Urban Hymns

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Space and Time, Weeping Willow So, this is the album I expected to show up on the List, simply because of the sheer popularity of Bitter Sweet Symphony. A Northern Soul is what I heard first though, and despite it getting pretty bad review by the folks around here, I quite enjoyed that album for its washed out, brit-pop-ish, british-psychedelic sound. Urban Hymns sounds more or less functionally the same as A Northern Soul. Given that the albums are sequential and only two years apart, it was probably: production --> tour --> production without much room for any sort of radical approach to developing much of anything new. This isn't inherently a problem, just worth calling out. As before, the work is seemingly introspective, but given my penchant for prioritizing the actual musical sound (melody, rhythm, percussion) over lyrics and lyrical content in most everything I listen to, I am no good at discerning what artists intentions are, generally, in the songs they make. These songs, for the most part evoke melancholy and sombre thoughts, even if that might not be the intention. Ultimately, I am not sure if I enjoy this more or less than A Northern Soul. I gave that a four. I don't know that The Verve is a band I that consistently enjoy. I think if you put a gun to my head and said listen to brit-pop, I'd probably just choose the more familiar Oasis.

Ian Brown trailblazed the North-Western boy-messiah schtick; Liam Gallagher banked the most from it; and Richard Ashcroft might’ve been the one who actually believed it. This preposterous record is more turbulent and restless than I remembered, and doesn’t skimp on the melodies alongside the pomp and whoosh. The famous songs that used to annoy me now stir. Obviously too long, hallucinating nebulae and revelation up its own arsehole, but what is rock’s lineage without delusion?

[EDIT: New review, downgraded] I gave this short shrift when it came out, and it still sounds bloated and uninspired in places. "The Drugs Don't Work" and "One Day" might be among their finest melodies, but there is little else that stands with the excellent "A Storm In Heaven" or earlier singles (esp. "Gravity Grave", what a tune).

"Bittersweet Symphony" is one of the best songs of the 90s, hands down. I don't know anyone who does not like its brilliant fusion of orchestral backing and anthemic vocals. The rest of the album is completely boring, however. Awkward funk and David Bowie worship at some points, and then non-boundary-pushing "psychedelic" rock the next, without interesting production or great performances. The album is kind of contextually hilarious because of this massive dip in quality following its first track. It's a classic indicative case of what Jack Black calls "rocket sauce"- "A lot of bands - they've only got so much in the bottle. They use it up sometimes in one song."

The Verve are one of those groups that I think I enjoy much more than I actually do. The illusion completely shatters every time I actually sit down and listen to one of their albums in full. This is my fourth or fifth time listening to the entirety of Urban Hymns all the way through, each time wondering beforehand why I don't do it more often. It's obvious why, though. Beneath the great singles and a couple of other tracks, this is an amazingly inconsistent and, frankly, tiresome album that really starts to test your patience by the time the final third rears its ugly head. They have great songs, but unlike the best bands of their time and place, they simply do not have a great album. There are just way too many mis-steps here. Favourite track: The Drugs Don't Work

It was fine.

9/10

Some great tunes. Some meandering stuff. But the great outweighs the meandering

Cum-rock-adjacent britpop

Second album proposé après ‘A northern soul’ que je n’avais pas apprécié (noté 2/5). Au moins on trouve ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony' dans ce nouvel album, tube que j’apprécie. Pour le reste … rien d’extraordinaire. Ah si, l’album est beaucoup trop long et manque d’énergie. Le résultat est plutôt ennuyeux. Pas de seconde écoute envisagée. =>2/5

good!

67

Amazing album , they sound like a likable beetles

This is a good album. However, it has a couple of problems: 1) It is too long (and many of the individual songs also extend for too long) 2) "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and "The Drugs Don't Work" are real urban hymns. These two tracks are iconic and really good. The rest of the tracks are not even close to these two masterpieces. However, it is still a very good album. And there are other songs I actually enjoyed: "Sonnet", "The Rolling People" (it reminds me of Oasis. It would be better if shorten to 5 min), "Space And Time" (Coldplay vibes...in the good sense and, of course, predating it. And, once more, the last two min are not really needed), "Weeping Willow", "Lucky Man", or "One Day" are also good. And, by the way, "Come On" is also a pretty solid rock track. Overall, this is between 3 and 4 stars but, I think that it deserves 4 stars (and let's just skip two or three songs to make this a very good 50 min album). Also giving this one 4 stars because I actually like some of the solo work by Richard Ashcroft.

