|
|
Post by matt on May 14, 2016 10:43:36 GMT -5
Inspired by the Richard Ashcroft thread and the discussions on it, I was wondering which Verve album really defines what the hardcore fan thinks. Which is the album that really showcases the band at their ultimate best?
Note - I'm keeping Urban Hymns out of this poll. While it would probably win this poll, it's too obvious to choose I think and it's massive popularity stems from hit singles that are more akin to a Richard Ashcroft solo effort. As a result, though there are sterling band efforts, as a whole it isn't as tight knit an album because of its half band/half solo feel. Undoubtedly a great great album but it perhaps doesn't showcase the band in full form, with some members taking a backseat.
|
|
|
|
Post by carlober on May 14, 2016 10:56:27 GMT -5
A Storm in Heaven: The Sun, the Sea, Blue, Slide Away... that's the classic Verve sound in my book: very close to shoegazing with some hints of psychedelia.
It's not an album, but the Verve EP shares the same features and the first three tracks (Gravity Grave, A Man Called Sun and She's a Superstar) are totally flawless.
On the other hand I've never been a huge fan of A Northern Soul (but History is mindblowing).
Now, that said, I'm gonna say I have a soft spot for Forth. That album is criminally underrated!
|
|
|
|
Post by The Escapist on May 14, 2016 11:15:55 GMT -5
Probably A Northern Soul. ASIH is their best, but ANS captures a more representative mix of dark psychedelic rock of their earlier work and the pop structures of their later.
|
|
|
|
Post by mystoryisgory on May 14, 2016 11:24:30 GMT -5
It's a real tossup between Storm in Heaven and Northern Soul for me. One perfectly captures the feeling of soaring across the sky, complete with grandiose textures and insanely distorted guitars that sound like nothing else you've ever heard. The other is one of the most gloriously tortured albums of all time, a true expression of human emotional suffering.
But if forced to choose, I might choose ANS simply because it's more structured than ASIH. It's the perfect balance of ASIH, Nick's album, and Urban Hymns, Richard's album, and showcases both of their strengths without sounding at odds with each other.
|
|
|
|
Post by mimmihopps on May 14, 2016 13:48:31 GMT -5
A Northern Soul
|
|
|
|
Post by Headmaster on May 14, 2016 17:14:59 GMT -5
Probably A Northen Soul.
On A Storm In Heaven they were still riding on that shoegaze scene, but their real sound I think is ANS.
|
|
|
|
Post by glider on May 14, 2016 17:21:26 GMT -5
If we are talking about 'Verve', than it's A Storm In Heaven. If we are talking about THE Verve', then without a doubt A Northern Soul. A Northern Soul is one of the darkest rock records ever (not in the metal sense obviously), and as mystoryisgory put it well, showcases raw human emotion and through sound and lyricism. I put its genius way over ASIH but ASIH is probably the best shoegaze album ever, next to Going Blank Again. |
|
|
|
Post by mystoryisgory on May 14, 2016 17:29:46 GMT -5
If we are talking about 'Verve', than it's A Storm In Heaven. If we are talking about THE Verve', then without a doubt A Northern Soul. A Northern Soul is one of the darkest rock records ever (not in the metal sense obviously), and as mystoryisgory put it well, showcases raw human emotion and through sound and lyricism. I put its genius way over ASIH but ASIH is probably the best shoegaze album ever, next to Going Blank Again. I absolutely love ASIH, but the best shoegaze album ever is Loveless, hands down.  |
|
|
|
Post by glider on May 14, 2016 17:40:06 GMT -5
If we are talking about 'Verve', than it's A Storm In Heaven. If we are talking about THE Verve', then without a doubt A Northern Soul. A Northern Soul is one of the darkest rock records ever (not in the metal sense obviously), and as mystoryisgory put it well, showcases raw human emotion and through sound and lyricism. I put its genius way over ASIH but ASIH is probably the best shoegaze album ever, next to Going Blank Again. I absolutely love ASIH, but the best shoegaze album ever is Loveless, hands down. Is that by the band Lush? I still have to check them out! Edit: Nevermind, it's by Bloody Valentine. |
|
|
|
Post by mkoasis on May 14, 2016 21:13:04 GMT -5
Well I voted for Forth because it is a great album and features a bit of what the Verve do best in all the songs. Apart from I See Houses, which is appalling. But the bsides from this period too like All Night Long, Major Force, Muhammad Ali, Chic Dub could easily have replaced it.
But I also love the point made about ANS being a perfect marriage of Nick's and Richard's natural inclinations.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jack on May 15, 2016 3:43:38 GMT -5
Every Verve album is a 'true' Verve album to me  I would actually put 'ASIH' and 'Forth' as their truest Verve sounding albums. 'ANS' is probably my favourite Verve album, but it took a step back from the unique psychedelic Verve sound of 'ASIH' and was only represented again in parts of 'Forth'. |
|
|
|
Post by carlober on May 15, 2016 4:46:54 GMT -5
Slightly unrelated to the thread, but I love this alternate mix/remix of Lucky Man made by Nick McCabe as a single b-side. A lot of early Verve vibes here.
|
|
|
|
Post by mkoasis on May 15, 2016 14:26:21 GMT -5
Slightly unrelated to the thread, but I love this alternate mix/remix of Lucky Man made by Nick McCabe as a single b-side. A lot of early Verve vibes here. Yes, yes, and more yes. Just goes to show how brilliant Nick McCabe really was/is. Verve b-sides are a world definitely worth exploring. Up there with Oasis in terms of quality. |
|
|
|
Post by globe on May 15, 2016 15:04:57 GMT -5
Gravity Grave - that's The Verve
|
|
|
|
Post by glider on May 15, 2016 21:09:20 GMT -5
Slightly unrelated to the thread, but I love this alternate mix/remix of Lucky Man made by Nick McCabe as a single b-side. A lot of early Verve vibes here. Yeah and the Longest Day too: |
|
|
|
Post by carlober on May 16, 2016 3:01:21 GMT -5
Gravity Grave - that's The Verve Mindblowing track. Best listened at night. Loud, possibly. |
|
|
|
Post by Manualex on Oct 7, 2016 13:08:18 GMT -5
|
|
Nov 4, 2024 5:04:30 GMT -5
Nov 4, 2024 5:04:30 GMT -5