Reviews (page 5 of 15)
I didn't feel particular to this album either which way. It was just something to have on in the background.
This was just not good. I listened to the whole album, but could not wait for it to be over.
See my note for full breakdown.
Pretty decent with a few better than the rest
Miles ahead of A Northern Soul. One of the great songs of the 90s and a few other greats sprinkled in. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
Fine. Hidden track is dumb
Who knew this one was more than one single that got them into hot water with the Rolling Stones? Never dove too far into this one. I suppose there could be some argument made that it's over-produced in some aspects, but it still sounds pretty good almost 30 years on.
Class album
I very much enjoyed this album listen from The Verve. I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened to a full album from them but I’ve always loved Bittersweet Symphony. Overall, this was a solid alt rock album and I would listen to it again in the future.
Overall: 6/10 Vocals: 5 Instruments/Melody/Sound: 7 Lyrics: 4 Likely to listen to it again: 3 Other: Good electric guitar solos. Good study music, just a lot of instrumental parts and same style.
It’s like they were never taught how to just end a song so they gave them all long closers that sounds like they have never been the first to leave a call
Just wow, damn. Gotta listen to Sonnet again some time. For some reason people love it, but it didn't quite enjoy it. Missing Come On/Deep Freeze. It's a 15 minutes track, so I was a bit lazy.
It was cute, not my favourite, dad playlist vibes, i liked this time
Wasn't overly excited to listen to this, but after a few plays through I was massively impressed. Great singles, fantastic filler songs, a strong 90s classic.
okay okay
a little bit boring ngl... maybe due to the fact that I'd listened to bittersweet symphony about 3920482390482304 times yet all the other songs were new to me (maybe i'm uncultured idk)
Classic
late 90s! we love it
NOW i know where the bittersweet symphony sound bite comes from LOL. kind of a quiet angst record, totally dig. “the rolling people” BANGER, almost thought about some early john mayer songs with that one. really solid!
It's ok, but a lot of it just isn't necessary and could be left out, like much of the britpop on this list.
Weird to hear more than sweet symphony
Given all the mediocre British alt-rock bands the author likes to throw on here, I expected this album to be the same. I only know The Verve for Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work. This album actually surprised me though, as I found the more psychedelic elements to be really interesting and enjoyable. Still, there were a handful of forgettable tracks on here, and they largely started to sound the same by the end. 3.5 -> 3/5
This album suffers mightily from pacing. Like a lot of 90s albums, this album is both too long as a whole and each song individually. This last point is where this album really fails. Each songs stops developing after 2 minutes, but then we're subjected to 5 minutes of a repeating chorus to end the song. But even if the band had managed to write with better pacing, the vocal melodies are predictable and there's nothing special about the music either. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
i came into this album with the perception of the verse as a one hit wonder due to the huge success of bitter sweet symphony. i always thought the song was fine, not spectacular but way too long. after listening to the album, i now believe that to be an accurate description of this entire album
3.7 ish
I slept on this album. "Bittersweet Symphony" is a favorite and I regret not taking the time to listen all of the songs on this album before. This is definitely a keeper.
mehhh blijft niet echt hangen ofzo buiten 1 basic banger!
2,5 1 goeie banger, de rest is vergeetachtig. 13 in een dozijn album.
nostalgia
Good album
yo what happened from the beginning song to the end song??
Overall, a pretty good listen. There were a few songs that sounded like they were going towards Oasis. Some that sounded a little newer.
I
Bittersweet ist ein tolles Lied der Rest ist typisch Rock belanglos bis nervig. Schade eig!
Wild to go beyond bittersweet symphony
Un disco que gana con los años. Puede llegar a cargar un poco la instrumentación, pero tiene algunas canciones formidables.
I never understood how this band, and Bitter Sweet Symphony in particular, got to be so popular. It's all just mush. Corporate sound, corporate lyrics, and sold to be filler in commercials and movie credits.
L'exemple type du rock neutre pas nul des années 90. Un point bonus pour Bitter Sweet Symphony qui est quand même un putain de classique.
My second album by The Verve. I read my review for A Northern Soul after listening to all of Urban Hymns and I could write the same thing about this one. The sound is so rounded and muted that even the parts that 'rock' sound listless. There are a few songs that have a build-up that goes from quiet boring to loud boring. And they are LONG. One thought i had is that this is what depression sounds like, and maybe that's what they were going for? If so, mission accomplished, but this was not something that I personally enjoyed.
atmospheric favourite song - Sonnet 9/10
It’s been almost thirty years since I’ve listened to this album and boy have I been missing out. It’s aged well, and as each song played, song after song, I couldn’t see a reason not to give it five stars. It’s that unexpectedly good.
Other than Bittersweet Symphony I was not familiar with the verve. I enjoyed it.
Play with my worm till it burps on you
Album Review 040 Urban Hymns by The Verve (1997) Rating 3.5/5 The Verve’s debut album, A Storm In Heaven, is a contender for a place in my top 20 albums of all time. Their third album, Urban Hymns, never really reaches the brilliance of A Storm In Heaven but it is still a strong album. Urban Hymns has the feel of break-up and regret to it, which is obvious in hindsight largely due to the conflict between Richard Ashcroft (Vocalist) and Nick McCabe (Guitarist), and Ashcroft’s indulgent use of drugs. I hadn’t listened to Urban Hymns or felt the urge to listen to it for at least 20 years as I never thought it was that good an album but enjoyed it more than I thought I would this time around.
Incredibly 90s, and I am here for it!