all songs sound like bittersweet symphony

I haven't listened to this band before, and was struck to recognize the first song, "Bitter sweet symphony." So that was fun. The next three songs were pretty dull though. With albums like this, I dread the 75-minute run time. If it's still boring on song 5, do I really need to listen to the whole thing? Song 5 was still low energy, but had some interesting guitar and vocal effects. Not worth a 6:26 run time, though. Track 8, "Weeping Willow" was the first song that sounded a little different from the rest, but damn, this is a sleepy album. I'm probably just not in the mood for this right now. But I kept going. More of the same. Damn, this whole album sounds like one song done 13 different ways! I take it back. Song 11, "This Time", actually sounded like something new. Yay! And it was under 4 minutes! Ok, I got to the end and realized that the last (13th song) is actually a 15-minute long "hidden track". So the original album is 60 minutes, not 75? It's the only banger on the LP, but too damn long. Some other time I might give this album 3 stars, but it took an hour + of my life and gave little in return. Take 2 stars damn it.

Not my style of music. A few good songs Well produced. Sounds like a mix of U2 & the Doors to me.

It was dreary and miserable when it came out and hasn't aged well.

Bitter Sweet Symphony - 94 Sonnet - 92 The Rolling People - 90 The Drugs Don't Work - 93 Catching The Butterfly - 90 Neon Wilderness - 83 Space And Time - 91 Weeping Willow - 89 Lucky Man - 90 One Day - 88 This Time - 86 Velvet Morning - 89 Come On - 88 Urban Hymns - 92

For a band that I thought was a one hit wonder, this was a pleasantly surprising listen. Sounds a little too much like a blend of The Bends and What’s the Story Morning Glory to stand solidly on its own for me, but a great if not lesser companion for a listening session with those albums.

While this isn't as good as their first album, the shoegazey "A Storm In Heaven", this is a very good album of English rock. The guys employ a lot of poppy hooks in this one, which while not groundbreaking, definitely lends to many catchy tracks. Not quite a 5, but close. 4.4/5.

Сподіваюсь щось прикольне.

Out of the big mid-90s Britpop names - Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede, and The Verve - I think the last one has always been the dullest. That said, Urban Hymns has plenty of great songs, although I've listened to the biggest hits so much they've lost their spark. Just about four stars."

Didnt realize how good bitter sweet symphony really is. I guess i took it for granted. I was expecting ut to be like a one hit wonder but the other songs are even better imo. Very radiohead-like. The Last few Songs were lretty much the Same, but they are Not Bad ans there are some nice parts to it. Lol also ist funny to me that the super Deluxe Version hast Like 10000 Versions of the Same song they used the fuck Out of that Album. Also excuse my weird was of capitalizing random stuff it is the Auto correction. WHAT J THOIGHT THE ALBUM ENDED BUT ITS JUST THIS HUGE PAUSE AT "come on". idk abt yall but i really enjoy it, especially what Happens after

All these sad britpop songs sound just like each other don't they

I like this album of Oasis better than the others in this list. In all seriousness, this band has one of the most memorable Music Videos I've ever seen, It's been almost 30 years and I still think it's one of the coolest I saw :)

Bittersweet symphony carries

It was fine

It's got to be noted that Bittersweet Symphony is an absolute all timer. Such a brilliant way to start an album and the following few tracks hold up quite well too. For me the end of the tracklist isn't brilliant. And I'm not an immediate fan of the Oasis adjacent sound. Favourites: Bittersweet Symphony Sonnet The Drugs Don't Work

נהניתי

A surprising listen from an otherwise faded-into-obscurity 90's band. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing terrible.

man idk

Er så ukult å ha hidden tracks

Just lost interest after the first song that everybody knows.

If Oasis and The Stone Roses had a baby it would be this. Favourite tracks: Bittersweet Symphony, The Rolling People, Catching The Butterfly, Lucky Man, Come On

Really well written and lush sounding. Ashcroft is a solid songwriter but there were definitely some clunky lyrics here and there. May revisit this one at some point.

I feel the importance of this album. I really enjoyed this when it came out and appreciate where it sits in terms of the cusp between BritPop and what came after. Unfortunately, I find that there are songs that I don't want to hear when I listen to this like an album. I'm sure that when I get around to adding specifics, I may mellow and change my score but on the first relisten after years, there is a few folding back on itself. The lyrics are great but the music makes me remember why there was a love hate with some of these artists.

