| | Full Review | Ratings (778) |
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| 3.5 great | CrazyFool84 | October 12th 10 |
The Verve’s breakout record, 1997s Urban Hymns, is a beautifully produced, lush, staggeringly potent offering of the 90s alternative rock sound. While some may steer clear of this record due to the massive amount of play the controversial hit Bitter Sweet Symphony generated upon its release (and still to this day), that would be a large mistake to fans of the era. While The Verve pack as much alt-rock goodness as possible on this album, it’s the combination of that sound, the band’s attention to detail and some really wicked production that makes this somewhat of a monster. There are far too many songs to do a track-by-track for Urban Hymns, and the album feels best played with the sum of its parts (or at least with a few of its tracks coupled together).
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Antonius | January 15th 25 |
Most of the songs here were initially intended for an Ashcroft (vocalist) solo album, but thankfully it ended being a Verve record. Like the resuscitated heart-attack victim who had cheated death once, this was a band that knew it was living on borrowed time. But this collection is a testament to what can happen when you make the most of it.Urban Hymns unmistakably sounds like the work of a band working in perfect harmony and unison. The album is full of catchy sing-alongs, elegant orchestration and huge, eminently chantable choruses. It soars with autumnal melancholy and heartbreaking declarations of failure. Other than the infamous duet of 'Bittersweet Symphony' and the melancholic 'Sonnet' which represent the record's primary charms, other noticeable tracks seated in the first half are the psychedelic 'Catching the Butterfly' and the drug-fueled 'The Rolling People'. The album?s second half is mostly given over to clear-eyed statements of devotion like 'Space and Time', 'One Day', and 'Velvet Morning' - the relaxed, contented sound of Britpop entering middle age, as a review very accurately put it. I have read that some critics found that Oasis?s third album of the same year (Be Here Now, was the moment that the Britpop movement ended, and Urban Hymns is often viewed as the hangover. This doesn?t do justice to the band and the record. This wasn?t so much the end of Britpop as much as it was the perfect evolution.
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| 3.5 great | MS2k | December 20th 14 |
Magnanimously macro. "Bittersweet Symphony" is insufferable, but the rest of the album is thankfully much better. You've gotta be in the right state of mind to fully appreciate this album—lest its sentiments fall on deaf ears—but when you're primed it is on-point. Cheers!
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| 2.0 poor | TheManMachine | December 13th 14 |
Sensitive Brit-pop fans of the globe, forgive me (or don't). Not particularly offensive to the ears, except for maybe when they rip a Funkadelic riff or when he says 'fuck you', but boring to the point of frustration - particularly after track 4, and that foursome ain't that great to begin with. Too jammy, too ordinary, long as hell, ambitious but lacking enthusiasm. And on more of a side note: quite guilty of the infamous 90s nothing-else-sounds-like-track 1/single trick.
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| 4.0 excellent | jday | December 3rd 12 |
A warm, rocking, album full of majestic tracks. With an amazing use of an orchestra string section (especially noticeable in the singles), each song manages to build itself into a grand finale, and the album is constantly bursting with drama and emotion. And yet it is still a solid rock album, any orchestral backing or effects only accentuate the core band, and none of it ever sounds sappy or weak, instead feeling quite epic and empowering. This is going into the permanent collection.
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| 5.0 classic | sickmoon | March 31st 11 |
Certainly better than Oasis What's The Story or Blur's Parklife, music with soul and maturity not fad and just marketing. This is Urban Hymns the best album in 90's.
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| 5.0 classic | HaruKureno | August 12th 09 |
This is an amazing album. Not one song on here is irratating or meaningless. The lead signer probably has one of the best singing voices in the world and the rest of the instruments just make it sound so good. The highlights of this album id definetely Bittersweet symphony and Lucky Man.
