The albums growing on me. I still think the first few tracks are the best and the rest is just ok but I really do like the first song "All my dreams".

I know we Verve and oasis fans give Richard a hard time about his solo work and much of it deservedly so. But at the end of the day, the guys got the voice of a lion and was the frontman of the Verve. However mediocre or poor an album of his is, I feel at least I owe the respect to give it a proper listen. We make fun but I'd defend him against comments from non-fans, if that makes sense. It's like a family.

Check the top of this page and the last one.

If 'rare vibrations' was a verve track it would of sounded mega, still good though.

Would love it if LG turned up tonight!

The album is still one of the best from 2018 for me.

Richard's answer to Liam's 7" box set rip-off: Signed test pressings of "Natural Rebel" (Limited to 75), available for "only" £100
richardashcroft.tmstor.es/cart/product.php?id=39221
Btw: some signed black vinyls are also back in stock.

Did someone recorded the songs he played on the chris evans breakfast show this morning? Many thanks!

Somewhat close to the truth. The real Richard retired in 1997 and was replaced by the character we see today played by Sacha Baron Cohen.

There are several forms of Mr. Ashcroft...

The Shaman (1992 - early 1994)

Perhaps the most interesting version of Richard. Didn't tout themselves as some sort of songwriting legend, just a young guy
from Northern England with a knack for soul mixed with the stage presence of Mick Jagger. Helped formulate extensive, sprawling jams from his bandmates into condensed songs with a pop touch with incredibly accurate lyricical ability. Also considered by Verve purists as the best version of Richard.

The Tortured Soul (1994-early 1996)

Personally, my favorite version of Richard. His ability to add lyrical brillance to the instrumental brillance from the rest of the Verve is maintained and even stronger than ever, tapping into the human condition at a emotionally driven level. This was also the period of time when Richard began to write his own compositions both melodically and lyrically. When his contributions on A Northern Soul seemed to be more accessible to a mainstream audience, as History charted #24 on the UK singles chart, this began the growth of the most polished and versatile version of Richard Ashcroft, but at a cost.

Urban Hymnist (1996-1998)

Can be considered the definitive jack of all trades version of Richard Aschroft. Excellent stage presence, brillant songwriting talent, amazing lyricist, and a signature voice alongside a ensemble of talented musicians firing on all cylinders - culminating in what's considered one of the finest records of the 1990s, Urban Hymns. In this period of time, Richard Ashcroft was part of crafting three top ten singles in the UK, a top 20 single in the US, and a record that sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Success and the rise to the top helped the Verve achieve international recognition which they deserved, but unfortunately the volatile relationship between Richard and Nick McCabe plus Simon Jones led to the band's demise.

"I'm A Genius" (2000-2006)

Richard in this six year span when extremely downhill from his Urban Hymns self. Alone With Everybody is a decent record, but unfortunately marred by overproduction and poor tracklisting choices. Richard's songwriting ability became incredibly spotty during this period, as while Alone With Everybody was a moderate success, his sophmore LP Human Conditions flopped and was critically mawled by publications. Outside of decent tracks such as Check the Meaning, not even a Brian Wilson contribution could save Richard. Taking a four year hiatus, Richard released Keys To The World - which once again, did not do well commerically nor critically. Poor songwriting, overuse of Urban Hymns era tropes, and getting into his own head had finally caught up with Richard.

"Spark of Hope, but fizzled out anyway" (late 2007-2008)

By the time of the Verve's second and final reunion, Richard had once again found his lyrical ability to come up with words off the top of his head with music instead of traditional songwriting methods, and on the Forth record and during live shows, it showed. At his core, the reunion proved that Richard's bread and butter is being an excellent frontman, not a songwriter. His lyricism from a songwriting standpoint only worked well when he was younger due to having different and exciting experiences at the time. When you're nearly 40, married with kids, settled down, there isn't much exsistential and introspective thoughts to go around. Unfortunately, the end of the Verve for good had occured, and this time, Richard truly was never the same again.

The Caricature (2010-present)

The end of the Verve was devestating for Richard on many levels. He poured tons of money into the United Nations of Sound project that in the end proved futile and basically caused career suicide. His voice, through years of chain smoking, had taken too much of a toll and his youthful soul pipes were lost. His songwriting became desparately sad and repetitive, his tropes became even more used and unbareable, and his overall mental state completely slipped. Richard Ashcroft today is unrecongizable from even 10 years ago. 

Yes, this post was out of boredom and caring too much about The Verve.

Hmm....are you sure about that? You can try and say that for Natural Rebel, but These People was for sure a commerical push. He hires 2000s Madonna's producer, adds alot of synth and dubbing to many of those tracks. Hold On was a commerical push - that track was designed with a pop sound in mind and nothing singer/songwriter. 

Even with this new album, Birds Fly is a 20 year old track, so it isn't new. His music is the same him and Kate schtick and it gets tiresome. Alone With Everybody's B-sides are better than a good portion of the album tracks. I love Make A Wish, Precious Stone, (Could Be) A Country Thing, Blues Thing, City Thing, even the string laden Leave Me High has a charm to it. Richard used to have a msytique that seems lost and it was still there in some form pre-2007 reunion and shows up on Forth. Since then, it has been nowhere to be found. He can go and make whatever music he wants now, but it doesn't sound any good compared to what he used to be capable of, especially with the Verve at his side. 

One thing you mentioned was that he doesn't make music for the masses anymore. I don't believe Richard's best songs were written to have massive success in mind - he wrote from the heart, poured alot into it, and it showed. He was playing The Drugs Don't Work to those small indie crowds during the short tenure of the Northern Soul tour. Richard has had some sort of odd way of starting a revisionist path when it comes to the Verve's history, and universalized some of his hits in order to make himself look like some sort of genius. 

I'll be honest, I've always thought Alone With Everybody was dreadful and I can only assume it sold because of Urban Hymns. There are a small smattering of decent Ashcroft tracks over the last two decades, and when you compare that to the magnificence of The Verve's original trilogy you see just what a creative force Nick McCabe was in the 90s. Without him, A Storm in Heaven is neither stormy nor heavenly.