90's, but I don't need to hear most of it again. But that first song....DEEP, man.
Space and Time, Weeping Willow und natürlich Bittersweet Symphonie sind toll Zweite Hälfte ist besser
I think the most popular track is just that for a reason, the music was good but I couldn’t really tell one track from the next
Yup. Kinda busy at work, nothing day. Progress on horizon, but average days are okay
Like Oasis, early 90s alt rock/pop sound. One notch psychedelic, apparently this is part of Shoegaze which is a genre I'm unfamiliar with. Both acustic guitar and electric. Single male vocalist. Maybe 5 or 6 out of 10, not unpleasant to continue listening to.
My first encounter with this band was "A Northern Soul". I described that album as "shoegaze-ic Oasis". I didn't think that they're an Oasis riff off. But after hearing this, I changed my mind. But that doesn't mean that it's worse than "A Northern Soul". In fact, this is more enjoyable, despite the cheap britpop vibe of it. It's much more popular. But in terms of sound, it's more basic and therefore less interesting. I really can't decide which of the two albums are better. But between Oasis and The Verve, it's clear which.
This album was very unusual, the first song everyone's heard but the rest were much better. 7/10
Solid
A bit more varied than I expected, some of their tracks that I used to hate I have more appreciation for now, but I still find that they drone on a bit.
I listened to this one quite a bit back in the day. It has four great songs, a couple of decent other ones, and then much noodling and sonic mis-adventures. I still like it though.
A few hits but a lil dull for my liking. Soz.
Bittersweet Symphony incredible. Album feels a bit like U2 or simpler Oasis, pleasant alt/radio rock. 'Space and Time', 'Catching the butterfly', other good tracks
Didn’t know anything other than bittersweet symphony. Sounds like older Radiohead. Didn’t know Wilco - drugs don’t work is a cover. Really sounds like The Bends era Radiohead. Lucky man is a good chorus
Pretty good. A little slow for my tastes but there's some stand out tracks (Bittersweet Symphony, Space and Time, This Time and Velvet Morning).
Bittersweet Symphony is a throwback hit. This is like a slower, proto-Muse. Its pretty inoffensive.
I remember when "Bitter Sweet Symphony" came out, and perhaps it was the saturation of that song on the radio that helped keep me from listening to more from The Verve. "Lucky Man" is the only other track on Urban Hymns that I was familiar with. I was surprised how much I liked the album. I had some favorite tracks ("The Rolling People", "Space and Time", "Lucky Man"), but no true stand out selections. The album was just good overall. The final track felt like the band was trying to show a harder edge, which was enough to keep me from rounding up to a full 4 stars.
Pretty good
3 alright
ok oasis (j'ai écouté d'une oreille)
The album starts with two great songs. But then it dilute in mediocre songs, with some exceptions. However, the album it is a good selection of brit pop of the end of the 90s.
I am not sad enough for this album apparently... Gonna give it a 3 because its not bad, but the songs seemed to drag on
I started listening to this and thought 'ohhh this song' and 'just a knock-off Oasis'. And to be clear, I still stand by those thoughts...but a few tracks like 'One Day' and 'The Drugs Don't Work' gave me more respect for the album. Feels better than a 3, but not enough for a 4.
+This Time Beyond Bittersweet Symphony, it's a fine album, though most of the tracks seem to be longer than they should be. I felt like I was listening to some reasonably decent brit-pop, which would be at home next to some Mansun and Manic Street Preachers. I think the standout for me was This Time.
There’s a lot to like here, with quite a few enjoyable (if broad and middle-of-road-y) songs. There’s very much of a Britpop’s final days feel to this, meaning that some of it can feel tired and generic. Maybe rocks unnecessarily hard (to my taste) here and there but “Rolling People” is overall fine. “Sonnet” and “The Drugs Don’t Work” and “Velvet Morning” are also strong. To me, the charge of Oasis-lite is pretty on target, but I may be missing some subtle differences. This feels a little more considered (maybe too much so) and a good bit less showy (though still posturing). There is some annoying repetition in the lyrics and vocals across several songs (singing the same words again and again) which is meant for emotional impact but falls flat after a few reprises. There’s a reaching for seriousness that doesn’t always come off and though I enjoyed this but I’m left short of feeling elevated or even that much engaged.
