Urban Hymns

I guess a lot of what you like and think about an album can be contextual. This is definitely the perfect album for coffee on a rainy day in a Melbourne cafe.

Awesome album start to finsh

It was a classic when it released and still a classic now.

9/10 Title is a great Description

I’m happy about today’s album. I’m not sure that I know too much by The Verve, but I do really like the songs I’ve heard. This is an era and genre of music that I tend to really take to, so this should be a fun one. Let’s listen! I’m hopeful with this one. Songs I already knew: Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet, The Drugs Don’t Work, Lucky Man Favourites: Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work This was exactly what I was hoping it would be: soft, miserable 90’s brit pop. That is certainly not a bad thing when you like to bathe in that misery! The music here isn’t overly complicated (also of note, is that they only recently started earning money from Bittersweet Symphony as they used a Rolling Stones sample a bit more than they were supposed to), but it definitely sounds nice. The vocals are nothing amazing, but they suit the music perfectly. As easy recommend today.

Sometimes, single songs can make an album great. \"Bittersweet Symphony\" may be one of those songs. It was a break-out hit, and could be make the band a \"one-hit wonder,\" but the rest of their work was far too good for that classification. Urban Hymns includes another hit song, \"Lucky Man,\" and a collection of great, alt rock songs. The album was the band's most successful, and got near-universal critical praise. The Verve embody the sound of 90's alt rock: strong vocals, well produced tracks, and rich orchestrations to support their engaging sound.

Great album, with more potential singles, as well as some neo-psychedelic workouts as a reminder of their previous efforts. It was a pleasant surprise that this album was such a huge hot in the UK, and it still hits the spot for me 27 years on.

There may not be a lyric that passes through my head more often than “try to make ends meet, you’re a slave to money then you die.” Bittersweet indeed. Psychedelic/shoegaze band The Verve injects some pop into their formula, and the results are incredible. Sonnet is a beautiful ballad. The Rolling People brings back the psych rock sound. The Drugs Don’t Work is, of course, a devastating and beautiful song. Weeping Willow is a new highlight to me with this listen - another excellent blend of old and new for the Verve. This album is a masterful blend of psychedelia, existential songwriting, great playing with just the right amount of Britpop sprinkled in.

Great alternative listen for casual listening.

Drugs Don't Work is one of the best songs written

I think The Verve just clicked for me for the very first time? The hits are of course there, but more impressive is the direct inspiration from Radiohead (The Bends) and the introspective parts blending perfectly together with the exploration of British music history. A tad too long, but pure and beautiful.

Álbum muy bien logrado.

amazing album, very U2 sounding

"Urban Hymns" by The Verve is a masterpiece of 90s alternative rock, blending ethereal melodies with gritty lyrics. The album's iconic track, "Bittersweet Symphony," sets the tone with its majestic orchestration. Each song offers a unique journey, from the melancholic reflection of "The Drugs Don't Work" to the dreamy ambiance of "Catching the Butterfly." "Lucky Man" and "One Day" provide moments of hope and resilience amidst the album's introspective themes. With tracks like "Weeping Willow" and "Velvet Morning," the band creates a serene atmosphere, while "Come On" injects energy into the mix. "Urban Hymns" remains a timeless classic, captivating listeners with its hypnotic soundscapes and emotive storytelling.

Love Sonnet! Great album!

This album is unapologetically 90s. My favorite track is Weeping Willow, but you could close your eyes and pick any track and it’s bound to be good. And you can’t forget the bittersweet symphony sample.

I thoroughly enjoyed the album. It is the quintessential 90s alt rock album. It makes me nostalgic for a time I never experienced. A lot of review said many of the songs were forgettable. And to be fair a lot of the melodies did not stick with me. But the feeling did and that's the most important thing I think.

Perfect 90's alternative album.

Me ha gustado más de lo que pensaba que me a gustar. Venga, un 5! The Drugs Don't Work se lo merece.

I really enjoyed the Verve here. I am sad that the revenue for bittersweet symphone, that is arguably one of the most iconic songs in my life goes to the Rolling stones because some composer made a song that sounds enough like this that they managed to win a copyright lawsuit. it is part of the reason I refuse to listen to the stones because it is a greedy money grab by them where they put in zero effort and make money. even if the Verve sampled the Symphony version of that song as it is claimed it should not be revenue for the stones it should be for the producer. as for the rest of the album. very enjoyable. captures the point in time it came out very well and hold us all these years later.

Sindssyg åbner.. Nej vent.. De 3 første er eminent! Og det fortsætter bare! Vildt album 5 ud af 5!

Good rock album

Listened once, not enough to fully digest.

This album is a masterpiece of the 1990s Britpop. Listening to it it now, it transports me back into a different time. Some people called The Verve and their frontman Ashcroft a bit of a buffoon here and there but I think that just was - if at all - true for the latter's solo albums. 'Urban Hymns' is a definitely one of the more sophistcated Britpop albums that surpasses the musically-not-that-complex works of Oasis but also Blur very easily. It surprises you how psychedelic some of the indeed longer songs are. Still, the album could've been a bit shorter, two or three tracks in the latter half maybe. But that is one of the only nitpickings I have. Definitely check this one out!

Amazing album

Phenomenal songwriting.

Still a masterpeace after all those years.

Masterpiece.

I knew bittersweet symphony was a great track, but I didnt expect the rest of the album to be this good! Its a bunch of fantastic dreamy pop rock tunes, with really creative guitarwork and a really strong a beautiful atmosphere. Maybe the best sellout album ever.

Already knew I loved this album!

Plenty of songs on here that would have been stand out songs in their own right overshadowed just because they're on the same album as bittersweet symphony. The drugs don't work, sonnet, lucky man etc. All top tier songs front to back. Easiest 5 so far.

Sheer impossible Not to have this on the list. Timeless, beautiful, easy going songwriting. A feeling close enough to kitsch only The Verve could fabricate and get through with because it’s packed into so much reverb cotton that you just want to sink in.

Qué buenos recuerdos. Este disco me lo regalaron y le tengo cariño. Además de los bombazos más conocidos "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "The Drugs Don't Work" o "Lucky Man" también me gustan bastante "Sonnet", "The Rolling People", "Catching the Butterfly", "Space and Time" y "This Time". El "Come On" me ha recordado a Weekender de Flowered Up algo en lo que no había pensado nunca. La canción fantasma "Deep Freeze" es ese invento típico de los 90 para hacer una gracia con el tiempo sobrante de los CD frente a los LP de vinilo. Le voy a dar 5 estrellas aunque entiendo que son más bien 4 para el resto del público.

love the verve bitter sweet symphony of life...

I already knew of their hit song "Bitter Sweet Symphony", but never listened to their entire album. This was an amazing album and I loved almost every song in it! So many bangers! Highly recommend if you are fans of Oasis and Britpop from this period. Favorite Song(s): "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Catching the Butterfly", "This Time", "Neon Wilderness"

Always happy to learn the origin of an influential track. In this case, its "Bitter Sweet Symphony". I was actually blown away by it right out of the gate and was hoping the rest of the album kept that momentum.

Used to listen to this album a lot a few years ago, and coming back to it was quality. The sings have aged like a fine wine and I really enjoyed rediscovering them.

One of my favorite albums I’ve been given here. Really enjoyed how tight the mixes were and how energetic each song was. Ended up adding four and skipping zero.

Bitter Sweet Symphony is excellent as always. Sonnet is chill and groovy. Catching the Butterfly is cool. Good noise/ metal type style elements. Overall really good sound. I like this style. Very solid late 90s/ early 2000s rock/pop sound. I would add this to a playlist today. Very enjoyable and a sound I really enjoy listening to.

bitter sweet symphony is such a classic, good violins and vocals, catchy tune! sonnet is another pretty song, I like the wawawa guitar. The drugs don't work is another classic, very pretty and a little bit sad, but still easy listening. space and time is good too, nice guitar. The songs don't sound all the same, they just all have a consistent type of energy that makes the album very cohesive. it's a real balance. lucky man has hints of bitter sweet symphony in there, a good touch! this time has pretty harmonization. There isn't a song I didn't like on this album, they were all consistently pretty good! I learned that the verve has songs other than bitter sweet symphony, and that they are worth listening to.

