Stephen_Ri
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2004
- Posts
- 240
- Likes
- 10
[gushing] As has been discussed here, the Verve are back together making music. Check out http://www.nme.com/verve/ for a description and download of "The Thaw Session," a 14:09 track (encoded at 320kbps 48kHz) which gives us an idea of what these boys have been up to. I was glad, as were many of you, to hear of the re-union, but when I read that they've been listening to their early stuff, and realizing what they had that eventually trailed off, I was filled with the sort of uncontainable bliss invoked by music like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=368UhdcV8wU
For about a year and a half, since I found their EP in a pawn shop, the early Verve sound has been a preoccupation for me. It is unlike any other sound--I have scoured the shoegaze threads here and bought over thirty shoegaze albums. The Verve for me is best before their album A Storm in Heaven which is in the same vein as their earlier EPs and singles, though not quite as good. After that, things trail off in History and Urban Hymnes--great albums in their own right, but generally more standard pop.
I think that the Verve in no way depleted the sound they experimented with in the early years, and apparently, if this Thaw session is an indication, they agree. The track is itself nothing excellent, quite a bit like "Feel" on the She's a Superstar single and the EP, only not as good. Mellow, could use a dose of "Mover." But this early stuff for the re-united band, and, for that, not bad. Simon Jones plays as he used to, only better. Nick McCabe is the one who will determine where the reunion sessions go musically--I think he's still getting into his groove at this point. Ashcroft's voice is adequate.
The release of this session suggests that the Verve are excited about the direction they are going. I hope that is why they've released this. As long as they aren't thinking they've arrived--that would indeed be disappointing, because they have not yet approached where they were fifteen years ago. But let's hope they do, and go, of course, beyond. [/gushing]
For about a year and a half, since I found their EP in a pawn shop, the early Verve sound has been a preoccupation for me. It is unlike any other sound--I have scoured the shoegaze threads here and bought over thirty shoegaze albums. The Verve for me is best before their album A Storm in Heaven which is in the same vein as their earlier EPs and singles, though not quite as good. After that, things trail off in History and Urban Hymnes--great albums in their own right, but generally more standard pop.
I think that the Verve in no way depleted the sound they experimented with in the early years, and apparently, if this Thaw session is an indication, they agree. The track is itself nothing excellent, quite a bit like "Feel" on the She's a Superstar single and the EP, only not as good. Mellow, could use a dose of "Mover." But this early stuff for the re-united band, and, for that, not bad. Simon Jones plays as he used to, only better. Nick McCabe is the one who will determine where the reunion sessions go musically--I think he's still getting into his groove at this point. Ashcroft's voice is adequate.
The release of this session suggests that the Verve are excited about the direction they are going. I hope that is why they've released this. As long as they aren't thinking they've arrived--that would indeed be disappointing, because they have not yet approached where they were fifteen years ago. But let's hope they do, and go, of course, beyond. [/gushing]
