Customer Reviews

Alone With Everybody

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At first I wasn't very sure is this was going to be a good album because many critics said that this album was far from the level of "The Verve".And its true, richard ashcroft has his own way of making music, he adds more energy , spirit and meaning than "the verve" in their last days. Believe me , its extraordinary feelings that he posseses. The album starts brilliantly with the song "A song for the lovers", if you are like me who enjoys the strings, then you are going to enjoy the end of this song. The best songs in the album are the first 6 songs but specially: "song for the lovers", "I get my beat"[the strings are just marvelous in this song],"brave new world"[the lyrics will make you feel sad for richard ashcroft due to the death of his father], "you on my mind in my sleep"[this song reminds me of "The drugs dont work from the urban hymns album]. The album its a masterpiece of music, this is a beautiful and peaceful record which makes you feel good and positive, the sounds of the strings just make it very different and special, I just felt in love with the album, a must buy if you are a verve fan or if you like nice, sweet, positive music.

There wasn't any doubting that Richard Ashcroft would lead a solo career after Britain's best rock band of the 90s broke up. Oasis may have dominated the airplay and the charts but The Verve were getting all the acclaim from fans. They operated an inimitable style, and the three albums they made just happened to be the best of what Britain could offer to the world in terms of music. Ashcroft wrote most of the songs, and apart from Nick McCabe's searing guitar playing, his voice was the dominating feature of the most epic, sprawling rock songs of recent years.

Alone With Everybody, Ashcroft's debut, was critically panned in the UK, and although pushed hard by his record label it pretty much sank without a trace.

Expectations are hard to please, and maybe Q Magazine and co did not like Ashcroft, his confidence, his swagger, and jumped at the opportunity to take him down. Bad choice, for this may just be the most promising solo debut of 2000. They said it was boring (what, compared to Radiohead's Amnesiac?), overblown (right, Be Here Now anyone?) and uninspiring (too many critically acclaimed artists to mention!).

From the first few seconds of A Song For The Lovers we are instantly in familiar territory; the violins, the brilliant production, and Ashcroft's voice, whose I could listen to for all day and night.

Lyrically it is low on Dylan but high on The Doors. Just like The Verve. Ashcroft sings about BIG ideas, about love, devotion, overcoming adversity. And big ideas need big, luscious orchestrations, and when you play these songs, play them loud. Yet it is not overproduced (unlike MB20's Mad Season,or DMB's Everyday). It retains a rawness and organic vibe, and Ashcroft sounds so comfortable on his own, playing everything from pianos to guitars to singing. It's not self indulgence but a representation of his enthusiasm and his copious talent. You can't help but respect his intentions.

Of course Ashcroft got married, became a father, the whole shibbang of adulthood, before and during this album, and it does heavily influence the songs, yet it is never cynical. NEVER. There is too much cynicism in the world, and this is a breath of fresh air, to finally hear someone sing about being content in life. It rubs off on you.

I don't usually single out songs in albums but I have to here. I Get My Beat, the second track, is so good. Really, I know I'm
not being helpful by saying buy the album for this song, but I honestly can't praise it enough. I love it, sing along every time I hear it. The sound is contageous.

In retrospect I can't understand how Alone With Everybody has become so underrated. Yet at the same time I am rather glad, as it is kinda like my little gem which I know MTV or Radio 1 won't get a hold of.

So all we need to do now is watch out for what Mr Ashcroft cooks up for his sophomore effort. Based on this, it may make them blimming critics think twice. In my opinion, it may just change the world.

This CD hit me emotionally the first time I heard it, just like the Verve CDs "Urban Hymns" and "A Northern Soul". There is something unique, beautiful, and enigmatic about Richard Ashcroft's songwriting and singing. This CD captures those qualities perfectly. I was worried that he needed the Verve as a group to continue to develop artistically, but, barring drummer Peter Salisbury, he has single-handedly moved forward with this CD.

"Song for Lovers" is just the tip of the iceberg. Ashcroft use of strings in this song, and most other songs in which he has used them, is so perfect and intertwined lavishly with the melody and other instruments.

"You On My Mind In My Sleep" starts out simple with Richard's great soulful voice and an acoustic guitar, then blows up into a lush string arrangement with wonderful slide-guitar work. A wonderful ride.

Other great ones are "Brave New World" an opus to someone he hopes to meet in the afterlife, "Everybody", and the catchy "C'Mon People (We're Making It Now)" -- however "C'Mon" seems a little out of place, but it's a good tune anyways.

I can't begin to recommend this CD enough. Please consider it as a top purchase this year, along with Travis's "The Men Who". The UK is turning out the good music lately. Get away from the mindless Britney Spears/N'Sync/Backstreet Boys/Agueleria cults, and listen to something sophisticated and beautiful like "Alone With Everybody"! :)

Words are hard to come by while writing this review. The first time through while listening to this CD, I cried during several tracks because the music was just so beautiful. If you are a fan of The Verve, and especially Urban Hymns, you will not be disappointed with your purchase of this CD. Just when it seemed that The Verve were on the verge of achieving perfection in music, they split up. I was heartbroken because it seemed like they were within reaching distance of musical rapture. Richard Ashcroft picked up the pieces of The Verve, and assembled this magnificent CD.

There is probably some debate over what the best song on here is, but you can't go wrong with any of them. "I Get My Beat" and "C'mon People (We're Makin' It Now)" are perfect blends of Pop, Rock, and Classical. They make you tap your feet to the music, while uplifting the spirit like only good music can. Ashcroft also returns to the heavier rock beat present on Urban Hymns (ie The Rolling People and Come On) with New York and Crazy World while mellowing out a great deal for You On My Mind in My Sleep and Brave New World. On A Beach is a novel premise for a song (a lover trapped on an island/beach ) with mesmerizing lyrics and a hypnotic sound.