When I mentioned that I was listening to this album to Jon, he laughed and said "that one hit wonder band made it to the top 1001 albums?". After listening to it, I liked it way more than expected. Bittersweet symphony actually is very good but it's not my favorite on this album. Sonet, drugs don't work, catching the butterfly, space and time, Lucky man, One day really took me by surprise. I didn't expect to hear songs that I liked so much yet were entirely new to me. This genre is also right up my alley in terms of somber tone, mellow piano and guitar and laid back vocals. It's like they're not pushing too hard for any part of these songs. This album also incorporates a lot of serious topics and covers them in a very approachable and listenable way. This is especially evident in Sonet and Drugs don't work. All in all this album really took me by surprise in a great way. The lyrics are very culturally relevant and convey a great image of the bands thoughts and feelings. I really love the warm sound of acoustic instruments paired with a mellow timbre. Sonet is going to be played very frequently for me.

Happiness, more or less.

One of best OAT

One of the few suggestions to date that I’ve played a second time. Fantastic album.

Star ratings suck

Would be a great chill out album on vinyl. Lots of instrumentals and solos, great listening.

I read some of the scathing reviews and was thinking maybe this will not have stood the test of time. But no, it’s great. I want to give it 4.5 because it does go on a bit too long but that’s not an option so here we are

I think this was one of my favourite britpop albums (at least in the top 5), maybe its that psychedelic style that's here. This was so much more than just Bitter Sweet Symphony. I didn't realise Richard Ashcroft went solo after this album, now I have so much music to check out, including a pandemic acoustic version of this album. Standouts: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, The Rolling People, The Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man

I owned this CD as a young teenager, but I only ever listened to "Bittersweet Symphony." Even if I had listened to all of the album, I don't think I would have really appreciated it back then. Around 2001, I think I sold this to CD Warehouse or some similar type of establishment, and I'm pretty sure I got a whopping $1 for it. Wonderful return, considering I probably paid over $15 for it originally. And if my memory serves me correctly, I think that $1 went towards a new Lego Bionicle figure at Target next door. I was a weird teenager. Anyway, it's now the year of our lord 2023, and this was my first time listening to this album from start to finish. I really enjoyed listening to this album. Over two-and-a-half decades later, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is still very much the star of the show here. But the rest of the album is really good to. Sure, there are a handful of songs here that sound a lot like Achtung Baby era U2, but "The Rolling People" and "Catching the Butterfly" are both good songs. But The Verve are at their best when they sound like... well, themselves. The from "Weeping Willow" to "This Time" is great, and honestly the strongest part of the album apart from the opening track. The instrumentation on this album is great, and The Verve really did a great job of establishing their own identity in the wide sea of Britpop. These songs are beautiful, and they still sound great to this day. This is definitely an album that I'll be returning to. I just wish I had appreciated it when I was younger.

WHY HATE?: This is one of those moments where I don't quite understand the people on this website bc how this is so low I don't know. It has three banger tracks which were debatably massive on release and still hold up well till this day. Just an all round amazing album (also slightly bias bc I heard a lot of it via my dad but still...)

One of my favourite albums of this period. It doesn't seems to age and the tone of the album feels perennial. A great showcase for Ashcroft's voice and heartfelt writing talent.

Great album from the 90s Great tunes...

These guys should have been more. Great album

This will always be one of my favorite albums of the 90's. It may not be their best album, but the songs are lyrically strong, Ashcroft's voice shines throughout the album.

A very well made britpop/neo psychedelia album from the 1990s with a massive hit and other hit songs. Production is top notch, and Ashcroft's voice is brilliant. They created a sound that was really great - perhaps you have to have live through that time to appreciate this album greatly. 'Bittersweet Symphony' remains one of my favoruite songs from the whole decade, it's iconic with a fantastic video clip, and its consequence was one of the most unfortunate and biggest plagium-related lawsuit in the pop-rock business. I once read a great analysis of the meaning of it that began so: 'This is a brilliant song. It is about the feeling of being trapped and powerless to change your behavior or your life due to circumstances beyond your control. It is about the sense of desperation you feel as your life passes before your eyes and you struggle unsuccessfully to control and shape it. It is about the perpetual conflict between the path you want to follow and the path you are compelled to follow.' So true. I can relate to this song a lot. Another favourite of mine is 'Lucky Man'. Other hit songs, like the heartwreching 'The Drugs Don't Work' and the hymnical 'Sonnet' are also great and so are the rest of the album. The only criticism is of the album is that it's a bit too long (any album that is over an hour are long to me). It was a more commercial effort than their two previous, more psychedelic albums, but it was their biggest hit. I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5.

loved it so great album, bitter sweet symphony is a classic

Weirder and more psychadelic than I was expecting, but in a good way.

Favorites: Bitter sweet symphony The drugs don't work Space & Time Lucky man

it is good

Sounds like oasis but more interesting

Yksi parhaista ja merkittävimmistä britripop-ajan levyistä. Lohdullinen, melankolinen ja melodioiltaan rikas. Tän soidessa on aina lempeä syksyinen iltapäivä jossain vehreässä puistossa, ehkä aavistus sateesta.

Sensational album, Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, the Drugs Don't Work and Lucky Man are great tracks

First album!

Great album. Been a fair few years since I listened all the way though but yeah, this album is an easy 5 for me. Love it

Three tracks stand head and shoulders above the rest: "Lucky Man", the hypnotic "Bitter Sweet Symphony", and the heart wrenching "The Drugs Don't Work".

I listened to this a lot in high school. I usually skipped Bittersweet Symphony(it being first on the album made it so easy), just tired of it due to it being overplayed. I don't find much of a dull moment on here, and their sound is pretty unique. It seems like people thought they were a less successful Oasis, but I think this tops anything Oasis made.

This just FELT good. I love the layers and tones of guitars and other classical instruments peppered throughout the album. Ashcroft has a distinct, emotive voice. Another pleasant surprise as I had only heard the singles.

This is the first album I ever bought that isn't by the Lightning Seeds. It got extremely heavy rotation in my school days and influenced which other music I would choose to listen to in my formative years. It will be interesting to see how it stands up a quarter of a century later. UPDATE: The main thing I've learned from listening again is that it's impossible to be objective about an album that has significant personal context. If I listened for the first time now, I may feel the album is bloated, lacking in variety, too cleanly produced and the songs are over-long. However, memory and familiarity are powerful attractive forces, and I can still sing along to every word, decades after I last listened to the album in full. Listening to the album conjures up the same feelings as it did 20 years ago. Its layered strings, guitars and vocals give it an ethereal quality, which combined with Richard Ashcroft's aching and longing lyrics make it quite affecting and beautiful. As before, whilst Bitter Sweet Symphony is the banger that brought the record to my attention, the rest of the first half does comparatively little for me. It is tracks 7 ('Space and Time') to 12 ('Velvet Morning') that I loved and still retain a lot of affection for today ('Weeping Willow' may be my overall favourite). Whilst they offer little in variety, they have a lovely, despairing but somehow uplifting atmosphere that I can happily sit in for half an hour. Each is also carefully written with distinct and memorable melodic hooks built in to their verse, bridge and choruses. These songs, words and melodies are seemingly etched onto my brain. I really enjoyed revisiting this and won't wait another couple of decades before my next listen. I make no apologies for the entirely subjective, context heavy, rating. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Bitter Sweet Symphony Date listened: 25/05/23

Consistently mellow ambient psychedelic-britpop. The 4 singles - Bittersweet, Sonnet, The Drugs Don’t Work, and Lucky Man - are fantastic. Easy full listen.

Find the reviews saying it's one good song absolutely crazy - Urban Hymns is an all time great but also has Sonnet & Drugs don't work. Love this album as it's moving away from the disposable pop rock of the time and being self reflective while still being rooted in youth drug-taking, up for a fight energy.

Superb

One of my favourite 90’s albums, so completely biased review but absolutely love this album, all the singles from this album are outstanding. A britpop masterpiece.

