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Rating: And, finally, four.
Eleven years, so many, too many. Many missed them, many detractors will curse their return. Sure, old Richard never left us; "Uuuh uh/Let's break the night with coloooour...", he shouted with newfound success on the radio a couple of years ago, but no one expected the resurrection of his most beloved, desired creation.
Only Simon Tong is missing, busy as he is with "good, bad, and queens" with former britpopper deluxe Damon Albarn. The others are all here, indeed. And who would miss the great return? "Love is noise/love is pain/love is these blues that I'm singing again," sings Ashcroft over the danceable carpet of the first single from "Forth", "Love Is Noise" ("it will be a f***ing number one"; word of Mr. Noel Gallagher, one who continues to churn out number ones by the ton).
Even if the opening induces instant fainting, with that "Sit And Wonder" already heard in the live shows; about seven minutes in which the Ashcroft-band unleashes itself to pay homage to the lesser-known pre-masterpiece production (see "Urban Hymns") with a big piece that few bands can afford to open the game. As if to say, "we're back!", but don't expect only pop songs. Not that the latter are lacking, eh, otherwise what's the fun. "Rather Be" (a perfect insertion between the pop side of "Sonnet" and Ashcroft's "Check The Meaning"), "I See Houses", "Judas" and the beautiful closing "Appalachian Springs" languish and enchant, which is wonderful. When the rhythms pick up, a "Noise Epic" emerges for which Tom Meighan of Kasabian would come to kill. Spoken verse, sudden tempo changes, tight bass, and perfect drumming (in this sense, the work of the revived Peter Salisbury is admirable) make it the undisputed top track of this "Forth", which serves as a guideline even for the next "Columbo". And don't be surprised if the enchanting "Valium Skies" might be the new "Lucky Man"; in this album, the songwriter Richard seems rejuvenated by ten years, and he has also gained greater expressive depth in his voice, making the pieces even more fascinating and accomplished.
The entire band is great (a guitarist like McCabe is obviously fundamental), following the leader through and through, burying the hatchet and finding an excellent understanding. Despite the next album expected to be Ashcroft's fourth solo, the guys have decided to keep going, and it's a pleasure to see, given the results.
The first of many "great returns" of this late 2008, therefore, is a great success.
Let's hope it's a good omen.
Key tracks: "Sit And Wonder", "Noise Epic", "Valium Skies"
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
02 Love Is Noise (05:29)
Will those feet, In modern times
Walk on soles, That are made in China
Feel the bright prosaic malls
In the corridors that go on And on and on
Are we blind, Can we see?
We are one, Incomplete
Are we blind, In the shade
Waiting for lightning, To be saved
Cause Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
[Again, Again] [Again, Again]
Will those feet, In modern times
Understand, This world's affliction
Recognize, The righteous anger
Understand, This world's addiction
I was blind, Couldn't see
What was here, In me
I was blind, Insecure
I felt like the road, Was way too long,
Yeah
Cause Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Feeling Again
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
[Again, Again] [Again, Again]
Cause Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Feeling Again
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Feeling Again
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
[Again, Again] [Again, Again]
Will those feet, In modern times
Walk on soles made in China
Will those feet In modern times
See the bright, Prosaic malls?
Will those feet, In modern times
Recognize, The everything up
Will those feet, In modern times
Pardon Me For My Sins
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Feeling Again,
Love Is Noise, And Love Is Pain
Love Is These Blues That I'm Singing Again,
[Again, Again] [Again, Again]
08 Valium Skies (04:34)
Can you keep yourself on for good
Seems like the whole world is losing
How do you stop yourself up
Even if seems like the whole world is crying
Aaaah Oooooh
Aaaah Oooooh
She got all I need
The air I breath
When it comes to my valium skies
She don't mind if I cry
How do you stop your love from crying
Even if you knew she was lying
How do you stop this world from loathing
Still no knocking with all these cards I'm holding
Aaaah Oooooh
Aaaah Oooooh
She got all I need
The air I breath
When it comes to my valium skies
She don't mind if I cry
She don't mind if I cry
She don't mind if I cry
Aaaah Oooooh
Aaaah Oooooh
She got all I need
The air I breath
When it comes to my valium skies
She don't mind if I cry
When it comes to my valium skies
She don't mind if I cry
09 Columbo (07:30)
Baby why are you wasting time crying
Like it's the only thing to do?
Baby don't you worry, you're still crying
Your instincts all it's got, I knew
Baby don't you worry, you're still crying
I can see the sadness in your eye
Baby why are you wasting time crying
Trying to find out the reasons why?
Baby don't believe it when they say it
Love is just a feeling that you give
You're the universe and you're all I need
Tell me all the secrets that I forget
Ooh-yeah-yeah, oooh-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah
All right, ooh yeah, all right
Just watch the lights go down over this town
Watch it ten feet down, whilst we learn
Watch the city boys leave, full of bluster
Oh where are we now?
Take it easy, for you must keep digging, yourself's only star
We don't know, we don't know (oh yeah)
We don't know, we don't know (oh yeah)
We don't know, we don't know
we don't know, we don't know (a-ha)
Fame, a celebrity cocksuck, flash light, flash light
Fame, bullet proof bathroom
Inside, fixing up
Fame, a sealing-up number one
Vacuum, a vacuum
Fame, miracle accent,
Inside, start it up
Shoot it up, shoot it up, shoot it up, shoot your gun
Fame, the vanity minstrel
Fame, the mirror of the wet dream
And I love you, and I'm feeling that accent
Dying on the inside, I'm dying on the inside
Love's like oxygen
Love's like oxygen
Love's like oxygen
Love's like oxygen
Love's like oxygen
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Other reviews
By Rooftrampler92
The turn is the change, the only way to get out of the city streets to purify the music.
'Love is Noise' is one of the hits of the year, the chorus kills.
By Doherty
The album opens with the track Sit and Wonder, certainly the best song with strong reminiscence of early Verve.
'Forth' is an album a bit too homogeneous with too few epic moments to highlight for it to be an album of those The Verve everyone knows... or rather knew.
By Keith
The album immediately surprises with the band’s state of grace and Ashcroft’s vocal cords which practically do whatever he wants.
'Love Is Noise' already a band classic, catchy and contagious with a chorus that sticks and is supported by an almost three-dimensional production.
By CaptainRock
The title 'Forth' and the cover suggest a celestial record, as if to say 'forward! up in the sky'.
'Numbness' is Verve’s tribute to Pink Floyd featuring a strikingly sharp guitar with a stunning solo.