Didn’t finish listen.. but off to a good start
Bittersweet Symphony one of my all time favourites the rest of the album is very forgettable though
Kann man gut durchhören, oasis Style The drugs dont work / one day / Space and time / bittersweet symphony
Just good enough. Surprisingly, the one hit wonder wasn't the standout, it was the other popular songs on the album which I suppose are more known in the UK. It's like Oasis without the whiny vocals but less musicianship.
Very depressing and kinda boring britpop. I liked a couple of songs but it’s nothing special as an album.
Not for me
pretty nostalgic feel that I have towards this record, isn't bad but not enough big highlights from the lows like the drugs wont work
I'd never listened to much past Bittersweet Symphony, but I can see why. There wasn't a lot for me here, nothing really stuck out.
didnt leave an impression on me tbh
Very good, most popular song is not even one of the best ones on the album
Great start with Bittersweet Symphony, iconic string riff. However, Sonnet was not an encouraging follow up, quite boring. The Rolling People was more interesting, musically, will solid layers of sound driving an creative instrumental session featuring some creative non-lyric vocals. The Drugs Don't Work changes the pace, starting out with a slow, acoustic strum and soft vocal intro, and finishing mostly unimpressive. Catching the Butterfly speeds up modestly with a rolling rhythm and trippy, scratchy guitars and the next four songs just kind bleed together. I've practically forgot that Bittersweet Symphony started this album... The same continued through to the end 2/10
this album is very special to me, loved it as a child and a teen and as an adult. Space rock band reforms and makes britpop. Richard Ashcroft is COOL.
Nice album
bitter sweet symphony lucky man britpop 1997 united kingdom
Could be a 5 if about 4 songs where left off
Cool album, but I think they leaned into the psychedelia aspect of it a bit too much, which wasn’t for me. The atmosphere was nice, but I thought that some of the songs overstayed their welcome, and considering that this album is over 70 minutes long, I lost interest a bit. It was still good background music, but I like something a bit more involved. 7/10
vabbè a me piace molto quando c’è rock + arrangiamenti orchestrali e chiaramente qui se ne fa un bellissimo uso, ad essere precisa però se potessi darei 3,5 e non 4 perché provare ad ascoltare l’album di fila mi ha un po’ stancato
Album veramente figo, è un britpop influenzato dalla psichedelia e si sente molto, nei suoni delle chitarre, nelle atmosfera, anche nella durata delle canzoni. Poi vabbè i 4 singoli sono uno meglio dell'altro, tutti pezzi iconici. Peccato che questi non siano stati in grado di tenere insieme la band.
Very familiar with the singles but never listened to the whole album before. There’s some great songs here but maybe a bit too long overall. Would have been better as a tight 10 or 11 tracks?!
Album normalito ni tan tan ni muy muy buenas canciones pero nada que me transmite el volverlo a escuchar
This album, oddly, sounded familiar to me, but I don't believe I've heard it before. Perhaps it put me in mind of a different band I just can't put my finger on. Regardless, I thought this was nice. Perhaps a bit unmemorable, but nice nevertheless.
i know it was an impactful album, but it’s not to my taste. good production tho
Okay. Maybe some good stuff, but not great.
I actually liked a few of these cuts. I knew nothing of this band. Won't be a repeat listen.
“Urban Hits” by The Verve is one of those albums that there are far too many of: one big hit – “Bittersweet Symphony” – and otherwise insignificant. Of course, what is insignificant is in the eye of the beholder. In this case, it refers to Britpop of the most average kind – and Britpop is not the most exciting genre of music in itself. Not bad but boring.
A handful of good songs.
Класика
I enjoy this more than a lot of things I've rated three, so four to be fair.
I do enjoy their sound, though most of the songs sound like a repeat.
Yikes, there’s a reason I know only one of their songs
Britpop sucks butt and should stay dead. This album is a great representation of it: boring, lifeless, emotionless, bloated, and wildly overrated. There is literally nothing good-great on this album (not even “Bittersweet Symphony”). He just drones on and on and on and on with zero emotion or talent for 70+ minutes. And that pretty much sums up Britpop for yah.
I had forgotten I saw them in concert years ago. no surprise since this is very forgettable music. like Oasis "light". Britpop once again on the list & wondering why it's there 2.5 stars
I have a limited tolerance for Britpop but this album feels different than the other big albums from that era. I’d never really paid much attention to “Bitter Sweet Symphony” — annoyed as I was by how often it tried to seep its way into my ears against my will — but sitting down with headphones and letting it wash over me really solidified it for me as an all-time great song. But lesser known tracks on the record are nearly as good if less iconic. “Catching the Butterfly” is a highlight. It’s not as solid all the way through, but the less strong points feel intentional. The lonely dreaminess of “Neon Wilderness” is definitely not trying to be a tight anthem, or even really a “song” by some definitions.
I’m more of a fan of the Storm in Heaven-era but this is a great album. One of the heavyweights that came out of the UK in ‘97.
Instantly recognized the first song. Good album.
Hated the first two tracks, but the rest of thr album was great, really enjoyed the psychedelic sound (reminded me of radiohead) and cause of instrumentation reminded me of taylor swifts self titled album 6.5/10 (yeah that ella fitzgerald album was rated too high)
Nothing special, the first song was really good then it just went downhill because they all just sounded the same. Reminded me of a worse version of Radiohead and Oasis.
I gunna agree with ap.
(4.1) Couple of bangers, gives me Oasis sort of vibes on some songs. Wasn’t really familiar with The Verve until now, but will probably listen to more now.
3/5
Felt like I went through a tunnel 😮💨😮💨
I would rate it 2 but bittersweet sympathy deserves its own star. A bit repetitive and songs are very long. Unsure if i love his singing style too.
Verve EP > Urban Hymns But still, “Bitter Sweet Symphony” is a masterpiece. And overall album is a very very very good work.