This is like an old friend who's popped around for a cuppa when you're feeling down. Evocative and accomplished. Very much a 90s album it epitomises the decade to me. C'moooon, bring it on maaaan!! Manchestaaaarr!!

CLASSIC

Shi was fire

Top

Terrific!

radio head vibe good

Cause its a bittersweet SYMPHONY

Är en förbaskat bra platta.

I feel biased because this album pretty much defined my early adult years. One of the only CDs that was in my car.

Have always liked Bitter Sweet Symphony but never thought to get the rest of the album a shot. It was splendid!

Very impressive album. The feel, tone and melodies are consistently great. I really enjoyed Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man and Space & Time... i was surprised that track after track is solid and really easy to enjoy/appreciate on the first listen. Adding it to the Library.

Me ha gustado más de lo que pensaba que me a gustar. Venga, un 5! The Drugs Don't Work se lo merece.

This is a classic album for me and I enjoyed every moment of it!

Best album so far

It's a shame they were essentially one hit wonders at least in the US, this album is actually very good. Like some albums are a collection of songs but this one really moves nicely, it's cohesive and makes sense without being repetitive. Ill probably listen again soon.

It was so lovely to return to this album. I think, in the future, when any Top 5 representative 1990s Brit (pop) album list is put together, it'll contain this, alongside Definitely Maybe, Parklife, Different Class and OK Computer.

One of my top 10 albums. Takes me back to my college days and good memories.

Great album, Go on Richard!!

much better than northern soul - real britpop classics on here

Love the Verve. Feel like their timeless

Classic album!

Me ha gustado más de lo que pensaba que me a gustar. Venga, un 5! The Drugs Don't Work se lo merece.

So glad to meet you

An absolute classic. One of my favourite albums growing up, and listening again showed me why. Only change since 20 years ago is that I enjoyed the longer, gentler, more contemplative songs more than when I was younger. Loved it, from start to finish

Awesome

Наверное очень хороший альбом

Masterpiece. One of the best of British 90s albums.

Discazo, una maravilla

They are all almost as good as Bitter Sweet Symphony

One of my all time favourite albums. The album that really cemented Richard Ashcroft as a phenomenal songwriter.

Que bien suena esto la puta madre.

Clássico. Mas o primeiro álbum desses caras, "A Storm in Heaven", é melhor.

liebe das album. millionenmal gehört mit 16 (und nicht wegen ‚eiskalte engel). ‚the drugs don‘t work‘ ist eine meiner lieblingsnummern drauf

Fab! Classic.

Legitimately shocked how good this is. A lot of 90s albums are too long, and a lot of Britpop isn't produced super well, but while this is a bit long, it's engaging from start to finish. And the production is so clear and fulfilling! Great songwriting too, and the performances are wonderful! Wow!

love weird uk sad boyssss

Starts off very strong with Bittersweet Symphony. Gets a little calmer with Sonnet, then picks it up again with The Rolling People. Follows the same general up-down trend throughout the album which leads to something greater than a sum of it's parts, pushing it to a 5/5.

Great Brit-Pop classic here, some great tunes with the expanded strings adding to the usual Brit-Pop '90s sound. Absolutely love it and it is already in my collection (albeit being in CD form) some great classic tunes here "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a classic as is "The Drugs Don't Work" I also like "Weeping Willow" and "Velvet Morning" are also of credit. Rightfully in this list I believe.

As good as it ever was.

Elsk <3

What a silly walk. I didn't actually listen to it because I have many times before and I'm not really in the mood to.

Awesome

Not as good as A Northern Soul

Doyamadimm

Steh wirklich auf dieses Album…

I wasn't expecting to love this album so much. Properly enjoyed it from beginning to end, and will definitely be adding this to my regular listening. I can see why this album made it so high in the UK album charts, tune after tune from the get-go.

Fantastic album. Was only familiar with the singles before this, but every track is strong, from first to last. Can't fault it.

I already knew about half of the songs on this album. Ive seen Richard Ashcroft live, Ive listened to his solo stuff, all great pieces of music. Probably a little off topic but he truly was an iconic musician and I think Urban Hymns showcases it very very well

This is the song of a car ad.

Så mye bedre enn hitsene

BS is a 90s anthem for good reason. I enjoyed this more than their other album on the list. 3.5/5.

At its best it sounds pretty Radiohead. I remember Hua Hsu talks about this record in his memoir. It’s very ‘90s. The second half is better than the first I think. Cool stuff with the guitar. Singer’s voice is a little generic but I enjoyed a lot of the more experimental songs.

Stunning album / fucking love it

Classic 90s britpop nostalgia. Great songs but absolutely no need for the 7 minute gap in the last song.

it’s brilliant is all I have to say it’s the last real high of Brit pop as a genre before it’s already beginning decline by the time this album was released.

O waw, dons je očitno dan, ko bom prvič slišala več od tega banda, kot njihov najbl znan komad. S katerim začnemo, "Bitter Sweet Symphony". Mislim, da mi je tud če sm ga slišala že miljonkrat, še zmer všeč. (Sori, album je skor 76 minut?!?!) No, js sm presenečena. Dejansko mi je ful dobr album (sm pri "Catching the Butterfly"). Vidim velik primerjav z Oasis, kar se je valjda tud v moji glavi pojavilo, ampak dalj k poslušam, bolj se mi zdi to ne fer. Sprva, ja, valjda nardiš to povezavo, če ne druzga, zarad podobno zvenečega vokala in samega obdobja, ko je album izšel. I prefer this. (Ful, FUL hejta za Britpop v recenzijah, lol. Ne morm nič rečt na to, en album nazaj je bil moj most hated žanr, tko da...) Slightly predolgo, ampak enjoyable.

I liked it. Confident and consistent, with a hint of nostalgia running through it. When did this come out relative to Oasis?

A warm bath of nostalgia of an album which marked a particular time in my life. It wasn't my favourite album of 1997, but it was the most memorable for personal reasons, although I had likely not listened to it for a couple of decades. It's front-loaded with the songs I remembered, which suggests that even when it was in rotation, I probably found it too long, and it's still about 10-15 minutes longer than it needs to be, which loses a point. But as an evocation of a time and a place for me, and of a momentous event, it's hard to beat. I've loved being back there for a whole weekend, but it's time to move on. Next.

So close to a 5! To start with the overwhelmingly good, bitter sweet sympathy - personal top 25 song of all time for me, even as a 12 year I felt seen by his beautifully obnoxious crowded street bumps. The rest of the album is a perfect blend of everything Brit pop can offer, it nails that cigarettes are cool oasis vibe, in fact this would be my second favorite oasis album (cast no shadow btw is about these dudes or at least Ashcroft), plenty of stone roses like rhythm section grooves and even a spacey but rockin guitar hero Bends era Radiohead moments. However it’s 3 songs to long. Strong 4, might even spend 45 dollars or whatever to get the vinyl.

Philosophy with guitars and multi tracked vocals. I'm in.

Love the big guitar textures. Very moody and quite catchy as well.

Rock - one big hit the rest are decent

Great 90’s album

Veľmi dobrý album, ale neviem ho počúvať viackrát v krátkom slede.

A very good album, with a lot of fond memories. Several great songs.

The Verve have somewhat unfortunately been relegated into that 'overplayed one-hit-wonder' territory with Bittersweet Symphony, but this understates the excellence of Urban Hymns, and how it fits with the progression of Britpop throughout the 90s. The albums feels like a weary goodbye to the genre, with lyrics detailing exhaustion and unrealised potential, with electronic sounds that point to the late 90s, alongside swirling synths of Baggy, essentially mixing in all the sonic touchstones of the 90s.

Fills a big gap in my knowledge of 90s music. Some kind of link between Oasis and Radiohead?

Olin kuunnellut Urban Hymnsin kerran aikaisemmin ehkä noin vuosi sitten. En muistanutkaan kuinkabpaljon tällä levyllä oli psykedeelissävytteistä tunnelmointia. Kuitenkin neljä singlelohkaisua ovat ne parhaat kappaleet. Hyvä albumi, mutta pituutta olisi voinut karsia.