Worth a couple more listens at least.
CD
5/20/2022 - ALBUM #113 Today's Album: "Urban Hymns" by The Verve - This album is a very popular indie rock piece from the late 90s and it is a pretty nice listen. The production on all of the songs feels really good, the performances both instrumental and vocally are pretty impressive and help to create this really solid atmosphere. The songwriting overall is pretty good with some interesting lyricism and considering when it came out, it feels like it was ahead of the game on a few now-staples of the indie rock genre. Now that being said, I will say this album does get very tiring by the end of it. No track particularly stands out as particularly bad (except maybe the last track which feels like a pure waste of 15 minutes), but given that this album goes on for almost 2 hours, it needs to do more to justify it's huge runtime than just crank out the same kind of sound track after track. The beginning track is obviously a super big hit for this band and it feels like everyone knows it, but I really was unimpressed by it as the chord progression felt really basic, which becomes a larger problem throughout this project. Like I said nothing here really sounds bad, but having listened to albums of this vein like Radiohead's The Bends, which has an infinitely more interesting flow and progression, it gets really difficult for me to feel like this is anywhere as significant. The lack of overall flow on this album makes it feel like a collection of tracks meant specifically for radio and it just doesn't give itself well to a full listen. It may sound harsh for me to criticize it so much just for being generic, but 90s indie rock to me is all about standing out as an artist and doing something new and this just really sits in it's little corner. Overall, not a bad record in any way, but it's massive bloating issues and sometimes generic sound make it really hard to get through for me. Give this one a listen if you like 90s indie rock and maybe just spin the highlights and leave the rest so you don't waste your time. Highlights: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, The Drugs Don't Work, Space and Time, Lucky Man, Score: 6.5/10 Decent 90s indie rock that's just a bit bloated
Powrot do wyspiarskiego grania okolo rokowego z urbanowymi hymnami od the verve, ktorych przed odsluchem kojarzylem jedynie z bitter sweet symphony, ktore uwielbial katowac w samochodzie znajomy, ale poza tym nic wiecej o bandzie nie wiedzialem, wiec album z 97, goracy okres jesli chodzi o brytyjska alternatywe rokowo popowa, bo czasy oasisa i coldplaya, wiec zestakowanie grube, wiec jakos sie nie dziwie, ze wczesniej nie przesluchalem nic od bandy, pieciu czlonkow, dosc standardowo, chociaz dwie pary klawiszy i gitar prowadzacych, wiec panowie Tong i Ashcroft sie zmieniali rolami na poszczegolnych songach, sam Ashcroft jest takze wokalista i lirykiem grupy, nie wiem czemu ale brzmi to tak podobnie do tego co slychac od co radioheadow czy coldplayow, ze pewnie istnieje oddzielny gatunek do okreslania takiej brytyjskiej alternatywy, ktora cechuja liryki przepelnione szukaniem wyjscia z rozpaczy, bo co najbardziej przebija sie zarowno z wokalu jak i samych slow jest gleboki smutek, a wcale tematycznie nie sa to az takie smuty, ale jednak nie ma tutaj szczesliwego zycia, a raczej jego szukanie, wiec pod tym wzgledem calkiem przypadla mi do gustu plyta jako calosc, ktora tworzy ten godzinny z kwadransem krazek, z czego ten kwadrans to ostatni pietnastominutowy utwor come on/deep freeze oznaczony jako ukryta piosenka, od strony instrumentalnej odsluch byl mniej depresyjny, bo nie jest grane zbyt moodowo, ale tez niczym raczej nie zaskakuje, no moze poza kilkoma samplai, jak ten z bitterowo sweetowej symfonii, na ktorej mozna uslyszec stonesow i ich the last time z the andrew oldham orchestra, o ktorego musiala sie toczyc prawdziwa wojna z tego co wyczytalem na wiki, ale jak sie zakonczyla pozostaje zagadka, ale fakt jest faktem, ze genialnie go wykorzystali na tym traku, zwlaszcza biorac pod uwage, ze jest to przeciez rock, a tak naturalnie brzmi ten sampel w kompozycji tego kawalka, ktory juz wczesniej byl na plejce, ale dodam do niego the drugs dont work, za akustyczne brzmienie i akcenty smyczkowe, ktore pewnie rowniez byly samplowane, bo notesy nie mowia o nikim kto by sie dotykal smyczkow, a ostatnim kawalkiem bedzie lucky man, ktory podobnie smyczkuje i serwuje egzystencjonalne rozwazania na temat szczescia i jego poszukiwaniu zmieniajac siebie lub swoje zwiazki z innymi, zaliczam odsluch do udanych i zmniejszajacych moja uraze do brytyjskiej sceny popowego rokowania i wszechpojetej alternatywy
Hits were all right, rest was listenable.