Bittersweet Symphony is in the conversation for greatest opening track The mega singles (Sonnet, Lucky Man, Drugs Don’t Work) are as anthemic as ever Beyond that the guitar work and soundscapes are as intricate and interesting as their earlier, less accessible albums (I gave Northern Soul the full 5⭐️ as well but it’s a very different beast to Urban Hymns) And it all ends with Liam Gallagher doing one of the all time great rock cameos and yelling “This is a big Fuck You! COME ON!” The easiest 5⭐️ album
As someone who tends to like Britpop, this album was decent. However, outside of the obvious Bitter Sweet Symphony, this album seems to lack memorable hooks. In terms of both length and pacing, I would compare this to Suede's Dog Man Star, but that album both was not quite as lethargic, and the ballads actually had better hooks and guitar lines to latch on to. This album is just too long, and although I liked the guitar, I did not find the vocals particularly memorable. This could get 4 stars if it was significantly shorter, but I feel like this has to get 3 stars.
Eh, ai like the two hits that I already knew, everything else was pretty forgettable, nothing really held my attention for long. Favorite tracks- “Bittersweet Symphony” “The Drugs Don’t Work”
One of the best albums ever IMO
Classic album I don't know what people are chatting about
Excellent
This one is okay. It’s just not my thing.
I wasn't looking forward to this as I remember The Verve being pretty dull indie by numbers and Urban Hymns is over an hour long. In the end though, it wasn't that bad. I wouldn't choose to listen to it, but I'd be perfectly fine with having it on while I was doing something else.
A more indie version of Oasis? Do both bands share the same influences? Excellent 90's alternative rock album, though, including the 2 band hits.
Belting album start to finish. Bitter sweet, sonnet and drugs are as about as good as this era gets
Bittersweet Symphony is a bop of course. Other than that, I didn’t connect with any of the songs.
I actually really liked this one, this was quite fun to listen to.
It’s too long, in truth, but damn if it isn’t filled with quality tunes throughout
Liked it, didn't love it. Similar feelings to Bittersweet Symphony - some songs I really like and would keep listening to, but definitely not a no-skip album for me
First song is iconic. The whole album was kind of forgettable the first listen, but then the second listen I started to understand the vibe of it all. Seems like a chill album for a nice cup of coffee on a rainy day. I think I will revisit this album but so far it didn't stick much on my mind after 2 listens. 6.8/10
Way better than their other album on this list. It's a nice Oasis-lite band to listen to. Best Song: Bitter Sweet Symphony Rating: 7.0/10 Stars: 4
One song ... not sure if it's a must listen album
Not bad. Knew first song
banger after banger.
It was certainly a product of it's time. Bittersweet Symphony is the standout track, and the only one I can really remember.
Pretty great britpop, which sets itself apart from a lot of the list by the regular usage of string samples. The Verve are no Oasis, but who is? Extra points for opening with Bittersweet Symphony, a track that's still a really good listen despite near-constant radio play these last three decades. fav tracks: Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet, The Rolling People
I can't stand the big hit from this album, just horrible, no redeeming qualities. Held my breath and started with the second track, mostly meh at best. Still nowhere near as awful as the opening song. Holy shit! 75 minutes long!? I'm never going to make it through this dreck. Fuck you, Dimery, you can kiss my ass.
It was ok, a bit generic
Landfill indie.
Hell yeah. Nostalgia and also good adventure
It's a bittersweet symphonyyy this li-ife.. fucking banger, takes me back. Great music from a great era. Ashcroft, one of the last classic, drugged up rockstars
Have already heard a few of their songs before. Nice vibes
Just made me want to listen to Oasis instead
A consistently good album with only a couple of songs I didn't like. 4 stars or B.
Это не плохая музыка. Но это и не хорошая музыка. Это никакая музыка. Ничего не цепляет. Это могло бы быть лучше и значительнее короче. Лучшая песня: Bitter Sweet Symphony
Nice to hear again
Super cet album !
This truly is a bittersweet symphony
Apparently, this album dominated British popular culture in the late 90s. I only had a passing similarity due to streaming algorithms pegging me as a potential fan. When this album was big, I’d just started graduate school and it was my lifetime low for exploring new music, perhaps because my mind was exploring new things elsewhere. For my limited exposure The Verve aligned with my vibe, so I started my listens being psyched for a deeper dive. McCabe’s guitar work is impressive. I could listen to that shit all day. Every tune where he is allowed to shine benefits. The more poppy ballads on the album don’t do much for me, although I can see how songs like “The Drugs Don’t Work” could become pop culture zeitgeist. The trippier tunes like “Catching The Butterfly” or “Weeping Willow” are better, or at least more interesting, the instrumentals are just better. I listened to this album more often than I typically do, mainly because I kept thinking that it should be grabbing more than it was. I understand the vibe is different on The Verve’s other albums, which I’ll explore, perhaps that will give me some insight into what I’m missing here.
Who among us doesn’t at least appreciate bittersweet symphony? It’s genuinely a pretty song and nothing more needs to be said. The same could be said about the rest of the album. It’s generally pretty and inoffensive. I won’t listen to it again because I found it boring. Much like everything I encounter, I am in entirely uncharted territory here. Do I know bittersweet symphony and the weird lawsuit drama with the Rolling Stones? I was born in 1996. Could I tell you that the verve was the band behind that song? Maybe, I do love trivia. Have I ever intentionally listened to this album or anything by the verve? Absolutely not. But getting past the one song I am too familiar with, there are a dozen other songs here for better or worse. As I’m listening to it, I am mildly aware that I am listening to it. It sounds like 2000s mall music and I just can’t force my brain to be interested in whatever this is. I cannot force myself to care about this album. Ultimately, it is just very boring. I’ve had to remind myself that I’m listening to it just because it hardly registers above white noise on the ears.