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| 2.5 average | Iai EMERITUS | January 17th 07 |
Were albums judged purely on their singles, Urban Hymns would be a contendor for the greatest album ever released. Each of the four that made it into the charts - "Sonnet", "Bittersweet Symphony", "Lucky Man", and "The Drugs Don't Work" are all fantastic songs. But then there's the rest of the album to deal with, and frankly, it's not very good. There's lots of baggy-style wig-out jams, and some stuff that harks back to their shoegaze origins, but really, none of it's any good. Those who claim "The Rolling People" as this album's fifth highlight are clearly hearing something I'm not. You'll probably find yourself better off picking up the recent Greatest Hits set than bothering with this.
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| 4.5 superb | Bigbadbob | August 2nd 06 |
Nice review. This was my first venture with THE VERVE having heard, of course, "Bittersweet Symphony" on the radio numerous times. I find this to be a "mood" CD. When I'm in the mood I love it. Tracs 7-8-9 are outstanding. I cant always put it on and connect but that's ok.... I'm glad I took a chance with it
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| 4.0 excellent | Gumboot | October 16th 24 |
| 4.5 superb | KuyJuk | May 15th 24 |
| 2.5 average | doofy | January 9th 24 |
| 2.5 average | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | September 21st 23 |
| 2.5 average | Votex | September 13th 23 |
| 3.5 great | haley | June 1st 23 |
| 3.5 great | sambu | April 14th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | fifek | February 17th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Timmy | January 13th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | KManoc1 | December 6th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Thibs | October 27th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | olmedou | September 8th 22 |
| 3.0 good | qt | January 23rd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | rajtako | October 21st 21 |
| 3.5 great | Mike01 | October 3rd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | heck | September 13th 20 |
| 3.0 good | Trey STAFF | July 12th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | mallen- | April 28th 20 |
| 3.5 great | vil1 | April 8th 20 |
| 3.5 great | TOBD | March 19th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | degina | February 28th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | CamiloG | December 12th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Trundle | October 21st 19 |
| 3.5 great | JNeu | July 24th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Chase | July 1st 19 |
| 3.0 good | rjk | April 12th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | SMK | February 13th 19 |
| 3.5 great | NateMa | December 15th 18 |
| 3.0 good | 2ool | October 9th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | elch21 | September 27th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | FelkFg | August 6th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | jusdiz | May 20th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | bSmith | April 30th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Josh | April 7th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | rossm | February 17th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gadalia | December 25th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Rdv | December 9th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | townseru | November 11th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | ksoflas | October 24th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | solrage | September 27th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | dianabm | September 19th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Log S. | September 15th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | YayoG1 | September 1st 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Jan555 | July 5th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Alexxx | June 21st 17 |
| 3.5 great | wg98 | May 12th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | mifzal | April 1st 17 |
| 3.0 good | Xhoven | February 3rd 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Luisito | January 15th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Juanpa | January 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | tysly | December 10th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | ramoncd | December 6th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | cb123 | December 2nd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hybza | November 6th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Javier | October 19th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Dumb | September 4th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Gueero | August 13th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Lord3 | August 1st 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Saul | July 27th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Blaacs | July 22nd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | PaabL | July 6th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Guus | June 14th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | SB129 | May 16th 16 |
| 3.5 great | tyler | April 2nd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | BHAR | February 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Prognoz | February 18th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | jsegura | January 19th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rory32 | November 17th 15 |
| 3.0 good | taroo | November 12th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | zakalwe | October 16th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | F1Aaron | September 27th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Tom R. EMERITUS | September 8th 15 |
| 3.5 great | manu8a | August 11th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Fugue | July 11th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | random | July 7th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lassie | May 31st 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ledgy | May 14th 15 |
| 3.5 great | ToddDC | February 20th 15 |
| 3.5 great | ariich | February 18th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | ToCho | February 17th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Darkan93 | February 14th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | dkkc | January 28th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | MOS6581 | December 26th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | ANJ45 | December 8th 14 |
| 2.5 average | JoeLoco | November 8th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | dan2309 | September 8th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | sabaus | August 11th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | CamCar | July 24th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | kual21 | April 14th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nitrogen | February 24th 14 |
| 3.5 great | SeiGor | February 17th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Denis | February 5th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | msm008 | January 19th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | P94 | January 14th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Ringo00 | December 20th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Alex445 | November 19th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | aa2508 | November 15th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | bgf97 | November 13th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | TxAzure | October 17th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | lotus62 | September 29th 13 |