Pretty decent album. I've heard Bitter Sweet Symphony so many times that when I was given this album I was quite excited, Sadly I cannot say that many of the songs come close to Bitter Sweet Symphony and it's clear why it became such a hit there are a few other decent songs. Favourite Songs: Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work, Catching The Butterfly
Enjoyed it at the time, and continue to do so now. For as much play as Bittersweet Symphony got, Lucky Man still gets me to this day.
yeah they got a classic sound. some sound a bit generic but maybe its because its got mass appeal and ~30 years have passed
it's fine. maybe too slow for me somehow? bitter sweet symphony is of course pretty legendary. And some of their songs. like Lucky Man. sort of make me feel like they're sort of modern tom petty. and tom petty is great. but, it's just a certain kind of speed you know?
My dudes, bittersweet is one word.
Bloated, overlong, one-paced and self-indulgent for the most part. Couple of well-crafted singles the best of which owes much to the stolen string arrangement. Disappointing: I enjoyed this far more in its day. So the drugs probably did work.
The opening two songs are really great but then it must drones on...
I love how nostalgic this album makes me feel, just with the sound of it! Love a bit of Brit pop! There are some undeniable bangers on here. However, there is an awful lot of filler which I did enjoy and, again, loving the nostalgic sound, but it doesn't really go beyond that for me unless we are on a banger track. It doesn't excite me enough beyond a 3 unfortunately.
I thought it was an alright album. I wasn't exactly super moved or anything. Honestly I went in expecting not to be into it. Came away feeling pretty good about it.
Büschen langweilig, ganz schlechte drei.
6/10 It's a nice album to listen to but it is pretty forgettable. Exceptions are the intro track with those blaring violins which is perfection. And of course The Rolling People and The Drugs Don't Work. Would I mind listening to Urban Hymms? Not really, nice album to listen to but doesn't have much memorable moments.
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is the best song of Verve, a band that it must be listened to in my computer. His songs are cool and shine on my room.
almost 3,5; bitter sweet poestry, the opening song is a classic, but album is getting kinda too generic and boring at some point, it was kinda too long imo, but also not bad overall
This album is good, but I found it a little bland. Favorites: Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work
Best: Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet
Bittersweet Symphony and Drugs Don’t work are two of my favorite songs ever, but the rest of the record has always been underwhelming for me, it’s just not at the same heights of those two songs, a shame
pretty good overall not just "bittersweet symphony the album" 3.5
This isn't one of the great albums. The best song is only memorable because of a sample of an orchestral rendering of a Rolling Stones' song. The rest is a reasonably pedestrian attempted copy of Oasis, but lacking the bite.
enjoyed the groups' music. had not heard of them
takes me back to my youth. Will give it another listen
nem sabia que conhecia a banda, mas na primeira música e já sei que ouvi pelo menos uma música deles... e gosto! a segunda música é na verve (sacou? sacou?) da primeira mas mais baladinha. eles são britânicos? tem vibe bandinha de rock britânico. vai ficando cada vez mais britanico-melancolico-anos 90. gosto.