La première musique est classique mais sinon juste sympa
Sympatoche, culte ?
Sympa mais de moins en moins bien au cours de l'album. Enfin j'aime pas Bittersweet Symphony, puis c'était super, puis c'était Oasis. ---------- --------- ------- ----- BZBZBZBZBZ OUIN ----------- ---------- en gros c'était comme ça
Only listened to half the album, it was a great album from the songs I listed too, but not really my vibe, the songs seemed too long in my opinion.
Heard the first song before, but the rest of the album is good too.
Kept on losing stars as the album progressed. Too long and not as good as the first track.
Britpop/10
Similarly to the last The Verve album I've had; this was a lot better than I was expecting, even if it is a bit overblown in phases and an exhausting listen in one sitting without being in the right mindset. The songs on "Urban Hymns" generally felt more dextrous, textured, varied and accomplished than "A Northern Soul", earning this an extra star over its predecessor, and it's the psychedelic nuances on offer here compared to some of their Britpop compatriots that make The Verve a more compelling case for a revisit (and perhaps a purchase in future).
Some very good, if depressing songs on there. Need to be in the mood, but I don't always appreciate the mood it puts me in
Their sound is good but they really feel like a one hit wonder. No other track really stuck out and sounds a bit like a budget version of oasis.
One of my favourite Britpop albums. Could do with a trim but it's got a solid mix of big melodies and proper guitar rock. Bittersweet Symphony is still a classic.
I assure you no one cares about The Verve outside of the UK. Stop putting this crap on an essential list.
I see why they were a one hit wonder. (2.5)
A few decent sections but pretty bland and boring overall. (2.5)
Due to the pervasiveness of Bittersweet Symphony, I was turned off from ever giving this album a shot in its heyday. That's too bad, because it's pretty solid. However, despite there being a lot of brilliant songs (including Bittersweet, which is a lot more fun to listen to after I haven't heard it for many years), there's also too much filler for me to go full-5. It comes damn close, though. Special acknowledgment to Lucky Man. That's a great friggin' song.
The first song on this album is, I assume, the bands biggest hit and a legitimately fantastic song. And yeah, they sampled the Stones... this making it also the 2nd or 3rd best Rolling Stones song. So there's that. But, the rest is excellent, too. There's a couple places where I thought things sounded a tad repetitious, but overall this was a treat to listen to.
I saw this band in 1993 at Le Bataclan in Paris. U of I had an exchange program there. The Verve opened for the Smashing Pumpkins. James Iha came on stage with a paper bag on his head and baguettes coming out of his sleeves and slinky danced. He said his name was Baguette Man. I bought the Storm in Heaven CD. I smoked weed with friends and listened to it. I listened to this album less. I’m sure I like that first album because it was my intro to the band. It’s less about Richard Ashcroft’s singing and the melody writing, and more about hazy dreamy psychedelic rock. It also didn’t have any mega hooks like Bittersweet Symphony. I’m glad the guy finally got paid for his efforts. There are a few tracks on here I like beside it as well.
Pretty good, and showed me there was more to the Verve than Bittersweet Symphony. (About which I vaguely remember there's one of those unjust music-IP-troll stories in which the band gets screwed and some parasite benefits heavily.) Liked Drugs Don't Work, Space and Time, a few others quite a bit. OTOH I found a few songs dull and repetitive. So, a 3.
3/5 - The front half of this album is pretty good, especially when they turn up the volume like on Rolling People. Bittersweet Symphony is a sweeping classic, and I can’t fault it just because I’ve heard hundreds of times. The back half has some boring filler, but all around this is inoffensive, if generally unexciting 90s Britpop/rock.
Great opening song with a few other good cuts.
The first track starts and I’m like “hey, I know this tune, this album will be good”. And then it plods on for track after track, each song disappointingly very much like the last. The vocalist’s range has no higher register, nor lower register, every track smack dap in the annoying sweet spot of mid-range, each melody the same boring 3 or 4 chord tune played over and over while the mid- range vocals talk through the “songs”. And then, when you’ve plodded through all that you get treated to disc 2 which is the band playing the same songs “live” - although the bands energy, and for that matter the crowds energy, are both typically British, which is to say barely above a resting pulse. In all 2 hours and 27 minutes of repetitive tedium. The album summarized well what has become of British music since about 1980, the longer you listen the worse it gets.
Great album, some classic 90's indie rock, but still sounds fresh somehow. Stand out tracks are the singles but the album tracks are strong It’s a little long (standard 75 min 90s cd issue) as most songs are of a similar tempo/feel in a dreamy, psychedelic way. Most songs overstay their welcome, most are 6-7 mins where 4 would be better
One of the most generic shits I have heard ever. It starts with the hit, and it should end there as well. And I never liked that song either. This band is an Oasis clone, but a very bad one.
Another boring Verve album. Slightly better than the one I was forced to listen to yesterday, though.
Bittersweet Symphony carries this album, *hard*.
Liked it fine, it didn't leave a strong impression
Not bad! Good song compositions and balance of vibe. The voice of the guy gets a little tiresome but otherwise neat stuff!
Feel like the album cover does a pretty good job summing-up the overall vibe of this one.
Bittersweet symphony is one of the most 90s songs of all time. I'll be coloured by it releasing just as I became slightly more aware of real music, but I'm very tempted to give it a 5 just for that. It is my list after all. The rest of the album is fully OK but not spectacular.
Obviously Bittersweet Symphony is great. I'm looking at that 1 hour 15 runtime and I'm wondering if the rest of the album will justify the length It doesn't. This is boring. Sorry. Songs added to playlist: - Bittersweet Symphony - Come On Although! I added a different version of Come On (Loco Studio Session) because I did not like Deep Freeze. Not strictly from this album, but I truly don't need 8 minutes of silence and then Deep Freeze in my playlist.
