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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This one is as intense as it gets., July 7, 2000
"Urban Hymns" is a fine album, but "A Northern Soul" is the Verve's greatest record. Why? It's the intensity -- seldom have I heard rock music performed with such passion and desperation. The band, and especially Richard Ashcroft, pour their hearts and souls into every track as if their lives depend on it. Much has been written about the squalor surrounding the recording of "A Northern Soul" -- the drugs, the broken glass, the screaming arguments -- and you can hear the effects in the music. The production is far from perfect; it sounds murky, and the mixes sometimes sound odd. Every track is amazing, but special consideration must be given to "So It Goes," the title track, "History" and "No Knock on My Door." Richard sings with a far purer voice on "Urban Hymns" and his new solo record, but the pain he exorcises here -- it's about a break up of devastating circumstances -- and how he does it is stunning. It's absolutely tragic that this magnificent record tanked outside the U.K.; indeed, the band broke up because of it, almost for good. If you've only heard "Urban Hymns", I hereby command you, dear reader, to purchase "A Northern Soul" and bask in its imperfect, yet mesmerizing glory.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The "bridge" album, October 22, 2005
It's just incredible to me that Verve (or "The Verve," if you prefer) released only three albums. Their second album, "Northern Soul," perfectly bridges the lush swirling guitar sounds of "A Storm In Heaven," and the more mainstream, heavily orchestrated "Urban Hymns." While guitarist Nick McCabe clearly dominated "Storm," on "Northern Soul" (and continuing with "Urban Hymns") their is no doubt that vocalist, Richard Ashcroft, became the leader and chief visionary of the band. As compared to the prior album, Ashcroft sings with much more emotional depth and confidence. His lyrics are almost achingly personal and painful. It's notable how he uses repetition of certain phrases to imply deeper meaning in a number of songs, much the same way that the brilliant Thom Yorke of Radiohead does this.
While "Northern Soul" is a fine and consistent album (I like several of the tracks alot, namely "A New Decade," "This is Music," "On Your Own," "So It Goes," "History," "No Knock On My Door"), I don't think it reaches the level of the best portions of "Storm" or "Hymns," wich is why I gave it "only" four stars. Additionally some of the songs run on a verse or two too long. Nevertheless, "Northern Soul," holds its own as part of the extraordinary Verve trilogy of albums. Why did they break up?
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Took me 4 listens to fall in love with albumn, February 18, 2005
At first I thought this albumn was disappointing when compared to "A Storm in Heaven" and "Urban Hymns." I had to play it a couple times to really get into it, but now I can't take it out of my CD player. It definitely does not take a back seat to any other albumn I've ever listened to. I regret my initial judgment, but I often need to listen to an albumn a few times before I get its vibe. If you are thinking about buying this because you like "Urban Hymns", stop thinking and buy it - you won't regret it.
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