A good and unique album. You can clearly hear the progress across the record, the way it opens up and finds its range without losing focus. It is a very enjoyable listen from start to finish. The songs have real weight and space. Richard Ashcroft’s voice sits naturally in the middle of wide, atmospheric arrangements that feel both expansive and controlled. There is a steady sense of movement through the album, as if the band is pushing further into something richer with each track. Nothing feels rushed or undercooked. The production is clean and generous. Guitars, strings and rhythms all have room to breathe, and the overall sound carries a warm, late 90s clarity that still holds up. It supports the songs instead of competing with them. Urban Hymns is a strong, coherent record. Unique in tone, well developed, and easy to stay with all the way through.

Bittersweet Symphony is a really good song. The rest are slightly above average. Mandatory listening? Nah, it's not.

A pleasant change from some painful titles the last few days. Real songs, melodies, vocals, rhythms. Yep.

Probably the last big britpop album before the movement completely lost steam. Beyond the standout tracks everyone knows (Bittersweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work) this album goes in through one ear and out the other, albeit in a pleasant way. Rating 7/10

Fairly standard late 90s britrock. The first track basically carries the album, though I also really enjoyed the second one (Sonnet). The rest of the songs were fine, though I could’ve done with them being shorter.

they listened to Whats the Story Morning Glory? and really said "we need more strings" 2.5

The balladry on Urban Hymns is not for me. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a banger as the kids say. I admit to also liking "The Rolling People." If I squint my ears, I can rate a three.

First song - majorly iconic. Just so recognizable. Overall decent album. Comparable to a mix of U2 and Coldplay with a hint of Muse. Alternatively, I should probably say that this band was impactful to the sound of at least Coldplay and Muse, with influences from late U2. Regardless, if you like mainstream late 1990's, early 2000's UK rock this is your jam.

Tiene dos canciones buenas y el resto es un bodrio. Muy largo y aburrido al pedo.

Listened before: i've only heard Bitter Sweet Symphony, nothing else off this album Bitter Sweet Symphony - 5/5 Sonnet - 4/5 The Rolling People - 4/5 The Drugs Don't Work - 4/5 Catching the Butterfly - 3/5 Neon Wilderness - 2/5 Space and Time - 4/5 Weeping Willow - 4/5 Lucky Man - 4/5 One Day - 3/5 This Time - 3/5 Velvet Morning - 3/5 Come On - 2/5 Average score: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ there's some great tracks here, but not enough to justify a higher rating for me. the album is also quite lengthy, especially the 15-minute track at the end which contained at least 5-6 minutes of pure silence. Bitter Sweet Symphony is still a great track after all these years at least

Amazing guitar, amazing storytelling and the choir, or multiple voices dunno, anyways that’s amazing. Nice story about drug addiction. like it 85/100

Points for diversity but unimpressive as an album

wow normally im not the biggest fan of britpop and 90s music in general, but this one really was nice

Absolutely love this album

Take the album out of this book and leave a footnote that one only needs to listen to bittersweet symphony.

I used to love this album as a teenager, yet it didn't seem to have aged very well. I can appreciate the musicality on a lot of the tracks, but I think nostalgia is swaying me to thinking it's better than it actually is.

Spotify blurb says the verve is “one of the most innovative bands in britpop” innovation? In britpop!?!? Oxymoron alert!!! Would you believe this sounds like every britpop album??

Brought me back to freshman year at college… Bittersweet Symphony was the shit..

6/10 Medio fofo, pero no está mal. Sirve para tener de fondo mientras haces algo. No jode y acompaña bien, poco protagonista

I like this well enough but I've heard the songs so many times that I'm kind of bored of them. It's competent indie guitar music but not strong enough to listen to that many times and remain interesting. Like Oasis, they essentially have one mode, with very little variety or use of dynamics and changes in tempo.

Måste ju medge att jag nästan spelade sönder den här skivan när det begav sig och ett par år framåt. Så kanske har jag helt enkelt tröttnat på vissa låtar. Några av lägereldsballaderna, "Drugs don't work" "Sonnet" och "One day" är post-britpopsmet som låter väldigt platta idag för mig. Å andra sidan finns här maffigt psykadelisk rock som "Come on", "Space and time" och knytnäven i magen “Rolling people" som fortfarande får mig stt jubla. Måste också nämna "Weeping willow" som är låt med oerhört stark känsla, den ger mig än idag gåshud. Det är en urstark samling låtar överlag, melodiska och snygga. Men som som helhet till ett album blir det lite mjäkigt, det saknar lite mer edge. Verve är som bäst när dom får igång drivet, när dom trycker på, som "Rolling people" helt enkelt. Då är dom svåröverträffade. Det är det som gör "A northern soul" till ett bättre album. Jag skulle kunna skriva mer men jag nöjer mig där. En spännande detalj är att under skrivprocessen för Urban hymns stal Richard Ascroft Jason Pierces flickvän (Kate Radley) tillika medlem i Spiritualized. Askkoftan är alltså nykär och det ska vara anledningen till att UH låter som den gör med upplyftande texter och ett lite romantiskt smetigt skimmer. På andra sidan ska det vara därför Spiritualizeds Ladies and gentlemen we're floating in space låter som den gör. Svag fyra

