Track Listing

1. A Song For The Lovers
2. I Get My Beat
3. Brave New World
4. New York
5. You On My Mind In Sleep
6. Crazy World
7. On A Beach
8. Money To Burn
9. Slow Was My Heart
10. C'Mon People (We're Making It Now)
11. Everybody

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2866 in Music
• Released on: 2000-06-26
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Like so many before him, the Verve's ex-frontman Richard Ashcroft is destined to be the victim of his own success. That the Verve's final album, the universally applauded Urban Hymns, with its down-tempo laments and thoughtful lyrics captured a space in time and was taken to a nation's hearts, makes it a tough act to follow, even for the man who was the creative force behind the Verve. And Richard Ashcroft's solo debut Alone With Everybody doesn't really compare at all. The thoughtful country-tinged ballads "Brave New World" and "I Get My Beat"--strummed acoustics, melancholic strings and lyrics that run like a conversation with himself--confirm Ashcroft's ability to pen a captivating melody. Meanwhile, singles "A Song For The Lovers" and "Money To Burn"--positively up-beat by his standards--may not be as emotive or touch the same nerve as Urban Hymns' "The Drugs Don't Work", "Lucky Man" or "Bitter Sweet Symphony", but they're still infectious. And the eerie atmosphere and raw edge of "New York" reassure that there's more to him than plodding, sentimental acoustic tunes. The Verve would never have pulled off an Urban Hymns Volume II, which is why their leading light has been wise not to try to either. --Dan Gennoe

CD Description
Following the worldwide success of The Verve's URBAN HYMNS album, vocalist Richard Ashcroft struck out on his own (withhelp from Verve drummer Peter Salisbury). ALONE WITH EVERYBODY, his debut solo effort, is a lush affair and the naturalnext step in furthering the sound of his former band's "Bittersweet Symphony". Each track is carefully constructed, replete with accentuating string sections, and highlights Ashcroft's relaxed-yet-earnest vocals.
Standouts are "Brave New World" and "Slow Was Heart", both which recall Echo And The Bunnymen and feature smoothed-out country grooves accentedby subtle, snaky steel guitar. "New York" has an awkward yet curiously catchy funk undertone and swooping, overlapped guitars, while "You Must Be on My Mind", a gorgeous, slow motion lullaby, features a Verve-like instrumental break and isone of two tracks including ex-Spiritualised member Kate Radley (also known as Mrs. Richard Ashcroft). Speaking of Spiritualised, "Money to Burn" mines that band's alternative-gospel/blues vein, complete with harmonica, horns, and choral vocals. The album's highlight is "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)", which sounds as though it was a blast to record and is a catchy, glittering pop song to boot.

Customer Reviews

A Genius-and still alive!!!
Richard Ashcroft has hit the right note with his debut solo album 'Alone With Everybody.' It is a superb mix of melancholy, tranquille melodies and some riproaring tunes. The Verve split and i was gutted to say the least. Their music still lights up my day, but at least Richie is still going. A Song For Lovers was the perfect song to open his solo career with, not dissimilar to Bittersweet symphony with its orchestrial sound.The next two are great songs to chill out to. 'I get my beat' and 'Brave New World' clearly show Richie's new optimistic outlokk on life and show you into the rest of the album, as it becomes a bit more frantic with 'New York' with Richie back to his best droning out "chooooning in New York." Superb. You on my mind in my sleep is gracious and clearly a message to his partner and baby. Then you get the sense that Ashcroft is back to his best with 'Crazy World' with perhaps the greatest lyrics ever "Its burning on my brain loke a desert train locust, i find it hard to love i find it hard to focus" WOW! The next song is a classic. On a Beach is slow, beautiful and uncaring. Money to burn is another single which is rash and hard without ever hitting the peaks you'd like it too. Slow was my heart is absolutely top draw. Beautiful, music to cry to. The lyrics are outstanding. C'mon People is my favourite, it sounds like Verve and it mirrors his on stage shout of C'mon! Then it finishes with Everybody which shows Richie's sypathetic and caring side, the lyrics carefully planned and just hit the right chord. This album is out of this world. Your life is shallow without it! Richard Ashcroft wil surely go down as one of the greatest songwiters and performers ever. He is chronically underrated. Can't wait foir the new material!

Brave New World
The Verve split during the height of their fame after their masterpiece "Urban Hymns" which left fans excited upon Richard Ashcrofts first solo outing.

He was the spirit of The Verves "Urban Hymns" album with the majority of the songs being credited to him.

Even though it's unfair to compare The Verve and Richard Ashcroft Nick McCabes driving guitar force is missed greatly. For the most part the album is overcoated with strings and
despite some wonderful melodies and key changes as seen on "Brave New World" and the Motown vibed "C'Mon People We're Making It Now" you always feel that the albums lacking something.

It seems to be crying out for a Rolling People or a This Is Music. There are also no stand out songs on it, it floats along nicely giving you a fairly chilled out feel good experience but nothing really to kick you in the face or send the shivers up your spine as sngs like The Drugs Don't Work or History did for you.

It's not without it's merits, Ashcroft certainly still has a fantastic songwriting ability and he still has one of the finest rock and roll voices around today. It's certainly a plesent listening experience though nothing to make you sit up and take notice.

A real solo album
Many people think that The Verve was Richard Ashcroft but to overlook Nick McCabes' contributions would be foolish. McCabes' sublime guitar work gave The Verves' work a powerful yet totally unique sound and so when listening to Alone With Everybody one must do so with no pre-conceived ideas about its sound. Alone With Everybody is Ashcrofts album, he plays most instruments on every song but with all due respect Richard is no genius like McCabe. The songs are now driven mostly by Ashcrofts voice, moving away from the powerful melodic guitar lines. The new arrangement works however, due probably to the heartfelt lyrics. This is an album through which Richard looks to a happy future with his wife and child, moving away from the darker earlier Verve work. The songs move from upbeat pop with A Song For The Lovers and C'mon People to beautiful ballads like You On My Mind In My Sleep and Slow Was My Heart. However the closing Everybody hints at his past melancholic epics but this time the sadness is laced with hope. Overall this is a new direction for Richard Ashcroft and it is a direction in which he should continue. The songs capture a new side to his music and I for one cannot wait for more solo works from the great man.