A little but better than I remember. Enjoyed it.

Very good albums, a lot of amazing vibes

90s britpop. Bittersweet symphony is the standout. Surprisingly diverse sound across the album.

Urban Hymns The Verve 1997 Genres: Rock Styles: Indie Rock, Britpop, Alternative Rock 1. Bitter Sweet Symphony (★★★★★) -Contexto: Construida sobre un loop de la versión orquestal de "The Last Time" de los Rolling Stones (arreglo de Andrew Loog Oldham). Ashcroft se inspiró en "La muerte de un viajante" de Arthur Miller y en su personaje Willy Loman —el hombre común que persigue el dinero y muere sin nada— para escribir sobre sentirse esclavo del dinero y de las convenciones sociales, y sobre la fragmentación de la identidad ("soy un millón de personas distintas de un día para el otro"). El uso del sample generó un juicio: los créditos de composición terminaron en manos de Jagger-Richards y la discográfica ABKCO se quedó con el 100% del dinero por regalías durante años. -Fav 2. Sonnet (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Tema más despojado que el anterior, con cuerdas y guitarra acústica. Habla de intentar seducir o recuperar a alguien siendo consciente de que uno mismo se está mostrando torpe o inseguro en el intento; se lee tanto como el comienzo como el final de una relación. 3. The Rolling People (★★★★★) -Contexto: Vuelve al sonido más crudo y jamero de sus primeros discos. Habla de las pequeñas concesiones y mentiras piadosas que uno hace para sobrevivir el día a día y llevarse bien con la gente. 4. The Drugs Don't Work (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Ashcroft ya hablaba de esta canción en 1995, explicando que consumía drogas aun sabiendo que lo hacían sentir mal, como forma de escapar del aburrimiento y la irritación. En la versión final cambió el pronombre "me" por "you", lo que generó especuladores que la vincularon a la muerte de su padre. El propio Ashcroft la definió como una canción de amor sobre cómo las drogas dejaron de "funcionar" como antes; el protagonista intenta escapar de su dolor hasta que ya no puede reprimirlo más. 5. Catching the Butterfly (★★★★★) -Contexto: Tema sobre sueños lúcidos. Ashcroft vuelve mentalmente a su infancia para "aprender" de su yo más joven al entrar en la adultez; se apoya en un recuerdo puntual de haber sido reprendido de chico por hablar fuera de turno. -Fav 6. Neon Wilderness (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Interludio casi sin estribillo, pensado como contraparte de "Brainstorm Interlude" de "A Northern Soul". Lírica y atmósfera nocturnas, sobre la soledad; se lo lee como una continuación temática de "History", tema del disco anterior. 7. Space and Time (★★★★★) -Contexto: La canción más vieja del disco, tocada por Ashcroft en solitario mientras giraba con Oasis en Nueva York. Trata sobre un romance que no funcionó. 8. Weeping Willow (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Tema personal con alusiones a drogas y armas. Tiene un estribillo centrado en la necesidad de ser "salvado", un tópico recurrente en las letras de Ashcroft de esta época. 9. Lucky Man (★★★★★) -Contexto: Más simple y luminosa que el resto del disco. Habla del vínculo de Ashcroft con su esposa Kate Radley, con el cariño creciendo hacia el final de la canción; es de las letras más directamente felices/agradecidas del álbum ("la felicidad es solo un cambio en mí"). -Fav 10. One Day (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Balada donde Ashcroft se hace dúo consigo mismo (multitrack). La letra se inspiró en una nota periodística sobre un hombre que navegaba solo alrededor del mundo en un bote pequeño y que, borracho, se ató al mástil creyendo que iba a morir. Toca temas sobre el paso del tiempo y sobre cómo los adultos ya no encuentran la felicidad simple que tenían de chicos. 11. This Time (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: El protagonista repasa los errores de su vida y decide no lamentarse sino mejorar como persona ("voy a elevarme hacia la luz"), como declaración de superación personal sin atarse a una filosofía o religión concreta. 12. Velvet Morning (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: El título es un homenaje a "Some Velvet Morning" de Lee Hazlewood. Habla de que nadie tiene una forma útil de arreglar los problemas del mundo. Para lograr una voz cruda como la de Hazlewood, Ashcroft cantó a través de un megáfono comprado días antes en un mercado de segunda mano. 13. Come On / Deep Freeze (Pista oculta) (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Cierre del disco, llamado así por la frase que Ashcroft suele gritar en vivo. Funciona como un "grito de guerra"; en la letra intenta contactar a Dios desde un locutorio telefónico. Termina con Ashcroft gritando "fuck you", que según el propio entorno de la banda no es negativo sino un grito de alegría/liberación. Liam Gallagher (Oasis) hace coros gritando esa misma frase. Aparece varios minutos después de "Come On" en silencio. Es un collage de ruido de radio, diálogo incomprensible, guitarra "jangly" y el llanto de un bebé; la propia banda se refirió a este tipo de material como "urban madness". -TOTAL = ★★★★⯨ (4,08)

There's something cinematic about the sound of the Verve. The song craftmanship -- the way it builds and is written -- is what makes the band for me. Most of the tracks are a little bloated, but I was surprised at how fast this hour+ listen went.

Great album! Some amazing tunes on here – Bittersweet Symphony, Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man... but the rest is great too. I liked One Day, but just the general feeling of the album.

Mys

Enjoyable

I fear this is my shit, but it does get a bit repetitive at the midpoint :(

brilliance.

Good, but long. Could have been 20 minutes shorter

4.5 one of my favorites so far

Some great songs on here including a couple of proper classics, and some that were new to me (Sonnet was probably my favourite that I wasn't already familiar with). I do think it tails off a bit towards the end, and is quite similar in vibe throughout, so ends up being a little less than the sum of it's parts. Favourite: The Drugs Don't Work Least Favourite: Neon Wilderness Per-song ratings (not including the hidden track): 554542434333

Parents had this on CD back in the day. Of course, Bittersweet Symphony is the standout. Maybe a mistake putting it first on the album, as I never seemed to get passed it. Finally did now, and can't but think I am a little disappointed. Catching the Butterfly was a good listen to, as were a handful of others, but yeah. Low 4*, 3.65/5

I can understand why people wouldn't like this. There is a fair amount of padding. There's a number of excellent hits here though e.g. The Drugs Don't Work, which is the obvious selection but which together make it more than worthwhile. Plus the padding is a trippy, groovy, indie daydream. I really like it.

Bastante bueno

Man, Bittersweet Symphony takes me right back to 1997. I remember hearing it and seeing the music video all the time. I don't know what exactly it was about 1997, but there was so much amazing music out at the time. When I saw that this album was 75 minutes I groaned a bit, but it was actually really enjoyable.

First of my albums where I already have one of the songs in my library!! Honestly this is a very strong album compared to the others it feels intentional with the sounds,( which I agree could come off as repetitive) and even though some songs are a miss for me, I do think this a solid album. Standouts for me are bitter sweet symphony and the rolling people

The drugs don't work

hmm I dont know, okay+

8/10 bittersweet symphony is one of THE songs for me 5eva, the relaxing 90s garage rock feel is a vibe for all the songs despite their variety

Bitter Sweet Symphony The Drugs Don't Don't Work Lucky Man

8/10 I love bittersweet symphony, and I really enjoyed sonnet and lucky man!! The other songs kind of feel like regular britpop so I probably would’ve loved them if I were born 25 years earlier, but I don’t mind them. Good album.

Lots of good songs. One hymn, what do you want more?

