The Verve

The Verve can't deny their Brit pop sensibilities and scope. Before the colossal success of their lone mega-hit, the ubiquitous anthem "Bittersweet Symphony," back in 1997 and their subsequent (and second) breakup, lanky frontman Richard Ashcroft and his cronies were known for composing tunes that were delicate, lush, expansive and lilting all at once. Forth, the band's latest album of new material crafted by the re-assembled original line up, has a gorgeous, melodic Brit rock edge that's been undeniably sharpened by years of running in the same peer circles as Radiohead— the undisputed champions of rock rife with tortured, artful emotion.

Forth careens into your ears with "Sit and Wonder," an effects-heavy opener. Then it launches into the noisy yet catchy single, "Love is Noise," which siphons from decidedly British strains of punk and nu wave. "Rather Be" is the contemplative ballad of the bunch, while "Judas" and "Numb" are airy, alternative hymns that rip more than a few perforated pages from Coldplay's songbook. It's during these dramatic tunes that Ashcroft flaunts his flashy, sometimes falsetto vocals and demonstrates a bit of vulnerability. He's fearless and accepts all dares with his vocal patterns.

"I See Houses" is another melancholic lament that never drowns in a sea of pretension, clinging to the weight of its own seriousness. At one point, The Verve were exploding into the mainstream consciousness across the pond, thanks to "Bittersweet." That was well before their aforementioned Brit rock brethren upped their own status to quintessential "It" bands. However, The Verve always possessed the musicianship and songwriting chops to be mentionable in the same breath as those bands since The Verve never shirked integrity in favor of commercialism, either. Just because they happened upon it a decade ago doesn't mean they continue to chase it. In fact, it's as though Ashcroft and friends are trying not to return to the fray with version 2.0 of their career-defining song. Rather, the band is content to lull itself and its followers into a trance with verdant instrumentation and Ashcroft's yearning voice.

If Forth doesn't cause you to hop a transoceanic flight to experience some authentic Brit culture and music for yourself, nothing else will.

— Amy Sciarretto
08.26.08

[Editorial Note: Copies of Forth were distributed to select press via the Motorokr E8]