Nice. I was expecting more songs similar to the “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, that I already knew...but i enjoyed the rock and the striking guitar
Nice. Distinct songs... Not the 12 versions of the same thing other 90s bands played. Worthy of a second listen
nhe
Good start and end tho got lost a bit in the middle. Cool to hear some stuff I heard growing up but never knew the artist’s name. Also lol at discovering Jason Derulo sampled the first song for Ridin Solo
unpopular opinion: I do not like Bittersweet Symphony
Singles aside (especially "Sonnet" and "Lucky Man") hasn't aged as well as one might have thought back in the day...
Okeydoke
Bittersweet symphony is a classic that stands the test of time. The rest is fine too but not incredibly engaging or remarkable. 3.5/5
It was pretty good. it sounded like a mix of a lot of different british bands - heard some oasis, some blur, some coldplay, etc. some of the songs were boring but some were quite cool
This list definitely has an obsession with oft mediocre Brit Pop
I think I "appreciate" this album more than I "like" it. I mean, I do like - in the same way I like a lot of bands from the 90s. They created a different sound by adding strings and making it a little more orchestral than, say, Oasis or Robbie Williams or {insert 90s British musicians here} - which I totally respect.
Who's picking these albums? Not that this one is particually bad, but im pretty sure I could have gone my whole life without listening to this. Not bad but nothing to write home about. Kinda generic 90s.
Easy listening, token 90s era music riding the wave of Oasis and the like. The Verve's history notwithstanding, Urban Hymns is likely their magnum opus and a sad reminder that they were capable of being a strong band yet were terrible at being friends.
Only 3 stars because there are only 3 or 4 good songs on this album, the rest is just a filler.
This album felt a bit average if not below. Bittersweet symphony is great though!
Classic 90s baby
6/10
Didn't rate it then. Don't rate it now. Apart from Lucky Man, that gives me chills.
Bittersweet Symphony is undeniable really, isn't it. So the opening is sorted. Sonnet is also rather lovely, but not radically different from the track before - except without the stolen Andrew Loog Oldham strings! After a strong start, The Rolling People seems to serve as a warning of what The Verve or Richard Ashcroft can be at their worst. Stodgy, lumpen 'rawk' that wouldn't feel out of place on one of the terrible latter era Oasis albums. Bland chaff for the bovine. It's seven minutes long. The good bit is about 20 seconds. Then it's The Drugs Don't Work, and they win back the goodwill they just spent 7 minutes losing. Then they seem to pour it away again with Catching the Butterfly, which aims for psychedelia, forgetting that you need to be interesting to pull that off. This is definitely an album of highs and lows. Neon Wilderness is a very dull 2:30 plod through a similar faux psychedelia. Honestly, every time they jam or wig out this album is terrible. Every time they try to actually write a song, it's great. This is a band that seems intent on self sabotage. Space and Time returns to semi form after this as if to prove my last statement accurate. If you went to school in the 90s, you'll have heard Weeping Willow. It's that song a band at school wrote that sounded a bit like Wonderwall, but not as good. After this, the album settles back into what it does well, with Lucky Man and This Time the highlights. Velvet Morning is nice enough. Feels very 1997 - let's close with a comedown song. Aldi Value Prosecco Supernova, if you will. Then Come On sees the album off in another wave of sludgy bleh. There's a nice odd little hidden track at the end though. This isn't a bad album. It's highs are great, though very similar. If you had Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet, Drugs Don't Work, This Time and Lucky man back to back, I suspect you'd struggle to work out where one track starts and the other begins. However, as an album, it is a lot of one star filler around 4/5 star singles.
Ok, never got quite into it. I wanted to like it more. 2.7
Pretty standard verve, hits are the standouts
Having received initial critical acclaim followed by critical derision by the fickle UK music press for their early psychedelic rock output, the Verve shifted their sound towards a more britpop/rock sound in the mid 90s. This was a commercially smart move as this album proved, with the Verve finding themselves moving along in the wake of Oasis with other similarly 60s/70s inspired bands like Ocean Colour Scene and Cast. If you like that kind of thing, you'll like this album
Ok but dreary
It’s okay.
sing/songwriter american, poprocket, p4
Some solid bangers, would give 3.5 stars
A true '97 classic, need say more?