SOOOO good

Britpop hit hard during my youth. Used to love this album and it held up suprisingly well. Love the spherical sound that sprinkles some U2 into Oasis at times. Many banger songs on here. Strong 4

Kinda mopey album

Bittersweet Symphony is great of course, wait was this a Fifa song?? Crazy. Just a class song. Makes you feel things. Excited to hear the rest of this. It's long as fuck though. Some nice britpop that actually sounds good. The Verve ran so One Direction could walk. Limp really. The rolling people?? Where are they rolling to. Wait they're cooking though. Thats crazy. Ok so sharp decline. Let's get back on track here team. Hmmm started off very strong but falling off I feel. Not enjoying this as much. Hmm strong third act though I'm back to rocking with this. More introspective and personal now. Big fan. Favourite: Velvet Morning Least favourite: The Drugs Don't Work

4/5

Beyond the singles off this album, I’d never, to my knowledge, heard anything by The Verve - my expectations, given the era and the genre, therefore, were low-to-middling for this album. I never learn. This is an incredible album - especially the first half. I love the strings that are used wonderfully throughout, with “Bitter Sweet Symphony” the daddy of them all. That intro is genuinely iconic at this point; I dare anybody who was breathing in the 90s to not recognise it. “The Drugs Don’t Work” is a gorgeous song - it has absolutely stunning lyrics that always make me a bit teary-eyed. For me, it’s the best track on the whole thing. The other singles (“Sonnet” and “Lucky Man”, in particular), unsurprisingly, are also brilliant. I don’t think an album track, except maybe “This Time”, comes close to matching the quality of those singles, but that’s merely a reflection of their strength - the “filler” here is still pretty strong. I think the album loses some quality around the halfway mark, which stops it getting full marks. I also could’ve done without a 15min closer - of which almost half was silence - on an already pretty long album. But bloody hell, it exceeded my expectations and then some.

The album Oasis tried and failed to make the entire second half of their career. Bittersweet Symphony might be one of the best songs this little island has ever produced. And it opens the album. Also I literally cannot make it through The Drugs Don't Work without getting emotional. Thought I'd nailed it this time but nope, right at the outro, blam, surprise leaky eyes.

delight

"Another artist/record I've never heard before. I wonder what this will be like." Is what I thought before that dang violin started playing and I was transported to a 2000's car commercial. Jokes aside a pretty decent record.

Welp, I am going to have that fucking violin in my head again for the entire day... I was expecting before hand to hate this album but it was actually pretty good. All pretty standard 90s pop but it is actually good. It is clear that it had a strong influence on a lot of later 90s and 00s pop that came after

Bittersweet Symphony is a phenomenal opener, and the rest of the album flows beautifully from that tone-setter. I'll return to this one. 7/10

muy weno, tiene canciones míticas y no sabia que era esa banda. Muy lindo

I don't like Bittersweet Symphony. I don't hate it, but it's overplayed and overhyped, and here it is in your face as track one on the album. In fact the album's very much front loaded with singles, which arouses suspicion. But while Sonnet and Drugs Don't Work are lovely songs, tracks that might be described as "filler," like Catching the Butterfly and Neon Wilderness, really make the soundscape of the record, and I'd forgotten how good some of the other songs are. I might have a bias towards late 90s British music, but knowing that isn't going to stop me giving this the rating it deserves.

when Urban Hymns reaches its peak—“Bitter Sweet Symphony,” “Sonnet,” and “The Drugs Don’t Work”—it achieves something very few rock albums do: it makes intimate emotions feel genuinely monumental. Urban Hymns isn’t just an album about sadness. It’s an album about dignity in the face of sadness. That’s the subtle difference that separates it from many of its imitators—and why it still resonates nearly three decades later.

Just for Bitter Sweet Symphony, it's worth 4 stars. The rest of the album is pretty solid

Great album and overcame initial expectations that I had. I hadn't listened to this album in full, it's great, you can feel the intent on every song, and how it feels overall. Their musicality isn't comparable to any other band, the singles are amazing, and gave me a new feel on every one of them.

I really loved this - the vocal sound is so aggressively nineties that I couldn’t get all the way there, but the sounds are often gorgeous.

This is so of its time and place. I am 16 and this is is everywhere, it reminds me of the World Cup in 98 and Chris Moyles. I was a child of britpop and owned this album so i can sing this back word for word in most parts. The singles may be played to get me out of a coma. I know that it drags towards the end and its drenched in 90's tropes and i hold that against equivalent 80's albums but i enjoyed it. If it was a true 5 star i'd have not stopped listening to it, but i have, and i can see why. but its still a banger.

LOVE IT

vibeddd

Although the verve were never my favourite britpop band, i must admit that this album in particular has a bunch of great tracks (not just the ever-so iconic bittersweet symphony, although it surely helps)

4.3/5 - Pleasant music. Strings give off a beautiful vibe. Fav Track - Sonnet Reference: 1 = Dislike, nty 2 = Not my taste, objectively pretty good though 3 = Fine, tolerable BG music but not preferred 4 = Pleasant BG music, but not necessarily top preference 5 = Liked this, might listen again in future

I had never heard this band before and I liked the album a lot. I added “Lucky Man” to my playlist.

The singles still sound great and take me back to university. Bitter Sweet Symphony remains iconic despite massive over exposure. I can take or leave the album filler - pretty generic stuff.

So many great songs on this album

The British Invasion of the 90’s. Some of these tracks could have been by oasis or blur. That being said, the opening track is amazing and stands the test of time

While I didn't find most of the music on this album to be particularly groundbreaking, I appreciate the use of orchestral melodies and the influence of different genres on some of the songs. Bitter Sweet Symphony is an obvious hit with unique orchestral sampling, but songs like Velvet Morning feature unique instruments like slide guitar to give it a sound that separates it from other tracks on the album. The use of different sounds and rhythms keeps this album sounding fresh and it's clear why fans of this band/genre would hold this album in high regard.

7/10 - Some classics I've heard before that I've enjoyed but listening to the album was a pleasure.

Overall solid - really good instrumentation throughout 4

Rings of U2 and Oasis alternately. Really like their sound, though some of the songs didn't stick in my mind.

Britpop, indie rock, orchestral rock, psychedelia, post-Britpop.

The hits are brilliant. Fades a bit in the second half. If this had 15 mins or so of filler shaved off it, it would be in 5 star territory.

references to Britpop all over the reviews. Yes, this album has some influences from, but ,the Verve were never really a "Britpop" band. They were a band that released some albums, and had their most commercially successful album, at the back end of the britpop era. That's it. Now that i have this off my chest. It is an album I own, and not a bad album, but much like a Northern Soul, it never quite stood up to their debut. I also always felt it was very much a front loaded album. it just never quite builds to what the first half is. Drugs don't work was always the better of the three big hits, and a fantastic song. Weeping Willow is by far the worst song and sounds like an oasis song (maybe they were influenced a little bit by what was happening around them). My standout song is shared between Rolling People and Drugs don't work, but Come on finishes off the album beautifully too. First half is 4.5 stars, second half is 3.5 stars. 4 Stars overall

Fantastic, I felt the 1st half was stronger, but overall very enjoyable.

Better than Coldplay

I quite enjoyed their mix of alternative and psychedelic. Their lyrics really lean into the social ennui of the 90s gen x’er.

Really good, want to shoutout "The Drugs Don't Work" specifically. Just listening to this album on one listen made me get in the mood for Oasis Britpop. 4/5- It could definitely climb on more listens

Gagged des premières notes omg… c'est tellement série des années 2000 coded, l'impression d'être dans un épisode de the OC genre YESSSS Honnêtement TOP je m'attendais pas mais au final j'ai beaucoup aimé l'ensemble. C'était très cohérent et harmonieux à écouter d'un seul trait.

Once, as a young, stupid, extremely drunk 18 year old, I happened upon a lively karaoke bar and signed myself up. Wanting to keep the party vibe going I chose perennial rocker 'Proud Mary' by CCR. Can't go wrong. Whilst waiting for my call up I decided, in my ever more inebriated wisdom, to change my choice. What, dear reader, did I chose instead to belt out at this upbeat, good time karaoke bar? The Drugs Don't Work by The Verve. Yes, 5 minutes of the most buzz killing solemnity ever cut to wax. I am also a terrible singer. Undeterred by the boos I warbled my stupid way through, feeling like I was absolutely acing it. When the song mercifully finished I sauntered over to the bar, ready for my accolades. "Mate, that was fucking shit" said the man next to me. Decent album though.

