Bittersweet Symphony: The Verve Story

The Verve was one of the shining beacons of British Rock in the 90's, at a time when many American rock fans had stopped tuning in to England. Innovative, experimental, spacy, shimmering, rocking, and even funky at times, they were a band perpetually on the verge of a breakthrough. They never quite fulfilled their promise commercially, and a number of bad breaks and internal strife ultimately scuttled their momentum and broke them up.

Their legacy is three albums, plus a fourth collection of non-album singles and b-sides; only one album, Urban Hymns, charted in America. This may seem an insignificant output, but the breadth of their work over that short span is breathtaking; they progressed from a shoegaze band to a space-rock band to ultimately a tasteful, layered rock fomalism, with electronica touches. All of their output yields up rewards on first listen; anyone who missed them the first time ought to give them a try.

Verve (no "the" at first) formed in 1989 in northern England. The original lineup consisted of charismatic frontman Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Their musical tastes were wide and varied; Beatles and Stones, German rock, even Funkadelic. They were also known for a voracious appetite for hallucinogens, through which these influences were filtered.

The band's first releases in 1992 were indie singles that were underground hits in England; "All In The Mind" "She's A Superstar" "Gravity Grave" established their identity and initial sound; their focal points became the interplay between Ashcroft's plaintive singing and McCabe's rippling and swirling guitar. They quickly established a devoted cult audience, although they received very little airplay. Their first EP, The Verve, which collected some of their singles, was released in November, 1992. The 10-minute closer, "Feel" pointed in the direction of things to come. While these songs don't reach the ethereal heights their later work would, it is a solid and promising collection.

Verve's first album proper, A Storm In Heaven, appeared in 1993. It is an epic, sweeping, tremendously inventive debut. Quite unlike anything happening in America at the time (1993 was year of the grunge band), the album featured extended psychedelic passages interspersed with blusters of melody and propulsion. "Sun, the Sea" is built around a molten metallic riff bathed in feedback and reverb that ebbs and flows as Ashcroft wails, and breaks for a saxophone, of all things. "Slide Away" takes the listener through a series of atmospheres, with Ashcroft's bad buzz vocals, Jones' liquid bass, and McCabe's aggressive guitar providing forward momentum. "Make It Till Monday" is a psychedelic echo, with tape manipulation and atmospheric guitar washes. "Blue" and "Butterfly" demonstrate a growing pop sense, and "Star Sail" is a great, moody album opener, with fuzzed up guitar moans and drifting, hazy vocals. It's one of the best debut albums of the 90's, and one of the most enduring.

Article Author: uao

uao isn't my real name.

Visit uao's author page — uao's Blog