It’s strange, I enjoyed a lot of this album but I can’t really say why. It’s got good tracks but I wouldn’t be able to tell you one that I absolutely loved though.
Probably the single best rock album of all time I love it.
1967: Sgt. Pepper, Are You Experienced, Axis Bold as Love, Piper At The Gates of Dawn, The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Doors, Disraeli Gears... 1997: Urban Hymns, Ok Computer, Homogenic, Homework, Fat of the Land, Dig Your Own Hole... 2027 is going to blow minds. You heard it here first
Radiohead is that you?
Wow
If a cream cracker was an album.
To my untrained ear they sound like a cross between Oasis and a sort of beige Stone Roses. That’s almost definitely selling them short - not just because of their commercial success and critical acclaim but because they do sound like they’re trying to make their own unique sound. It’s hard to listen to these tracks with fresh ears due to the amount of airplay they’ve gotten over the years, but even the hits do nothing for me. Wikipedia said people likened Ashcroft to early-80s Bono and I agree, but like Bono he sounds like he heads off on a deeply emotional journey leaving me behind. I like the (over) earnestness of Ashcroft’s lyrics and the fact that the seemed to care about making a good record, but this is probably a 2.5 stars from me.
I changed my mind so many times about this album while listening to it. The singles on this album are great and the first four songs get the album off to a great start. Then Catching the Butterfly Comes. It’s a decent song, followed by 3 minutes of guitar solos very similar to the track before it. The short and shoegazey Neon Wilderness is a breath of fresh air before the album threatens to lose me again. My ears perk up at Weeping Willow and I have the pleasure of an incredible run of songs to finish the album. Obviously Lucky Man is great, but I did really enjoy This Time and the album's ending in chaos with the very trippy Come On. The hidden track at the end is a fun detail but it doesn’t really add anything musically. In summary- when this album is great, it’s really great. I would agree with it being essential listening. However, it really could benefit from a haircut. Hence the 3 stars. I would give it 3.5 if I could but there are one too many songs on there that I want to skip.
Bitter-sweet symphony is a banger but its the only one. Kind of knock off oasis
Best wel leuk! Wel wat lang
Enjoyable with some Brit-Pop Classics that even I now - 1 extra star for the Bitter Sweet Symphony, what a melody!
Not a bad album at all. Enjoyed it. Couple of very popular ones to sing along to as well
Started off with a classic that was once one of 30 songs on my first MP3 player for a long time. nice few songs i knew in this one. last track not my cup of tea but id happily listen through this album again.
Enjoyed it particularly with the opening tune. Started well and dropped off as we went.
One of these sounded familiar, think I'd heard it before
The first and only great album from the verve. In terms of a collection of songs possibly the best album alongside ok computer of the 90s. Drugs dont work is poignant and moving, sonnet is full of longing and a melody like and vocals that are off the chart. Lucky man is the sound of arrogance and hope. Bitter sweet symphony is the high watermark for those outsiders new to the band. The rest of the album is great too. Moody and magnificent
It's got that one song on it and the rest is just pretty forgettable 90's Oasis-adjacent songs that are apparently catnip for Robert Dimery
Starts with a bang and then just draaaaaaaags. There's a lot to like here and ¨Sonnet¨ for me is the standout track. I just wish the songs wouldn't meander so much- it could get away with it if it was shoegaze but not being Britpop.
Started out good but sooo repetitive
Album infravalorado del Sr Richard Ashcroft que demuestra sus habilidades para crear himnos como sonnet , lucky man,the drugs dont work y un temaso de epoca como bitter sweet symphony son la imagen viva del britpop que sigue vigente hasta el dia de hoy
Honestly thought this was super boring. It sounded fine, but yeah just nothing really there for me. I do think there's maybe something to this being a 90s sound that I grew up with so it feels more derivative and boring than a similar straight down the middle rock record from the 70s say.
Bss
Really pushing the middle of the pack here. Could you get more album than this album? 4/10
Really evokes a certain hard-won zen. Less macho than Oasis, less angsty than Radiohead, and less anthemic than Coldplay, they sometimes reach in vain to get there and other times self assuredly settle in to their own niche, more danceable and psychedelic than all three put together.
Nice
nothing really notable outside the single
This was lackluster alt rock for me. Nothing terrible, but you have to bring something special when you are on a list like this. Favorite track was weeping willow
bitter sweet symphony is definitively the best song on this album. the rolling people was good for a minute and a half.. and then they repeated the same thing for another five and a half minutes.
7.0/10 Pretty solid..
One of the best albums of the Britpop era, nice blend of hits with some of their older more psychedelic sound mixed in.
Bastante mejor de lo que recordaba.
Not my favorite. Bittersweet Symphony couldn’t elevate this album enough. Just forgettable in all regards.
Some good songs. More psychedelic than I thought. Wasn’t amazing
I like a good portion of this album. It's definitely one you listen to if you're into a certain vibe. Like a slightly psychedelic, sample supplemented, indie rock type beat. Obviously the big hit, "Bittersweet Symphony" is borderline flawless and easily the best song on the album. There are some deep cuts on here that are genuinely good songs like "Space and Time" "Sonnet" and "This Time" are some quality tracks. The rest of the album has kind of a mishmash of hazy instrumentals that for me were hard to differentiate from one another. I ended up becoming fatigued trying to set some songs apart. So the albums has a little bit of bloat at 14 tracks. But when the tracks stand out they're like REALLY good. I may have to sit with it and give it another listen with these thoughts in mind but for now....I say it's solid for what it is.