Ef ég yrði spurður hvernig 1997 hljómaði myndi ég líklega benda á þessa plötu. Fyrir utan Bittersweet Symphony. Það er timeless.

i was obsessed with this album when it came out and thought it was so beautiful and confessional. I felt like Richard's pain and struggle with his addiction was so clear. It still holds up and it was a lovely trip back to that time in my life as well.

oh my god .. this BANGER?! immediate 5 after the first measure of bitter sweet symphony.

algumas ganharam lugar na minha playlist

Most painfully 90s album

Classic britpop. They sound a lot like Oasis, imho. It is rock in a safe way, but it’s quite nice. Favourites: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Lucky Man, The Drugs Don’t Work.

Feel like I have a lot in common with this albums sentiment and that feels troubling.

Déjà écouté avant. En se tentant de se conformer aux codes de la britpop autour de laquelle ils gravitaient jusque là sans jamais totalement s'y fondre, par esprit d'expérimentation plus que de contradiction, Richard Ashcroft et les siens en signent paradoxalement le chant du cygne, le dernier album notable avant extinction. L'album est certes trop long pour ce qu'il est, et le groupe se fait souvent plaisir à faire durer un peu stérilement certains titres qui n'en méritaient pas tant. Mais le talent brut d'Ashcroft est incontestable, et cette mélancolie midtempo assumée tout le long, mariée à quelques touches orchestrales mélodramatiques, est plutôt séduisante. Top : Sonnet Flop : This Time

Bittersweet symphony zieht es raus

It was good to listen to this album again. Some catchy, singalong tunes. Lyrics are a bit depressing though.

Quite liked it and a few songs I knew already

There’s quite a few good songs on here, and I like the overall vibe of the album. It’s nothing special but just about gets a 4

I really like in a cheesy Shaw's-core kind of way. Just good ambience in an album, with good flavor and a solid vision for what the album should sound like. No I can't explain why I like this more than U2. You kind of lean into the cheese and embrace the 90s sad boy within, and it turns into a great album 7.9/10

Absolute masterclass but the hidden track was a big negative in points for me.

Very enjoyable, I think everyone on earth has heard Bitter Sweet Symphony but I won't let that take away from the album as a whole. Favorite Track: Bitter Sweet Symphony (sue me)

I had a friend borrow this CD in high school, and he played “Bitter Sweet Symphony” so many times that the track wouldn't even play by the time I got it back. That should tell you how big that song was. This is a good album overall. A lot of it sounds like songs that didn't quite make the cut for an Oasis album, but I still enjoy most of it. The songwriting is solid and the atmosphere is consistent that it holds up well. That said, I don't see myself revisiting it often outside of “Bitter Sweet Symphony” and “Lucky Man.” Those are the tracks that really stick with me. Still, even beyond the hits, it's a good album and an easy listen from start to finish.

Good, old fashioned, nostalgic Brit pop

Classic 90s hits

Realizing that "Bitter-Sweet Symphony" is the opening track, and that the ENTIRE rest of the record follows after it sorta blows my mind. That song is so generational and brilliant that following it up with anything feels like it's gonna fall flat. Hilariously, it reminds me of Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space; one of my favorite albums but one that quite evidently peaks on the first song. Speaking of that, Richard Ashcroft and Kate Radley getting secretly married in 1995 while she was still publicly with Jason put me off the Verve for a long time. Spiritualized is one of my favorite bands and that schism is so insane that I couldn't bring myself to be unbiased with the Verve in the wake of learning that. But here we are now and I can admire what they're doing. I can tell this is gonna grow on me but first impressions are incredibly strong.

Solid. No complaints. Quality britpop.

There is some extremely strong nostalgia with the singles from this one which inevitably leads me to be positively inclined towards Urban Hymns. Trying to be objective, certain songs ('Bittersweet Symphony', 'The Drugs Don't Work', 'Sonnet', 'Lucky Man', 'Space And Time') are absolute classics. The rest are leaning dangerously towards filler territory; Richard Ashcroft's vocals on the more average tracks stray towards a britpop whine - not to my taste usually. Nonetheless, the good songs carry this comfortably and I could listen to the above tracks on repeat. I'm particular, 'Space And Time', which was a relatively new one to me

Nostalgic and easy to listen to

Great album

Huge emotions and huge memories, great album

Lots of Mancunian memories to this.

This is a great sounding album. “Bittersweet Symphony” is not representative of the rest of the album; it more 90’s psych rock than stringed trance rock. Solid 3.5 but will bump to a 4 b/c I was pleasantly surprised.

posluso sam prvu pjesmu genijalno, no change i can change i can change

Nota é 100% Nostalgia

It's been almost two years since I listened to A Northern Soul as part of my album journey, and I struggle to remember it. I do recall highlighting The Verve's follow-up, Urban Hymns, for more noteworthy hits. Obviously, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" still gets radio airplay today, but I also consider "The Drugs Don't Work" a wonderfully melancholic ballad with its reverbed pedal steel. With those two singles in mind, I went into Urban Hymns a bit more optimistic and was rewarded for listening to an extent. I think the core identity of this record is in the shift in sound and songwriting, as a brief absence of guitarist Nick McCabe from the band forced frontman Richard Ashcroft to learn to write music. Thus, I got a sense of Richard's earnestness from these pleasant hook-driven ballads that boast such dynamics and rich arrangements, akin to "History" off of A Northern Soul, a song I recall enjoying. Songs like "Sonnet", "Catching the Butterfly", and "Weeping Willow" work wonders in capturing Richard's strife amidst drug-riddled despair, as eclectic guitar riffs, a tight rhythm section, and sweeping strings play alongside his impassioned vocal delivery and the lush, reverbed production. I especially dug the extended jam of "The Rolling People", complete with electrifying funkified guitar licks traded back and forth over a nice shuffle beat. That said, I do feel this album runs a tad long at 75 minutes, as some moments could have been cut. Personally, I would have gotten rid of the formless ambiance of "Neon Wilderness" and the hidden track "Deep Freeze", as I feel they don't add much to the overall package. Still, I had a good time with Urban Hymns, way more than I did with A Northern Soul. It goes to show the leaps and bounds that Richard Ashcroft made as a songwriter in that time.

Denk 4

It surprised me how different The Verve and The Verve Pipe sound just a few years apart. I enjoyed this album. Wasn’t super familiar with it outside of the singles.

Kæmpe klassiker, blev deres største album gik 11 platitnum i england. Det er britpop og jeg synes også det lød som sådan et mere finesse version af Oasis med mere orchestral og storartet ren lyd. Bittersweet symphony er jo en kæmpe sang, det er 100 en som går ned i historien som noget stort. Resten af albummet er også godt massere af god enkeltstående numre og den kosmiske stemning er ensartet igennem hele albummet. Jeg kunne rigtig godt lide rolling people fordi den var så rock n roll. Jeg synes jeg læster mig til at Keither richards og mick jagger har haft en finger med i spillet, så det har måske noget at skulle have sagt. Ellers ved jeg ikke hvad jeg skal tilføje udover at det er britpop, alternativ rock fra 90'erne som jo er pisse fedt.

One of the 20 best 90’s albums 😱. I’m not exaggerating 😐👍. My favorite songs were Catching a Butterfly, Lucky Man, and Velvet Morning. Overall, I would give it a 4.5/5! 🫡🍃🕊️

good background music

This is a really lovely album throughout, with some tracks pulling you in quite heavily. Same as with most albums, I feel that once it passes a certain length of time, it can just start to become slightly draining. I can't begin to count the number of times I have lost enjoyment from an album because of its length. This would have been a really lovely album if it had been split in half, and two albums had been made from it. Unless you're listening from start to finish, it isn't a big deal at all, but I feel like albums are made for you to listen from top to bottom. Some people even get creative and tell a full story throughout, and you'll only fully understand the meaning by listening to every track in the order that they have chosen. But this just seemed to go on for slightly too long. The songs, however, I thoroughly enjoyed individually. Favourite lyric: 'Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown. This time I'm coming down.' ('The Drugs Don't Work'). Favourites: Bittersweet Symphony The Drugs Don't Work Lucky Man Space And Time

Quite a fun album to listen to with some great production, underestimated how good the verve were. Although personally i would probably find some songs to become boring very quickly. Overall good album borderline 4

A low 4? Some great songs but as a whole it feels like it’s lacking in effort

Enough classics to just about outweigh the very mediocre album filler and make it a 3.5 rounded up rather than down.