Overall, I think that I Get My Beat is probably one of the best songs on here, and can beat anything on Urban Hymns, but as a whole CD isn't quite as good as The Verve's final album (but its really close).

If you're a Verve fan, you can't go wrong by buying this CD. If you're new to Richard Ashcroft/The Verve, you are taking a perfect step in the right direction by purchasing this album.

I only want to make this short but i just have to congratulate Richard for a fantastic first album. I openly admit i'm a die hard verve fan and was taken back by the upbeat sound of Alone with everybody.I've only owned the album for a few days but have played it over and over already. My first reaction was no, i don't like this, but as i listen more and more to the arangement and the lyrics i just couldn't get enough. I'm pleased to see that Richard is still writing from his heart which in my opinion makes him one of the greatest song writers of modern day. I sence the joy that his wife and new born baby has brought into his life i can't wait to see what future holds for Richard and his song writing. As the verve once sang "i'll be writing music till the day i die". Lets hope so.

Everybody and their mother will compare Alone With Everybody with Urban Hymns. Why waste your time and energy? Just buy Alone... and listen with fresh open ears. Alone.. sounds like a continuation of Urban Hymns but better. Alone.. sounds more focused. Ashcroft is playing most of the instruments on this album, or at least he's credited with doing so, so it obviously sounds a lot more focused coming from one point of view. As good as Urban Hymns was though, I got really sick of it after a while. There was an air of pretentiousness I think, surrounding the songs on that album. Don't get me wrong, I loved Urban Hymns. The album just dragged on and on for me. With Alone.., things flow a lot better. The album as a whole seems more humble and down to earth. And Ashcroft sounds like he really cares about how we listen to the songs. The production on the album is tremendous, the intense layering of sounds and vocals. The orchestral sounds, no doubt influenced by Ashcroft's Spiritualized wife, adds to the classic sounds of Alone.... When I say 'classic,' I mean Beatles classic. Here's a good way to look at it: the Verve's Urban Hymns was like the Beatles' Abbey Road. Ashcroft's Alone with Everybody is like Lennon's Imagine.

Great album, but what you're missing are the five great songs and one remix that were released as b-sides/extra tracks on the three singles. Ashcroft does not write throw aways.

I have to honestly say this is the first album I have ever heard that I instantly liked every single song on the album. I really never knew anything about Richard Ashcroft before this CD - but I can tell you this CD has deeply touched me. "A Song for the Lovers" is just a great song! I could go on and on. I think my favorite is "Crazy World". Lastly, I found this album to be very deep, hopeful and romantic.

I bought this album because I really liked "urban hymns" and I read alot about it in the press....so I thought Id see how Ashcroft has changed, being a rock n roll dad and all. Its still pretty sad, but its more uplifting than urban hymns. I like the title to this album because I feel like that alot, alone with everybody...He's finally found true love so it makes his songs more positive yet he still sounds a bit "Verve-ish" which is good because I like that bit of the "dark" side hehe...There are a bunch of cool songs on here, the only ones I dont really like are the New York song and the Beach song.....the latter is ok just not as good as his strong songs...(course its just my opinion which really means nothing, he is rich and famous im just a fan hehe) but I really like Brave New World, Crazy World, and Everybody....he is more up-beat this time around but hes still singing about death....and the preciousness of beauty and life and love which I really like.....I like the atmospheric effects of the music....chilled out and cool man....take a chance and try it out...if you dont like it you can always return it right :) So if you liked the verve and you like british rock and you like more experimental and trippy music then give Richard Ashcroft or the Verve a chance.

WOW! One of the best productions in the year 2000, "ALONE WITH EVERYBODY" is such an amusing oxymoron. Quite a divergence in tone from his dark masterwork as chief architect of the Verve's '97 release, "URBAN HYMNS."

This drama begins with a sucker punch of yearning, "A SONG FOR LOVERS." "I GET MY BEAT" is a beautiful thing that cycles melodic verses like layered children's rounds, reminiscent of Brian Wilson's more Baroque moments from his lost "SMILE" era, while "BRAVE NEW WORLD" finds contemporary angst on a collision course with a cloud of euphoria that carries it away.

Ashcroft's "NEW YORK" embodies the paranoia inherent to, "the city that never sleeps," way better than U2's recent flaccid attempt or Joe Jackson's "NIGHT & DAY II" freak show. Its just plain scary, like Robert Fripp's traumatic "NYC3" tape loops of some anonymous, horrifyingly dysfunctional urban family on the edge of chaotic combustion...

Dream-time music: "YOU ON MY MIND IN MY SLEEP."

There is a driven determination to "CRAZY WORLD;" a well-realized, almost prophetic search for a small measure of sanity amidst the cacophony of life.

You might find yourself gently suspended in time by the quixotic, surreal "ON A BEACH."

The majestic, anthemic sweep of "SLOW WAS MY HEART" is not unlike some classic Puccini aria (Un Bel Di) sonically layered with B.J. Cole's delicious pedal steel in the swirling, symphonic "soundtrack." It is heart-breakingly beautiful, like Eno & Lanois' "DEEP BLUE DAY" from their breathtaking "APOLLO ATMOSPHERES & SOUNDTRACKS."

The stand-out little powerhouse, "C'MON PEOPLE," is a tasty pop confection that is virtually propelled by an effervescent optimism... makes me wanna get up and shake it around every time I hear it! ("I feel fine now!")

This disc comes up shining with each repeat perfomance. Let it make a magic beauty of your fragile mind... this "spiritual" music certainly elevates mine!!!