Enjoyable, but not an album that I want to listen to again all in one go - mixed into a playlist would be excellent though!
It didn't really hold my attention
Why is it so long?
I hope I never hear bitter sweet symphony again. Otherwise very excruciating and Oasis-like.
I think we just have a copy of this album somewhere on CD. It certainly seemed familiar, beyond the obvious tracks. And was a lot better than the previous Verve album I'd listened to earlier this year. Perhaps that's the familiarity, I'm not sure. But this was OK.
...not sure I would categorize this as an album someone needs to hear before they die but that's just me.
fine.
There’s a tendency to brand everything that came out of the UK in the 1990s as “Britpop”. This album is a lot more than britpop. Orchestral and melodic in places, rocky in others. I was only aware of the big 3 tracks, Symphony, Lucky Man and Drugs beforehand. I'll be adding this to my playlist. Good album
Honestly more interesting than I expected but doesn't really amount to more than watered down Spiritualized for me. Bittersweet Symphony apparently is well-loved online which I don't understand at all and it is one of the worst songs here for me Fav song: The Rolling People
This is a great album. I think the hysteria around Brit Pop clouds some opinions of some great music around that time. Saying that you can hear the Oasis influence slightly too much at parts
Так и не определился, насколько он мне нравится.
It's a fine 90s background album. Some cute stuff like reprising the Bittersweet Symphony violin theme in other songs.
Soooooooooooooooooo good. Reminds me badly of being 16.
A classic
Classic
After never listening to the verve other than bitter sweet symphony I thought this album would be very 90s britpop, and there is definitely is influences in that genre. However I was surprised to see it had a lot of psychedelic influences. Really enjoyed the album to my surprise 4/5.
Pretty fun album. It had a good rock vibe but not overly aggressive. Having only been aware of Bittersweet Symphony, I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the rest of the album. However, it was pleasantly surprising how much I enjoyed the album. In fact, I think their sound is a lot more timeless than some of the other bands of that time. Sometimes songs from the nineties feel dated to that time, but this album was pleasant to listen to even now. I will likely be going back to this album sometime soon!
Bitter Sweet Symphony kennt man natürlich, ansonsten wehleidiger Britpop von dem ich kein Fan werde dieses Jahrhundert
dank bittersweet symphony 4 sterne, ansonsten solide.
sweet gestartet, bitter weitergegangen, guter pun, danke
= The Beatles
Okay
Never listened to the rest of the album. Controversial opinion, bitter sweet symphony is over rated. Over all good album
A similar experience to tucking into one of your favourite muller corner. The yogurt alone is pretty damn tasty but when you add a corner topping like bitter sweet symphony into the mix it takes it to a whole new level. That hidden track at the end was like discovering a chocolate banana flake in with the chocolate digestive balls- it shouldn’t really be in there but we’ll take it
9/10 - This album is class! - If you like 90’s indie Brit rock/pop, this is one of the best albums of that time. - The style of singing and the use of both acoustic and electric guitar make it an incredible listen. - Urban Hymns definitely inspired the sound of many bands in the late 90’s and early 00’s. - Bittersweet Symphony is still probably one of the most iconic songs ever released. - To sum up, this is an awesome album!
Bittersweet symphony, drugs don’t work and luck man doing a lot of heavy lifting with this. Was expecting more from the other songs but they all kinda sound samey. Still, I’m heavily biased towards this one
Enjoyed listening once again but nothing getting added to my playlist so bog standard 3 beans
Not many standout songs but good background music. Better version of Oasis.
Easy one for me. Class all through. If u can get through without cutting your wrists it’s a straight 5.
Some of the tracks in here speak for themselves, an album you imagine will pass the test of time 8/10
I like very much, couple stagnant songs but all in all very enjoyable
Album was indeed Bitter Sweet, peaking after the first song. Was heavily carried by a few songs.
I'd be mad if someone gave me this album and said something hyperbolic like: "no matter what, you need to hear this album before you die". That said, Bittersweet Symphony is absolutely a single you should hear before you die
Great album to vibe out to, but got a little bored
Big feelings, bigger strings, and lyrics that sound profound until you actually listen to them. One immortal song doing community service for the rest.
Un clásico.
i think "sonnet" and "the drugs dont work" are pretty alright, but this albums shtick gets old after "space and time", aka this albums mission statement, because my god these songs can be long and quite boring in my opinion.
Not horrible, would definitely play again - just not over and over.
Some exceptional songs and some songs which are merely pretty good
So boring man. First song is of course iconic, but even that’s boring
:D
Nice vocals and nice musical arrangements. A good album overall.
miluje dusu
Lucky man is one of my favorite songs ever. The Verve >>>> Oasis
This album opens with one good song, and then manages to die out pretty quickly. It's too long, and mediocre, forgettable rock music. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not something everyone must hear before they die.
Solid album, not my favourite but very good music and I enjoyed listening to it. Bitter sweet symphony is an iconic staple of 90s songs.
Classic bangers. Easy to have in the background. Hard for me to appreciate how groundbreaking this is because I'm so used to hearing the hits
Oh, The Verve have more than 1 song? Just joking, I know they have 2 songs... Well, I honestly think the 3 hit tracks are great and I was disappointed to find out the rest of the catalogue is extremely samey-samey, and the comparison with Oasis is accurate. Some brilliant songs but the rest is incredibly dull. I wouldn't describe this as an album experience, and especially not a "must listen before you die". A low 2.5
7.5
Listenable.
One hit wonder, el resto de canciones son de grupo un poco indie/emo estandar
Beaucoup aimé même si je n'aimais pas vraiment Bittersweet symphony, la seule que je connaissais. Les influences sont diverses, Stones, U2, Oasis. Le son de la guitare est vraiment cool sur certains morceaux, blues-rock-psychédélique.
