Urban Hymns

Urban Hymns
Studio album by The Verve
Released	29 September 1997
Recorded	13 October 1996 – 4 August 1997, Olympic Studios, London
Genre	Space rock
Length	75:51
Label	Hut, Virgin
Producer	The Verve, Chris Potter, Youth
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Melody Maker (Positive)[1] Entertainment Weekly (A-) link Pitchfork Media (8.9/10) link Robert Christgau link Rolling Stone link
The Verve chronology
A Northern Soul (1995) Urban Hymns (1997) Forth (2008)
Singles from Urban Hymns
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" Released: 16 June 1997 "The Drugs Don't Work" Released: 1 September 1997 "Lucky Man" Released: 24 November 1997 "Sonnet" Released: 2 March 1998

Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band The Verve, released on 29 September, 1997. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year.

Background

The Verve had previously released two albums, A Storm in Heaven in 1993 and A Northern Soul in 1995. Neither album had achieved mainstream success,^[2]and the band split shortly after their second album due to internal conflicts. Vocalist Richard Ashcroft quickly reformed the group, but without guitarist Nick McCabe, who was replaced by Simon Tong, an old friend of the band.^[2]

Music

The Verve were known for their music's complex, immersive sonic textures. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and remains the band's most well-known song. "The Drugs Don't Work", the band's only number one single in the UK, became a concert staple for jam bands and other groups.

The rest of the album alternated between wistful ballads like "Sonnet" and "Space and Time", spacey grooves like "Catching the Butterfly" and "The Rolling People", and all-out rockers like the Led Zeppelin-esque, pounding "Come On", the album closer.

Release and reception

The album received nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, with Melody Maker naming Urban Hymns as the number-one album of 1997 in its year-end list^[3]

Legacy

In the years following its release, Urban Hymns received much acclaim. In 1998, it won Best British Album at the Brit Awards, it was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, and Q magazine readers voted it the 18th greatest album of all time.^[4]The magazine placed it at the same position in 2001.^[5]

In 2006, its editors voted it the 16th greatest album of all time. The Verve were awarded with the first ever "Q Classic Album" award for this album at the 2007 Q Awards. In a 2008 poll, Urban Hymns was ranked as the 10th best British album of all time.^[6]

Track listing

1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (Richard Ashcroft, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 5:58
2. "Sonnet" (Ashcroft) – 4:21
3. "The Rolling People" (The Verve) – 7:01
4. "The Drugs Don't Work" (Ashcroft) – 5:05
5. "Catching the Butterfly" (The Verve) – 6:26
6. "Neon Wilderness" (Nick McCabe, The Verve) – 2:37
7. "Space and Time" (Ashcroft) – 5:36
8. "Weeping Willow" (Ashcroft) – 4:49
9. "Lucky Man" (Ashcroft) – 4:53
10. "One Day" (Ashcroft) – 5:03
11. "This Time" (Ashcroft) – 3:50
12. "Velvet Morning" (Ashcroft) – 4:57
13. "Come On" (The Verve) – 15:15
    1. "Come On" - (00:00–6:38)
    2. "Lord I Guess I'll Never Know" - (06:38–13:01)
    3. "Deep Freeze" - (13:01–15:15)

The Japanese edition of the album contains 15 tracks — the bonus track "Lord I Guess I'll Never Know" is track 13 and "Deep Freeze" is track 15.

Sales

Chart positions

Album

Singles

Personnel

Band

• Richard Ashcroft – vocals, guitar
• Nick McCabe – lead guitar
• Simon Jones – bass guitar
• Peter Salisbury – drums
• Simon Tong – guitar, keyboards

With

• Youth – producer
• Chris Potter – producer, engineer, mixing, recording
• The Verve – producer
• Liam Gallagher - backing vocals (on "Come On")
• Mel Wesson – programming
• Paul Anthony Taylor – programming
• Wil Malone – conductor, string, arrangements
• Gareth Ashton – assistant engineer
• Lorraine Francis – assistant engineer
• Jan Kybert – assistant engineer
• Brian Cannon – director, design, sleeve art
• Martin Catherall – design assistant
• Matthew Sankey – design assistant
• Michael Spencer Jones – photography
• John Horsley – photography
• Chris Floyd – photography

References

Notes