Sound

I really enjoyed this album. Great vibes! Close to a 5 for me. Favorite track(s) Bitter Sweet Symphony Sonnet The Drugs Don't Work Lucky Man Weeping Willow

The church of the Verve is a go!. Take out your hymnals and join in singing...

"Bittersweet Symphony" alone should pull a high ranking, but the rest of the album has a feel-good, mellow, 'everything is gonna be ok' sort of vibe which makes it solid album.

just easy listening really. Nothing crazy 3.5

Pretty enjoyable throughout, and one of the few standout albums from the late 1990s.

Arguably the best opening song on an album from the 90s. ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ had it all and there was just no way the album could stay at that level of epic. ‘Sonnet’ keeps standards very high but unfortunately the album just can’t keep churning out hits. ‘The drugs don’t work’ fires another one out at track 4 however there is then a massive amount of filler before ‘Lucky man’ piques the interest again. The great songs are great- which makes the filler seem average however I enjoyed it and it was better than average. So it has to score 8.5/10 for me. Favourite song- ‘bittersweet symphony’ Worst song- ‘the rolling people’ it just sat in the wrong place between 2 awesome tracks.

3,77 1. "The Drugs Don't Work" 2. "Sonnet" 3. "Bitter Sweet Symphony"

Lost in the sea of the Brit Pop heyday (at least in America), the melodies and lyrics still hold true today.

An album I didn't get anywhere near during the 90s because I *HATED* bittersweet symphony. But this album was actually good! This is drug music, don't get it twisted, but its a solid album.

Kova levy ja tätä tullut pyöriteltyä paljon cd soittimessa. Totuus toki on se että kyllähän tältäkin levyltä löytyy melkoisesti täytebiisejä. Bittersweet symphony kyllä kantaa vuodesta toiseen

Eipä tässä oikein Bitter Sweet Symphonyn lisäksi ole muita hyviä biisejä, mutta pannaan nyt sen kunniaksi kuitenkin nelkkukelkku.

bitter sweet symphony

some really good songs and reminds me of my dad.

Es indie-rock y eso ya me gusta. Bien británicos. Tienen un aire re fuerte a Oasis

banger album. bitter sweet symphony is so lit. i took about four favorite tracks from this album. i love it.

quite liked it, its alternative, got nice riffs and sad grungyish jams.

I was already familiar with Bitter Sweet Symphony, which is a great song. It is unsurprisingly probably the strongest track on the album, but the entire album is good actually. I would listen again for sure.

Familiar with opening track which was radio played so much back in day that I never wanted to hear it ever again. I had minimal hopes for this album and even put it off until the end of the day. I was pleasantly surprised. Several songs especially Catching Butterfly remind of early-1990s U2…not that I wanted to hear that but comfortable and familiar. Rating a 4 to encourage return visit and listen. 4/5

I was pleasantly surprised by this, what an excellent listen.

Pretty sure I’ve heard of this band but never heard of an album. Bitter sweet symphony I have definitely heard. What a song. Incredible production and vocals. I love this song. Sommer is pretty good. Good songwriting. Not as good production but good song either way. Good guitar tho. The rolling people is another good one. Catchy chorus. Better production on this one. Really good guitar solo. This is very much so a sing along song. The drugs don’t work is fine. Generic Brit pop song. Good writing but nothing spectacular. Cool bass line on butterfly. Cool sounds all around. Big time U2 vibes on this one. This is a really cool song. Really good guitar solo on this one too. Neon wilderness is a little too slow for me. Not my fave. Same with space and time. This one is better but still not the best. Pretty generic. Weeping willow is so much better. That guitar is so good. Really stands out. Don’t really like lucky man. It’s fine just not my style. Too lovey. End is very similar to bittersweet symphony tho which I like. One day is a cool song. Keys are soso good. Simple but effective guitar. This time is really cool too. A lot of the songs are pretty similar but this one is unique. Not a fan of the auto tune on velvet morning. This song is just ok. Great guitar in come on. Good vocals too. This is a great closing song. It just keeps on jamming. Overall really enjoyable album. An all time classic followed by a lot of good songs. Really no complaints. Solid 3.5/5.

Bitter sweet symphony er en banger. Lucky guy er også bra. Litt monoton som album på første listen.

I knew the first track, bust wasnt famikliar with anything else. It's a slow, dreamy psych album that was really fun to listen to. I will definitely listen to it again and buying on vinyl if I can!

I liked the songs on here that I hadn't really listen to before (Drugs don't work) and it turned what I thought was a one hit wonder into more ofa complete album for me

I love this album, the opening track is just perfection. I love the versatility, this is an all day listen - song for every aspect of the day, every mood. So many negative reviews on this but I think I love britpop and weepy guitar ballads so maybe I'm based.

The generator previously gave me this band's previous album, "A Northern Soul", only a few months ago, so my perspective on them is pretty fresh. The music style is meloncholic rock, a style that I particularly like. Of course, as I said in my other review, I already was familiar with and enjoyed "Bitter Sweet Symphony". That song is still the best song on this album and employs a good use of strings (instrumentation that is used in a few other songs too). I did like the music, but the songs are quite long and they kind of blended together after a while (something that I found also happened in the previous album). Another song I liked, and that was more different, was "The Drugs Don't Work".

It's a bit of a commitment to get through given the run time, but there are some undeniable bangers on here. Enjoyed this nostalgic revisiting. 3.5

very good, I particularly love how some of the instrumentals contain some orchestra instruments. fav track is Weeping Willow.

it's pretty typical of the style but done pretty well

Gražus balsas, gražios dainos.

bop

Ooooookay. OOOOOkay then. It’s a bittersweet fucking symphony and that’s just fucking life I fucking guess. That's no way to start a review but whatever. Let's get into it. So like 10, 11 years ago, I heard “Bitter Sweet Symphony” for the first time, and I thought it was tight. I still do. Great little song. I distinctly remember my dad telling me about the story behind it too, how the verve won an award for it and everything, and then legally got told it wasn’t their song, and then had to turn down an award or speech or something… and it was like a cautionary tale. Crushing stuff. Again, the song’s tight though, and that’s what matters. “Sonnet” is better than I remember it being too. Just a good old fashioned dope rock jam. Though “The Rolling People” is kinda a dud, it’s redeemed by the greatness of “The Drugs Don’t Work,” which is kinda of the best kind of sad sentimental britpop ballad. Kinda like preceding Coldplay’s best material by just a little bit, and that’s really how I interpret this whole album. It’s like if Oasis and Coldplay had a middleman. Or actually, it’s more that this is the middleman between Oasis and Coldplay. Much much more psychedelic than anything Coldplay ever made, which definitely lines up more with Oasis, but its best moments are its sensitive moments, which are much more reminiscent of Coldplay, and much more common than anything on an Oasis record. That being said, we all know the more outright psychedelic stuff here isn’t great, right? Like that’s not just me? This album is at its best when the psychedelia is a more marginal, background part of the song, because the sensitive sides of these songs really find some good stuff, as I previously mentioned. And can I just say, the length isn't as much of a problem as I thought it was going to be. As I began to go through the last leg of the album, I really began to realize that, uhh, none of these songs really needed to be taken out. It's a really interesting moment to realize that, hey, this is actually really great music all the way through! And that's really how this album feels. Even at over an hour it's great, and has a lot of really good songs to hear all throughout. Great album. 8.9/10

Demasiado largo pero me aparece interesante la propuesta más allá de su gran éxito la música se siente con intención

Album disfrutable, con canciones fenomenales como Bitter Sweet Symphony y The Drugs dont work. Lamentablemente hay una gran parte del album que es simplemente olvidable. No es genial ni tampoco mala, simplemente pasa desapercibida. No vas a detenerte a cambiar de canción, pero tampoco vas a detenerte a escucharla o disfrutarla. 75/100

Es un álbum increíble. Hermoso. Es un brit mucho más tranqui, tirando al indie.

