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THE REVIEW
What's life like after the Verve?
If your name is Richard Ashcroft, it's a sure successful solo career, but there's success and then there's success. The success that comes from beautiful and appreciated albums, or the success due to a fan base that will never abandon you no matter what beautiful or lousy thing you do. Ashcroft started off strong with his first Alone With Everybody, thanks to the aftermath of the masterpiece Vervian "Urban Hymns" and the chart-busting (mostly radio, truth be told) "A Song For The Lovers". Then, a second transitional album, "Human Conditions", and many years of silence (four, more or less), which cast a shadow on the already shadowy Richard. Then, what does our man do? The year 2005, and he pulls out a mega-hit (at least in Europe), the excellent "Break The Night With Colour", which launches the new work "Keys To The World". Suddenly, light shines again on the former Verve member. But is it true or ephemeral glory? The truth lies in between.
There's little left of the Verve, and in this sense, McCabe's absence is felt. The surprise is that the album is more "accessible" to the general public than its predecessors, thanks to good pop tracks like the aforementioned first single, the beautiful "Music Is Power" (strange echoes of Motown and Ben Harper) and the title track. What might be missing, however, is the desire to delve into the human soul that permeated the early works of the Albion songwriter, now overshadowed by excessively radio-friendly arrangements ("Cry 'Til The Morning") or downright whiny and frankly inconclusive songs ("Sweet Brother Malcolm", really noose-worthy?). On the positive side, there's the opener "Why Not Nothing?", an unusual wall of sound for the former Verve member, and the closing entrusted to "World Keeps Turning", with appreciable Dylan-esque echoes.
In conclusion, a good record for lovers of a certain late-millennium pseudo-depressive Brit music; abstain, however, if you want to see the Union Jack only on Mini roofs.
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Summary by Bot
After a strong solo debut and a period of silence, Richard Ashcroft returns with Keys To The World, blending accessible pop tracks with more experimental sounds. The album lacks the deep emotional soul of his early work with The Verve but offers several notable songs like 'Break The Night With Colour' and 'Music Is Power'. While some tracks feel radio-friendly or inconclusive, the album remains a solid choice for fans of late-millennium British rock.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
01 Why Not Nothing? (04:16)
02 Music Is Power (04:04)
07 Cry Til the Morning (05:11)
08 Why Do Lovers? (04:52)
09 Simple Song (04:12)
10 World Keeps Turning (03:55)
11 Break the Night With Colours (live) (04:24)
12 Sweet Brother Malcolm (live) (05:11)
13 Bitter Sweet Symphony (live) (04:14)
14 The Direction (03:24)
Richard Ashcroft
English singer and songwriter, former frontman of The Verve. Since 2000 he has pursued a solo career marked by introspective ballads and Britpop-rooted rock, releasing albums including Alone With Everybody, Human Conditions, Keys to the World, These People, Natural Rebel, and Acoustic Hymns Vol 1.09 Reviews
Other reviews
By Adil
Ashcroft’s unwavering faith in the salvific power of music leads him to affirm, in a track inspired by Curtis Mayfield, that if 'the melody is timeless, it will never abandon you.'
The video of 'Break The Night With Colour' shows an uneasy Richard Ashcroft at the piano behind prison bars, a simple but powerful image of struggle.
By Vivio
Anyone hoping that the latest album from the former leader of the Verve is finally the one for his solo consecration will be disappointed.
The single 'Break The Night With Colour' is perfectly constructed and immediately sticks in the mind thanks to Ashcroft's extraordinary voice.