Hifi indie deluxe. Om jag ska bli lite ljudnörd har jag alltid tyckt att Urban hymns låter väldigt bra. Det är mycket gitarrmattor, men utan att dränka detaljerna. Trummor och bas skapar en väldigt fast botten. Musiken i övrigt då? Ashcroft sjunger bra här. Kvaliteten på låtarna har överlag hög lägstanivå. Bäst är Rolling people, Sonett, Drugs dont work, Space and Time och Come on som håller nästan samma nivå som Oasis Slide away.

Det jag skrev är borta. Sammanfattar. Hitsen är trista. Håller inte då bra idag. Gillar istället grooviga indiedpår som The Rolling people, Catching the butterfly och Come on med flera. Plocka bort Ed Sheeran-popen och betyget hade varit hade varit högre. Hidden tracks borde vara förbjudet enligt lag.

Jag köpte skivan när den kom och spelade den mycket då. Hitsen minns jag. Bitter sweet symphony och the drugs don't work. De låter fortfarande bra. I övrigt helt ok rock. Inget som direkt berör. Stark tvåa.

(3/7) meh, just semi average britpop

Overall this was a little better than the previous album, which I also just pulled. But I think the second half of the album before, Northern Soul, spoke to me more. 3/5

It’s very fun listening to an album you’ve never heard of before, from a band you don’t know and getting immediately hit with a sound you recognize and enjoy. Surely one hit wonders come from somewhere, but I guess it’s here. Unfortunately it’s fittingly all bittersweet from Bitter Sweet, same styles, boring lyrics, and more of the same but worse.

I already like the starting instrumental in the first song in the beginning of the album. I know Bittersweet symphony already, I know it's popular but I never listened to the full song, it's peak. Bittersweet Symphony is a perfect 11/10 Second song is kinda chill and pretty calming, like those scenes in a movie where the love interests are dancing with each other in their own little world. Sonnet is awesome though 7/10. The Rolling People is kind of hardcore, like they're introducing a somewhat grunge or rebellious character. Something you would hear in a record store, antique store, or something in that matter. The Rolling People is a solid 8/10. I already know The Drugs Won't work is gonna make me bawl my eyes out ( I say in the beginning of the song). This song is something that I can just wrap my arm around someone and sway side to side with them. This is also something to listen to on a rainy/dark morning, its amazing. Aaaand I'm crying (me at the end). The Drugs Won't work is a solid 9/10. Catching The Butterfly is pretty good already, not my favorite out of the other songs I listened to, but it's pretty okay. Yeah, I don't have anything to say bout it(；^ω^）. Catching The Butterfly is a 5/10. Thd rest of the album I sadly didn't listen to :(

Strong album. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is OK but it was overplayed. The album has enough other strong tracks to push it up: "Sonnet", "The Drugs Don't Work", "Lucky Man".

Y’know, you could make a companion list called “1001 Singles to hear before you die,” but songs like Bittersweet Symphony and Come On Eileen on it, and cut a good 30% of the albums off this list. This is actually better than a lot of the Britpop on this list, but that maybe says more about those albums than this one which is just solid, if unexceptional.

Besides the one big, catchy hit - which may be as attributable to the Stones as these guys - this isn't very memorable. Washes over you in a late 90s/early 2000s wave - some songs sound like Oasis, some sound like Goo Goo Dolls, but none of it sticks. Not unpleasant but nothing I'd go back to.

Not very diverse

This is the song of a car ad.

One good song.

I really like this album. We’ve all heard Bitter Sweet Symphony, and it is objectively a great song. But there’s a lot more to like on this record. Lucky Man is a song I’ve liked for a while, ever since a coworker pointed me towards it. An excellent track. Weeping Willow reminded me a ton of Circle by Big Head Todd and the Monster, especially the base line. Loved this song. Other highlights were The Rolling People and Velvet Morning. Overall, they just have a super interesting sound, and blend together really well. Way better than I anticipated, and for once, Britpop finally proves to be excellent.