| 2.0 poor | pleaxe | September 16th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Currts | August 5th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | ShawnC | August 3rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | D4mi4n | July 28th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Br3nd | July 25th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Pheenn | July 18th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Mews13 | July 13th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Reah7 | July 10th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Spammy | July 10th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Norm3n | July 7th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Rgomes | July 2nd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Shaun7 | June 28th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Ash89 | June 27th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Paulc3 | June 26th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Aguh38 | June 22nd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Sillas | June 21st 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Rubb7 | June 15th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Pam3s | June 15th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Fafahh | June 11th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | KayoM | June 9th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Iggor2 | June 9th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | ADM20 | June 3rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Luan | May 25th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Guto | May 25th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Meira | May 24th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Gib | May 23rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | damon3 | May 22nd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Pwoper | May 20th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | APJ90 | April 2nd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | bol90 | March 24th 13 |
| 3.0 good | jmh886 | February 13th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | kn2985 | February 6th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Basman | December 9th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Iliana | November 28th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Akmol | November 25th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | dwejkk | November 21st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | teahead | October 30th 12 |
| 3.0 good | WTSMG | October 8th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Peluca | October 7th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Atmos | March 24th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jackus | February 8th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Tupik | January 20th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Mac | December 30th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | fog | December 29th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Coast | December 27th 11 |
| 3.5 great | KILL | November 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | gemmyd63 | November 22nd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | F177 | November 3rd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | JMZ | November 2nd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | HAce | October 18th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hove | October 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bossie | September 11th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | BigHans | August 10th 11 |
| 3.5 great | zillah | August 8th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Sowilo | August 4th 11 |
| 3.5 great | gliate | July 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Teto | May 19th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | mppwns | February 3rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zoop | December 21st 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | tuttle | December 16th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | 1ofakind | December 14th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | kfresha | December 14th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Janson | December 9th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Jarvig | November 14th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Arpeggi | November 12th 10 |
| 3.5 great | mcdaid | October 30th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Tolo | September 25th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | des | August 10th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | nbden | August 9th 10 |
| 3.5 great | nyc87 | July 23rd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Titan50 | April 9th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | xezene | March 24th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | FLRTE | March 12th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | KJAnsia | January 19th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | kruxz | January 2nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jackith | November 21st 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | barns | November 9th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Awaken | November 9th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | miky182 | November 8th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | channah | November 8th 09 |
| 3.5 great | kojpl | October 3rd 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Daesun | September 30th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Azeta86 | September 25th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Jansen | September 19th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | amorphis | September 6th 09 |
| 3.5 great | ALEZ4 | September 5th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | djejew | June 9th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | tvol | May 29th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | cody72 | April 28th 09 |
| 3.5 great | rav3 | April 3rd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | thebhoy | April 2nd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | SVIIB | February 25th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | cell13 | January 7th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Tom2704 | November 12th 08 |
| 3.5 great | Collis | July 27th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mikesn EMERITUS | March 19th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | cSsteFa | March 12th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Akumac | February 18th 08 |
| 5.0 classic | nisco66 | January 30th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | bAdMaRk | January 16th 08 |
| 3.0 good | donovr | December 20th 07 |
| 4.5 superb | Robins | November 20th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | reedo | November 20th 07 |
| 4.5 superb | anged02 | November 4th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Eugene | September 19th 07 |
| 3.0 good | JTV | August 24th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gabwr1 | August 19th 07 |
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