Product Description

Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential bands in British music, this is the fourth album by Wigan's The Verve, and their first full set of original material since the career defining, 1997 commercial breakthrough, 'Urban Hymns'. 'Forth' is a strong and varied release, combining guitarist Nick McCabe's sonic experiments with frontman Richard Ashcroft's Britpop-esque balladry. The anthemic single,'Love Is Noise' is included.

Track Listing

1. Sit And Wonder
2. Love Is Noise
3. Rather Be
4. Judas
5. Numbness
6. I See Houses
7. Noise Epic
8. Valium Skies
9. Columbo
10. Appalachian Springs

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86 in Music
• Released on: 2008-08-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Warning: the Verve’s wittily titled fourth album--the first since their reformation in 2007--is no Urban Hymns Part II. That much is clear from the album’s first single "Love Is Noise," a punchy-yet-addictive propulsive rocker, but it’s a fact underlined several times on the remainder of the album. Taking a determined stroll along the boulevard of experimentalism, the band mix up their slick strings and ringing guitars with dense drums and murky soundscapes for this comeback album. Opening cut “Sit and Wonder” sets the tone: a lurching, bluesy tune with a loose, jam-session feel that maintains its groove for almost seven minutes. The soaring (and shorter) “Rather Be,” the dreamy “Judas” and the plodding “I See Houses” bring us closer to the classic Verve sound, but the retreat into moody psychedelia continues anew with “Numbness,” the intense “Noise Epic” and the kaleidoscopic, Can-like “Colombo”. Despite these darker moments being indulgently drawn-out at times they serve to raise the more euphonious moments--surprise anthems like “Valium Skies” included--to even more heavenly realms, and create a compelling chiaroscuro along the way. --Danny McKenna

Customer Reviews

forth gets four
the verves comeback after a decade away is an album that seems to have divided fans.i think its great to have them back,nick mccabe is a genius and ashcrofts voice is better than ever.love is noise is a great kick start to their comeback,and a surprising one too,the danciest record they have made.the soothing and mellow judas and valium skies,along with rather be is the verve at their most laid back and sounds a lot like their early pre urban hymns days.best track though is sit and wonder its amzing with mcabes explosive guitars working up a deep,dark groove,easily the best song of the year and if evidence the verve reforming was a good thing this is it.if you have a record player its worth buying the rather be singles backed up by new songs all night long and major force these would have made the album even better they are great.also doing the rounds on the net is an unreleased song 'blue pacific ocean' its as good as anything they have ever done,psychedelic and mellow lets hope it gets a release soon.after lots of hyped up bands who fail to deliver - kings of leon,snow patrol and keane its great to see the verve back lets hope we dont wait to long on album no 5.

a review for the extra tracks.
I bought the box set for £40 which includes Ma Ma Soul + Muhammad Ali...I have to say if you like the verve when they are playing together as a band rather than Ashcroft's wave your lighters in the air stadium rockers - then you will enjoy these tracks..Muhammad Ali especialy is a strog verve jam like song...Ma Ma Soul is also good its just they all sound a bit lethargic. I would also say to listen to the b sides from the singles which are much better than the album tracks (you can hear McCabe)..honest!

The truth
It is great to hear new material by the Verve. I do not agree that this sounds like a Richard Ashcroft solo record, it is far superior to that.... It contains outstanding songs including Sit and Wonder and Judas. Not sure why this has had negative reviews as the material is pure quality.