Så mye bedre enn hitsene

1001 Albums is on a bit of a roll here. The Verve is a band I think I might have heard of but never really registered with me. I played a track from this album once in 2010 and another track from the same album in 2023. (Thanks, last.fm). Having listened to the whole thing, and in spite of picking up an Oasis-ey vibe at times, I like what’s happening here. Added to my library, which is saying something.

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

Like a slightly better Coldplay

Knew nothing about them, recognized the single (T1 Bitter Sweet Symphony). Remind me a lot of Split Enz/ Crowded House. I really like this album. A great album throughout!

RATING: 4.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: Lucky Man LOWLIGHT: Chasing the Butterfly

It's starts off well and then quickly descends into 70 minutes of turgid, boring dogshit I feel lucky to have avoided this for the last 29 years

I enjoyed this a lot, and then it kept going and going, and I kind of got fed up. This album could have been under an hour and it would have been a much better experience.

See? Like I said... This is the one with "Bittersweet Symphony" and you should probably listen to it. Not the other one. You don't need to listen to that one (or see its stupid cover art.)

Did not finish. Kinda annoying. Only liked the first song

i really like the start of all the songs

Oasis più psichedelici e con tematiche importanti, soprattutto legate ad abuso di sostanze e alcolici. Le tracce non rimangono comunque impresse, ma nel complesso gradevole

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.

It's wavering on average minus the big tracks before lucky man. After this it really struggles. Should've just ended compacted it into 10 tracks lads.

It's great! It's fun to listen to. Bittersweet Symphony is one of the best of the 90s. 3.5/5

Liked this album. Wanted to like it more than I did, but I just merely "liked it." Inoffensive, catchy. Nothing mind blowing. Glad I listened. On to the next thing.

I am whelmed by the album - kind of. The orchestration is amazing when it‘s there, Bitter Sweet Symphony is a classic for a good reason. Other songs also live by the instrumentals that usually are filled with layers and little flourishes that keep me engaged. The vocals are another story - the main singers voice is quite unpleasant to my ears and gives the whole album a whiny vibe. That‘s fine for a song or two but it gets straining rather quickly. Thankfully The Rolling People has more of a pulse and breaks up the meandering soundscape at some points. But overall this is a culmination of the worst aspects of Britpop in many parts, broken up two great songs.

Surprisingly not one of my favourites

some great tracks

I'm getting pretty tired of just having a bunch of Britpop albums I don't care about. At least this one has one major hit on it ... And then an hour of other songs. Many of the songs are OK, and some are actually surprisingly good, but I don't really think any of them truly reach great status. This album mostly stays in one particular quasi-melancholy groove for an hour and doesn't really do much besides that. It's OK, but it's a bit too long. This album is ranked #5 of 25 albums for 1997. Other 1997 albums rated by me: Either Or(4/25)-3 In It For The Money(8/25)-2 A Short Album About Love(19/25)-3 Life Thru A Lens(21/25)-1 Let's Get Killed(22/25)-3

I liked when it felt like they were experimenting.

Stunning album / fucking love it

# Album Name: Urban Hymns # Artist: The Verve # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Brings back so many fond memories of the 90s! Some real big songs on here too. A very good album. # Top Tunes: Bitter sweet / Sonnet / rolling people / drugs dont work / space and time / weeping willow / lucky man # Would I listen to it again? Yes

7/10

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.

I have to admit I never gave the Verve a real chance other than of course Bitter Sweet Symphony this is going to be mostly new stuff for me. Their sound mixes together a bunch of styles and can be described as orchestral psychedelic britpop rock which is really interesting. The slow pace of the album and the accoustic songs makes this a relaxing calming listen. I'm a ballad enjoyer so this has a good amount of songs that I should like in some ways. Still there are some faster rockier tracks though. McCabes guitar playing is great and is in big parts responsible for that psychedelic sound. Richard Ashcroft made the right decision to bring him back to the band. I'm sure that had a positive impact on the recordings and the sound. Also worth mentioning are Ashcrofts vocals which are perfect for the Verves style in my opinion. Really matches the music he just has that britpop voice. I do think Urban Hymns could have been a bit shorter. Not by cutting out complete songs but by shortening some songs itself. It becomes a bit dragging in some moments where the songs just don't end but don't really profit from that extra length. Not for every song but in some cases. The whole process was not easy leading up to the finished album. A band breakup followed by rough recording sessions makes me think we are lucky that the record was eventually completed and released. 3,7/5

Brilliant.