Orbital101 2009-10-11

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

In the early to mid-nineties, Spin magazine, from time to time, would toss promotional sample disks to its customers via mail. On Track 9 of "Spin This IV", I was introduced to a song by The Verve that WASN'T Bittersweet Symphony. It was called Slide Away. The feeling you get is in the title! It's not one of those sappy love songs. You know, the kind you'd hear from "light rock" stations. It's an honest song with unique music and VERY well written lyrics. In my opinion, they kind of sound a bit like The Cure. Maybe not, but they're exceptionally talented and easy to like.

Dr Jeremy Buddle 2007-03-11

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

The Verve was a British band of the 1990's who have since broken up. On this CD we have 14 of the best Verve songs from their era of existence 1992-98. I really like this album and am awarding it 4.5 stars. I first heard of this band in June 1997 when staying in London, when their justly-famous and classic song Bittersweet Symphony made the UK top 5 . Even better was the achingly-beautiful yet despairing lament The Drugs Don't Work, which reached #1 on the UK chart in September 1997. I was working as a locum doctor in a psychiatric clinic at the time in Birmingham, England, and could really relate to the heartfelt pain that this song evokes, yet it has one of the most beautiful of melodies. Third song Lucky Man was also fantastic, as was the fourth song: Sonnet. All these were off the 1997 album Urban Hymns. After really getting into these songs in 1997-98, I later found out that the Verve actually had two earlier albums I'd not heard, and from these were taken other good songs like This Is Music, History and Gravity Grave etc.

The Verve were a great band with strong choruses, trippy production, and emotive, slightly avant-garde lyrics. Their vocalist Richard Ashcroft is a distinctive and highly-talented singer/songwriter who has continued on in the 2000's as a solo artist, though I know little about the other band members.

Highly regarded compilation CD.

Magpie 2006-12-16

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

This collection is a good way to be introduced to The Verve but the tracks taken from the album "A Storm In Heaven," "Slide Away" and "Blue" are not so much remastered as remixed, bringing Richard Ashcroft's vocals to the forefront instead of letting them swirl through Nick McCabe's amazing guitar work as on the original album. I was incredibly disappointed by this decision as "A Storm In Heaven" is a powerful album as it was originally mixed and was I was looking forward to hearing the two tracks remastered on this collection. I sincerely hope this isn't a sign of what's to come if all three Verve albums are remastered. "A Storm In Heaven" is an amazing album and if it is to be remastered, the sound should be expanded, not re-done. Whether this is Richard Ashcroft's ego interfering and trying to re-write history (no pun intended) or just a poor choice by the album producer I'm not sure. For excellent examples of remastering work, see the remasters of the entire Slowdive catalog and The Jesus and Mary Chain. For an example of a poor remastering job where tracks were re-done, see Tori Amos' collection "Tales Of A Librarian."

R. Galeano Valencia 2006-11-10

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

I have just recently discovered The Verve. It seems that I went right through the 90's without knowing nothing about this great band. Heard Bittersweet Symphony performed by Richard Ashcroft and Coldplay at the Live 8 Concert in July 2005 in London and inmediately fell in love with this truly great song. Went on to find more about these guys who unfortunately went separate ways before the end of the century. Despite claims from rock legends (Rolling Stones) that Bittersweet Symphony was plagiarized from them, I just totally connected with this beautiful song which appearently became a symbol of a whole generation. Richard Ashcroft lyrics are great. Music also. SO if you happen to be a like me, and never heard anything by The Verve, please go ahead and start with Bittersweet Symphony.

Petar Vodogaz 2006-10-07

2 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

I first heard about the brittish emo rock group 'The Verve' after listening to their hit song that had made the radio stations over and over again for a long period of time here in Australia. Their song 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' is one of the best songs ever made and its melody is surreal and enchanting. I purchased this album for that reason, it had this song on it and I really wanted it. "This Is Music" is a album consisting of 14 songs that became The Verve's singles betwee 1992-95.

The Verve sound like a cross between Coldplay and Oasis with a slightly more pop sound to them. Unexpectedly I enjoyed this album after getting over the first two songs of the album that were plain and sounded unoriginal. The third song in 'Lucky Man' has became another favourite song of mine with lyrics that are heartfelt and easy to sing along with. 'On Your Own' and 'Sonnet' are beautiful melodies about loneliness and love which are heartwarming.

But the stand out of course is 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', this song is magical and has helped me through alot of tough emotional times. The last two songs of this album are merely fillers and B-Sides. This having been my intro to The Verve, I found myself liking this band and look forward to purchase more CD's in the later future by them.