De la bonne britpop, un peu moins rockeurs que ce qu’on a eu à date? Outre bittersweet symphony, bien aimé The Rolling People et Weeping Willow
Like..not bad but not fantastic
Amazing
This album sounds like many other britpop albums. It's nothing interesting (in any way) and it becomes very repetitive. It is so bland and, in some way, uninspired too. Yes, it may have songs that are good, or, at least, not that bad, but, overall, the album is very long for what it really has to offer. The songs are not good at all. Some are more enjoyable, but this does not mean that they are actually good. So, this is a very forgettable album with very basic and generic songs.
Great!
Pretty Okay
A few very good songs, but a lot of bland ones too.
A few standout songs on this with Bitter Sweet Symphony being a long-time favourite. Otherwise good background music.
Fine but generally bland.
Bittersweet Symphony is so catchy but... is it good? I'd argue not really. It always strikes me as a medium hit from Coldplay. Spotify calls this band a revolutionary band and I really don't hear it. It's not a bad album but it's just so mid to me.
Favorite tracks: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Lucky Man, Sonnet, The Drugs Don't Work Whenever I get to an album where all of my favorite tracks are the ones I already know, I have to question if the only reason I actually like them is for nostalgia's sake. Overall the songs sound largely the same, and the lead singer often drones more than he sings.
Nice. Slightly boring
I think I dismissed this album as a contrarian young person. Bittersweet Symphony was such a momentous cultural moment, an acme anvil dropped on society. It's hard to overstate how big this song was. I thought it was so uncool because of that. But listening to it along with the rest of the record I see it for what it is, an absolute behemouth of a track.
I have to admit, I always thought Bitter Sweet Symphony was U2. Enjoyable.
God this album is so dull. Aside from a couple of tracks this is just a lot of mid-tempo brit-pop that often drags on too long.
Used to own this album, so have listened to it quite a few times. In general I think it is good, but not great.
I've always liked Bitter Sweet Symphony, but never listened to anything else by the Verve. While I felt the album could be a little redundant at times I really enjoyed the project as a whole. The Drugs Don't Work, Space and Time, and Velvet Morning are the ones that stood out to me. Idk if I was just listening to a weird version but the several minutes of silence followed by the baby crying noises were pretty disarming lol
Should just be bitter sweet symphony 13 times. Good hit but the rest underwhelmed.
Never knew who was bittersweet symphony before this, banger. The rest of the album felt pretty samey towards the end but I liked it enough to stay at three.
Sometimes a band catches lightning in a bottle and you get a "Bitter Sweet Symphony." That, then, produces the false expectation of more advanced songwriting and production on Urban Hymns. But then you are treated to mostly simple ballads. If the album were more like "The Rolling People," I would be inclined to like it a lot better. However, the album wants to be more like "The Drugs Don't Work" which does not work for me. Also, minus one for including a hidden track, making me think something was wrong with the playback.
knew of the verve going into this but didn't know enough to realize the first track - bitter sweet symphony - was theirs!! it's a good enough song despite being crazy overplayed, though the rest of the album didn't have too much more to offer. for a band called THE verve, their panache was... milquetoast - bordering on the kind of acceptable if routine decency you get with U2, and i couldn't help but compare this to U2 whilst listening to this (or coldplay, for that matter!!). didn't love this didn't hate this but... didn't feel much about this one either way. highlights - bitter sweet symphony, catching the butterfly, weeping willow, this time
Classic britpop
This is not my usual style of music. The whole album sounds like pretentious, overmixed, coffee-house hipster music. Bittersweet Symphony - 8/10. I mean, I liked the accompaniment better when it was The Last Time by The Rolling Stones. That said, this is a great song. Only gets an 8 because they ripped off The Stones (although there are worse bands to rip off). Sonnet - 5/10. "Don't sound like no sonnet." Neither does this. Good musicianship, lyrics are OK, if a bit repetitive without a reason. The Rolling People - 3/10. Forgettable mid-90's grungeish rock. Not terrible, but not great either. Should have been about half the length. The Drugs Don't Work - 1/10. Save me from early 20's angst from the late 90's. Catching the Butterfly - 2/10. Forgettable and overly long. Solid musicianship, just not to my taste. Neon Wilderness - 3/10. At least it isn't too overly long. Not a fan of experimental 90's music. Space and Time - 5/10. On the stronger side of this album, good musicianship. Weeping Willow - 5/10. Decent. Not good, not bad, just decent. Lucky Man - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. One Day - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. This Time - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. Velvet Morning - 2/10. Pretentious, overmixed garbage. Come On/Deep Freeze - 2/10. On par with the rest of the album. Four minutes and still no "bonus track." Overall rating - 1/5
Half these songs are too long
I never really thought that the Bittersweet Symphony guys sounded like U2 until I had to listen to them for an hour. Let me address the elephant in the room: this album is bloated. It’s very long for a Britpop album and is mostly hit-or-miss. It can rather bland in the middle and some of it can get really samey. Truthfully, I think this album is technically just ok. But the hits really help bring this album up. I’d say that they fully kept my attention through this album and thus, kept this album in the range of four stars. The Verve is very lucky I loved The Drugs Don’t Work. Favorite track: The Drugs Don’t Work Other hits: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, Space and Time, Lucky Man, One Day, This Time
This brings back sweet memories from hanging out after high school, playing video games and drinking Coke.
Best part was the bass grooves subtly in the background. Songs crafted well but not catchy choruses and didn’t seem too inventive. Wouldnt return to listen but i do like the main hit from the album.
Overall a great album with memorable singles and mostly solid album tracks. Faded a bit near the end.