A lot more generic and unoriginal than I remember it being at the time it came out. Like they took Oasis and Radiohead and released a B sides covers collection
Good album a little over-rated in my opinion. 3.75 🌟
A good album - it's very of its time. The Britpop scene in all of its nostalgic, honest, if overrated glory
This is a good britpop album, it just feels like every single song is a minute longer than it needs to be.
Always thought this album started amazingly well, but loses steam at “Neon Wilderness”, picks back up briefly with “Lucky Man” only to immediately peter out again. Some great songs, and singles, but not one of the great long players for me.
The rest of the album doesn’t stand up to the first track
Listenable. Very of it's time. Bittersweet Symphony stands out. Nothing else really grabs me.
I think we all know Bittersweet Symphony, it's a good rock song. The Drugs Don't Work is another song I knew and liked. If the entire album lived up to these songs I think it could go up to a 4, but there are a lot of tracks that are skippable or don't add anything interesting. It's Brit-pop-rock, usually I am not a huge fan.
3.4 - Middle of the road British alt rock of the mid/late 90s.
Didn't really go back and listen
A bit heavy at times, but some very good tunes.
Bittersweet symphony is a great alt song. Most of the other album is slightly above average and flows well but nothing else really stands out. It’s good. 6.8/10
Would probably like it. DIdn't get the chance to listen, really. But seems okay.
Classic songs but I still don’t like Richard Ashcroft’s voice to make me want to listen again
This album starts strong, but I found myself getting bored about halfway through.
Better than I thought I'd be. Bitter Sweet Symphony is my least favorite song on the album.
Urban Hymns toes the line between saccharine 90s Britpop and early 90s feedback imbued shoegaze. Which is not to serve as a slight to the record. Since this characterizes the LP as a touch more distinct than most of their contemporaries. The brightest moments within the LP are tracks like Space and Time, which showcase a earnestness emotional proclamation of devotion. Accompanied by a rhythmic guitar backing. The seminal track Bitter Sweet Symphony is rousing but lacks a self awareness needed to temper it’s over done strings.
There’s some nice stuff here but it’s not really outstanding
Wasn't my favorite that year. Still quite MOR but based on sounds I like (garage/psych, shoegaze). Strangely, I like Ashcroft's music best when it veers towards Cosmic Country.
Within the realms of mediocrity, but there are some gems on the album. 7.4/10 Best Track: "Bittersweet Symphony"
I thought it would be better
Sounds good but not a fan
false
Fav : Sonnet est vraiment bien, c'est ça la meilleure chanson de l'album en fait, pas Bitter sweet symphony + this time, ressemble à du radiohead 7/10
Meh.
This is an okay album but feel it rides a little to much on the big single, Bittersweet Symphony. Interesting to note that BSS is a direct heavy sampling from Andrew Oldham Orchestra version of The Last Time. The other single off this album is very good but after listening to the first 4 or 5 songs on the album they lost me. It seems like more of the same. Enjoyed a few of the songs but feel the album is ranked higher than it should be. I can see the future influences. 2 1/2 stars
I have some mixed feelings about this record. I felt it was a little milquetoast taken as a whole--the autumnal melancholy only takes things so far before it starts to feel like background music. The singles are brilliant, but some of the other songs feel a little like aimless throwaways. The production is really surehanded and clear, but I credit that to Youth moreseo than The Verve. I also sense an air of self-importance, not atypical among Britpop bands of this era, which never leaves a great taste in my mouth, especially for a band that's ultimately indulging in a bit of revisionist pop history. For better or worse, I hear this album's influence the most on the likes of Coldplay in the years that followed. 2.5/3 Favourite track: "Bittersweet Symphony" by a mile, but "Space and Time" and "Lucky Man" are also strong
Reminds me of cross of Oasis and Brian Jonestown massacre. Some good jams, but mostly forgettable.