Bitter Sweet Symphony- 4/5 Sonnet - 3.5/5 The Rolling People - 4.5/5 The Drugs Don’t Work - 4.5/5 Catching The Butterfly - 3.5/5 Neon Wilderness - 3/5 Space And Time - 4/5 Weeping Willow - 4/5 Lucky Man - 3/5 One Day - 3/5 This Time - 3.5/5 Velvet Morning - 3/5 Come On/ Deep Freeze - 2.5/5

I had a surprisingly good time with this, Bittersweet Symphony while you’re walking is just epic. The album is pretty well balanced after that. My biggest issue is the album structure, it’s long, could be leaner but still give itself time to be psychedelic and stretch. Also putting Bittersweet on track one is a bit needy, I’d build up to it with 2-3 tracks 3.5

Me gusto!

Indie deaftones aesc

1997, c'est l’année où la Britpop a fini par s’auto-dévorer dans un nuage de coke et d’arrogance mal placée. Mais c’est surtout le moment où The Verve décide de revenir d’entre les morts. Et quand je dis les morts, je n’exagère pas : le groupe s’était séparé, Ashcroft faisait ses crises de divinité, et McCabe — le seul mec capable de faire sonner une guitare comme un trou noir — était parti voir ailleurs si j’y étais. Mais voilà, le fric, l’ambition, ou peut-être juste l’impossibilité de faire autre chose, les a réunis. Urban Hymns c’est un putain de bloc de 75 minutes qui veut trop en faire et qui veut être tout à la fois : l’album de rock psyché ultime, la collection de tubes radio universels et le testament spirituel d’un mec qui se prend pour le Messie des quartiers pavillonnaires. Je commence par quoi ? Par l’éléphant dans la pièce ? Allez "Bittersweet Symphony". Ce morceau, c’est le génie et la lose absolue résumés en six minutes. C’est le titre que j'ai entendu jusqu’à la nausée, mais que je ne peux pas m’empêcher de trouver brillant à chaque fois que ces cordes démarrent. Mais quel pied de nez monumental de s’être fait piquer tous les droits par ce vieux requin d'Allen Klein et les Stones. Ashcroft écrit le texte de sa vie, McCabe brode par-dessus, et au final, ils ne touchent pas un kopeck pendant vingt ans. Si c’est pas l’essence même du rock’n’roll de se faire entuber en beauté en créant un chef-d’œuvre, je ne sais pas ce que c’est. Mais le truc, c’est qu'Ashcroft, avec sa gueule de mannequin mal nourri et ses pommettes saillantes, il y croit. Il croit dur comme fer qu’il est en train de sauver le monde avec ses chansons. Et parfois, j'ai presque envie de le croire aussi. Quand j'écoute "The Drugs Don't Work", je me sens comme une merde, mais une merde qui plane. C’est beau, c’est triste, c’est d’un pathos assourdissant, et pourtant ça fonctionne. Parce qu'au milieu de toute cette boursouflure, il y a une vraie vulnérabilité. C’est le son d’un mec qui réalise que la fête est finie et que la descente va être longue. Mais alors, pourquoi ce n'est pas le disque parfait ? Pourquoi je ne lui mets pas la note maximale en hurlant au génie pur ? Parce que The Verve ne sait pas quand s'arrêter. C’est le mal du siècle pour les groupes de cette époque : ils pensaient que remplir un CD jusqu'à la garde était un gage de qualité. Et vers le milieu du disque, ça commence à ramer sévère. Il y a des morceaux qui durent des plombes, des jams qui n'en finissent plus, des pignolades sonores où McCabe s'écoute un peu trop triturer ses pédales d'effets Attention, j'adore le psychédélisme, j'adore quand ça plane, mais là, ça sent parfois le remplissage pour faire "album conceptuel sérieux". Des titres comme "The Rolling People" ou "Come On", c’est sympa cinq minutes, mais ça casse la dynamique émotionnelle des hymnes qui font le sel de cet album. Et c’est frustrant putain car si tu vires les trois ou quatre morceaux qui servent de rembourrage, tu as le meilleur album de la décennie, point barre. Tu as un truc qui enterre les Gallagher et leur rock de stade bas du front, et qui offre une alternative plus humaine aux délires robotiques de Radiohead. Ici, c'est organique, c'est sale sous les ongles, même quand il y a des violons partout. Je déteste le côté "Messie" d'Ashcroft, cette façon qu'il a de marcher dans la rue en bousculant les gens comme si le trottoir lui appartenait. C’est insupportable d’arrogance. Mais force est de constater que le mec a un charisme de dingue et une voix qui transperce les murs. Et puis, il y a McCabe. Et je le répète : sans McCabe, ce groupe serait juste une version un peu plus chiante d'Oasis car c'est lui qui apporte la brume, l'ombre, les éclairs. C'est lui qui transforme une simple ballade acoustique en un voyage astral. C’est cette tension entre le chanteur qui veut être une star de la pop et le guitariste qui veut disparaître dans un feedback infini qui fait que Urban Hymns tient encore debout aujourd’hui. Mais merde, ces longueurs... On dirait qu'ils ont eu peur de couper quoi que ce soit. Et s’ils avaient eu les couilles de sortir un disque de 45 minutes, on crierait au miracle divin. Là, on est juste devant un excellent album qui nous fatigue un peu les oreilles sur la fin. C'est pour ça que je reste sur mon 4/5 parce que je ne peux pas ignorer la puissance de "Sonnet" ou la majesté de "Lucky Man". Ce sont des chansons qui te collent à la peau, qui te rappellent tes propres errances, tes propres gueules de bois spirituelles. Mais je ne peux pas non plus ignorer le fait qu'à chaque fois que je lance le disque, je finis par zapper les dernières pistes parce que j'ai l'impression d'avoir déjà entendu la même boucle trois fois. En résumé, Urban Hymns c’est le chant du cygne d’une époque. C’est grandiloquent, c’est boursouflé, c’est souvent génial, et c’est parfois franchement chiant.

Not my first time listening to this album but the first time in a while. It’s so unfortunate that The Verve are one-hit wonders (especially with the Stones lawsuit basically taking away any royalties they’d earn over two decades) because this album is really good in my opinion. Another listen this weekend might sway me into the five star territory, but I feel alright giving this a four.

I liked it

A beautiful album from beginning to end.

I liked it

Se siente como el soundtrack de la vida, en las películas entraría cuando los personajes entran en ese momento reflexivo pero de manera positiva cuando todo se va a arreglar y hay esa luz al final del camino. Seria algo para escuchar a diario mi respuesta es no pero siempre hace falta algunas veces reflexionar

A really good album great start with some banging songs whole album doesn’t live up to the start but still a really good album

My second album by The Verve in this project. I really liked the last one (A Northern Soul) a lot, commenting on how much I've enjoyed all of the Britpop that I've gotten to hear. As this album has a couple of songs that I've heard before and enjoy very much, I was excited to listen to the rest. And I was not at all disappointed. The lyrics were thoughtful and philosophical and the music was interesting no matter a slower song, a more rock tinged song, more trippy. Standouts were Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet (LOVED this), Space and Time, and Lucky Man, and there were no tracks I didn't like. After a two star album yesterday (LCD Soundsystem) I was hoping for a return to a very good to great run of records. I got it today.

Pop rock sympa ! Bittersweet symphony culte

Très cool, avec de vrais classiques

Pretty great, shame about the copyright

Another album from my school years! I listened to it quite a lot back then, but I still haven't memorized all the songs apart from the obvious hits and a couple of non-hit favourites (like dreamy and atmospheric Catching the Butterfly) - it just blends into one slightly melancholic, slightly breezy, slightly bittersweet (ha!) gust of wind in my mind. Lovely album, lovely memories.

Really liked this. I hadn’t given the verve much time beyond bittersweet symphony but sonically this sits alongside oasis and Radiohead in a really pleasant way.

Excelente.

Bitter Sweet Symphony was such a groundbreaking track in my youth. This brit pop emo fill with nostalgia.

90s classic

The last good Brit pop album with some very memorable songs

A lot of great tunes.

Noted

Great