Loved this, just faded slightly at the end
Classic 90s brit indie
Rock ballads and psychedelic rock are a great combination here.
The most forward thinking moments from this record come when it delivers something removed from the Northern UK 1990s scene. I love accessible, expansive take on psych. As good as it is, I'm less mad about the more brit-pop-esque songs because it not unique to them. If you trimmed those moments out you'd have a healthier (and still full length!) LP. Having said that, if the takeaway is some of the 1990s most iconic rock singles, and some wonderful side alleys taken on album tracks, you can't say fairer than that.
Urban Hymns is a high 3 for me so slightly better than expected, it mixes a few genres I’m fond of but unfortunately has a big dash too much of Brit pop for me, especially in the vocal delivery - I definitely prefer the more exploratory gazey tracks
I remember in grade 6 at my Christian school we did a dance telling the story of Creation in assembly set to Bittersweet Symphony. I believe I was a bird with feathers stuck on a baseball cap, and my friend was a jellyfish with a classic umbrella-based costume. Looking back, you would be hard pressed to find a song with less suitable lyrics! I can’t believe they chose it, it must have been just an instrumental version? But the song is a real banger nonetheless and that memory made me smile. Rest of the album isn’t great though, there’s a few nice tracks but it mostly sounds like Oasis I think. (3.5 stars)
I thought I had never heard of this band or album before, but I was surprised by how many songs I recognised. And yet, none of them really moved me. A very forgettable 90s sound.
3.5
I am a certified Britpop hater, so it comes as a shock that I actually think this is pretty good. What's The Story aside, this is maybe the best thing from this genre we have done? As always I will take points off for a hidden track though.
enjoyed sonnet disliked rolling people don't mind weeping willow
Sounds like a typical late 90’s “alternative” album. Not sure how this made the list.
Good album. Nothing that exciting.
Middle of the road. Drones through a rainy Tuesday morning. I'd be fine with it on, but there isn't much to remember about it other than Bittersweet Symphony which is incredible.
The type of shite dull Britpop that makes me thankful Nirvana’s “I Hate Myself and I Want to Die” exists Also, The Verve really aren’t interesting enough to be having hidden tracks
Never listened to this album even though the first track is such a huge hit from the late 90’s. Album is very good - not a one hit wonder. Had that late 90’s alt/indie vibe - a little ambient, a little pop. Notable tracks include Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, Catching The Butterfly, Space And Time, Weeping Willow, Lucky Man, Velvet Morning, Come On.
Ten stars for Bitter Sweet Symphony, but negative nine for the rest of the album
Apart from the first track, not good
A hard one to rate. Had quite a generic sound, but I think that's due to how influential and popular the songs are. I leaned on the positive side and gave this one a 4 (tossup between 3 and 4)
Mixed from my perspective. There are some songs in here that I really like but there is a bunch of boring filler. A hybrid of other Britpop bands and you can see the influence/range of songs. Just scrapes a 3 from me.
Classic Britpop. Can definitely feel the influence of other artists, but also adding in their own spin with the classical (/sampled) instruments.
One (or five!) for the memorie!
90s was the black hole of the music.
Boring and the parts with the classical music are lame.
There's only one good song on this album, the rest are disappointing and boring.
Fine songs, but they are all so damn long. I'd think I would've disliked it more based on it being a male singer 90s album, but it's moreso a bit over meh. Buoyed by the two songs I knew previously by The Verve.
Not that special but good
Another very marmite album, judging from the reviews. I loved it at the time and think it has stood the test of time pretty well
álbum que retrata vivências do eu lírico de forma madura e melancólica, trazendo uma suavidade nas músicas que em certos momentos acaba sufocando e passando batidas, tornando-se filler eu diria. porém essa energia progressiva da obra acabou me deixando em estado de êxtase a partir do momento que se aproxima do final do álbum, me instigando a querer sentir os sentimentos do autor até chegar em seu ápice na última faixa, "Come On", de tal modo que torna a experiência recompensatória. isso é lindo, lindo como uma tarde chuvosa de sábado... 4/5
A quote from my "Blur" review: "This is the kind of album you'd buy for one track and then spend months trying to convince yourself you liked the rest of it so you didn't feel ripped off." While it's not as janky as the other Britpop albums we've had thus far, it is pretty boring and (like several of its individual songs) runs too long. If I had no basis for comparison, I'd have given this a lower score; so, it definitely benefits from its place in the algorithm.
Cancun edition: Listened to this by the pool in Mexico. Needless to say it probably wasn’t the right vibe. The album was overshadowed by late 90s music where Middle Aged women were trying to dance to Britney Spears “baby, one more time” in between their espresso martinis….. and I know what you are thinking. Drinking espresso martinis poolside in Mexico seems so gross. Why would someone do it? The same is to be said about listening to this nonsense while watching this train wreck all day. The verve certainly missed the mark on overall ambiance, and I guess I can’t fault them that I’m in Mexico. I can fault them though for me being more invested in these messy women falling into the pool, than this emo bore.
Strings in the opener. Chef's kiss to Bitter Sweet Symphony. The Rolling People was good rock&roll times. Listened before? Partially Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Bitter Sweet Symphony. Rolling People, This Time ⭐⭐⭐⭐ really liked it! Would save a bunch of tracks if that was a thing I did
Love the strings on Bitter Sweet Symphony. Otherwise, way too long and sounds an awful lot like U2 (not a good thing). +1 star for not actually being U2. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Bitter Sweet Symphony ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
A perfectly pleasant listen — polished, mellow, and surprisingly restrained. I respect what Urban Hymns is going for, but “Bitter Sweet Symphony” towers over everything else here. The rest fades into a kind of agreeable background hum — nice, but not especially memorable.