The songs on this one are mostly very nice, my only complain with the album (if any) would be that it's a little bit too long. I mean, it's great music, but 76min?
Ik verwachtte een volledig album met ballads. En enkel 'The Rolling People' & 'Come On' brachten daar wat verandering in. OK album met heel wat emotie, maar niet heel speciaal
Some great songs, but the album lacks depth.
I guess it might be just a little more musically interesting to live in London rather than Toronto. Bands like this just come with the territory.
Didn’t hate it, guess I’m a serial killer?
Bitter Sweet Symphony is the #1 middle school slow dance song. Fun fact, the Verve forgot to clear a sample for this song, and as such had to give all the money made from the song to the Rolling Stones.
I mean... bitter sweet symphony is a VIBE of the 90’s
Only had time for one listen. It was pretty good, I think this is one of those 90s Britpop contenders like Blur and Oasis. I think it's a little less radio-friendly than Oasis, but I think I like it slightly more coz the singer is quite good, if not trying to sing in a kind of American pronunciation. Bittersweet Symphony is okay, although I reckon it should be a final album track not an opening album track coz it's has that sort of winding-down vibe. Will have to give it a second listen.
A classic ! ***
This was a solid album. Bittersweet Symphony is definitely the standout here, but I also found myself enjoying Sonnet quite a bit as well. After that the rest of the album became a fairly forgettable pop album. Not bad, but nothing particularly innovative either.
Wel prima muziek. Zitten een paar sterke bij
So, not bad for passive listening. Bitter Sweet Symphony is on this one.
pretty good album, not quite what i would normally listen to and i wasnt in quite the right mood for it but still quite enjoyable. cant go wrong with bitter sweet symphony either
the Bittersweet Symphony remix was on high rotation in my spinning classes back in the day & I became obsessed with ensuing lawsuit, which made no sense to me, until I found out that the evil Allen klein was involved. Anyway, nice enough songs, laid-back psychedelic indie folk. Grows on you...
Bittersweet symphony is most known track. It's not bad, just not my thing. 6/10.
too soft
Chillig, bisschen was von Oasis
They have arguably one of the greatest songs of all time as the album opener, that the rest of the songs simply can’t keep up with. Can’t hate on the songs too much, they are average britpop, but too long of an album after being underwhelmed after being grabbed by the first track.
Pop/rock. Pegadizo.
After "Bittersweet Symphony", I completely forgot I was listening to anything.
Liked some of the classics ones
Singoli iconici che fanno da manifesto di fine anni '90. Il resto dell'album non regge il passo, con musicalità stagnanti e tracce tirate troppo a lungo.
Definitely more poppy than A Storm in Heaven, but awesome guitars and vocals
Bittersweet Symphony is one of those 5/5 songs, but the rest of the album really fell flat. It isn't terrible, but I was very disappointed to hear the rest of the album that Bittersweet is on. Nothing of note musically, but not a train wreck either. True Feelings: 3/5
theres a really great song on here
90s alternative rock, bittersweet symphony, rudimentary Radiohead-esque sound
I enjoyed some of these tracks but others....
Any essentials list is going to be subjective but this inclusion is the first so far to really raise an eyebrow from me. Oh well: it probably dates me more than anything. Got absolutely spammed by Bittersweet Symphony in the late 90s, especially during one of my few and brief MTV watching eras. Didn't recognize a single other song off the album. Surprised by several Eagles-esque, lightly countrified sad-ballads amongst the offerings.
I will come back to this
Was a good album, but the best songs were on the first half and the rest didn't slap as hard.
The first song is overplayed. Gets better starting with the second and third songs. The Drugs Don't Work is an okay song, better if your drunk. Decent album don't like it as much as I remember when I was younger.
Pretty good but sounds the same throughout the album.
Unsure how much I liked it - need to relisten
Beautiful album, a little slow for my liking
Classic 90s
Couple great songs. 3.5