Urban Hymns
Encyclopedia
Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band
The Verve
, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year. It is currently ranked the 15th best-selling album in UK chart history.
in 1993 and A Northern Soul
in 1995. Neither album had achieved mainstream success, and the band split shortly after their second album due to internal conflicts. Vocalist Richard Ashcroft
quickly reformed the group, with Simon Tong
, an old friend of the band on guitar, however Ashcroft realised Nick McCabe's unique guitar style was required to complete the true Verve unit and later asked him to return. Tong also remained adding more guitar and keyboard/organ textures, making them a five-piece band and expanding their sound.
The four-piece had already recorded several tracks for the album with Youth
as producer, but once McCabe returned they re-recorded several tracks and changed producers to Chris Potter
. McCabe said that in the next seven months of work, "... the key tracks were recorded from scratch, but some of them were already there."
The cover photo was taken in Richmond Park
, London
.
, became a concert staple for jam band
s and other groups.
The rest of the album alternated between wistful ballads like "Sonnet" and "Space and Time", spacey grooves like "Catching the Butterfly" and "The Rolling People", and all-out rockers like the Led Zeppelin
-esque, pounding "Come On", the album closer.
naming Urban Hymns as the number-one album of 1997 in its year-end list.
Urban Hymns debuted at #63 on the Billboard 200, becoming the first album by the group to chart in the U.S. The album ultimately peaked at #23, and is the group's best-selling album in the U.S. with over 1.3 million copies sold. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA
on April 4, 1998.
, it was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize
, and Q
magazine readers voted it the 18th greatest album of all time. The magazine placed it at the same position in 2001.
In 2006, its editors voted it the 16th greatest album of all time. The Verve were awarded with the first ever "Q Classic Album" award for this album at the 2007 Q Awards. In a 2008 poll, Urban Hymns was ranked as the 10th best British album of all time.
It was also nominated for "Best British Album of the Last 30 Years" at the Brits 2010 but lost to Oasis
's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
, except where noted.
The Japanese edition of the album contains 15 tracks — the bonus track "Lord I Guess I'll Never Know" is track 14 and "Deep Freeze" is track 15.
All of these five songs, however, would later be released; the first three as solo singles by Ashcroft, and the latter two on the band's compilation album, This Is Music: The Singles 92–98.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year. It is currently ranked the 15th best-selling album in UK chart history.
Background
The Verve had previously released two albums, A Storm in HeavenA Storm in Heaven
A Storm in Heaven is the debut studio album by English rock band The Verve , released in June 1993 on the Hut Recordings label...
in 1993 and A Northern Soul
A Northern Soul
A Northern Soul is the second studio album by English alternative rock band The Verve. The album was released in the United States on 20 June 1995 on the Hut label and in the United Kingdom on 3 July 1995 on Vernon Yard Records...
in 1995. Neither album had achieved mainstream success, and the band split shortly after their second album due to internal conflicts. Vocalist Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
quickly reformed the group, with Simon Tong
Simon Tong
Simon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival and Transmission. He has also played on tour with Blur, Gorillaz and the unnamed supergroup responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen...
, an old friend of the band on guitar, however Ashcroft realised Nick McCabe's unique guitar style was required to complete the true Verve unit and later asked him to return. Tong also remained adding more guitar and keyboard/organ textures, making them a five-piece band and expanding their sound.
The four-piece had already recorded several tracks for the album with Youth
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
as producer, but once McCabe returned they re-recorded several tracks and changed producers to Chris Potter
Chris Potter
Christopher or Chris Potter may refer to:*Chris Potter *Christopher Potter *Chris Potter *Chris Potter *Christopher Potter, English academic and clergyman*Chris Potter , Dean of St Asaph...
. McCabe said that in the next seven months of work, "... the key tracks were recorded from scratch, but some of them were already there."
The cover photo was taken in Richmond Park
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Music
The Verve were known for their music's complex, immersive sonic textures. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and remains the band's most well-known song. "The Drugs Don't Work", the band's only number one single in the UKEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, became a concert staple for jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
s and other groups.
The rest of the album alternated between wistful ballads like "Sonnet" and "Space and Time", spacey grooves like "Catching the Butterfly" and "The Rolling People", and all-out rockers like the Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
-esque, pounding "Come On", the album closer.
Release and reception
The album received nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, with Melody MakerMelody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
naming Urban Hymns as the number-one album of 1997 in its year-end list.
Urban Hymns debuted at #63 on the Billboard 200, becoming the first album by the group to chart in the U.S. The album ultimately peaked at #23, and is the group's best-selling album in the U.S. with over 1.3 million copies sold. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on April 4, 1998.
Legacy
In the years following its release, Urban Hymns received much acclaim. In 1998, it won Best British Album at the Brit AwardsBrit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, it was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
, and Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine readers voted it the 18th greatest album of all time. The magazine placed it at the same position in 2001.
In 2006, its editors voted it the 16th greatest album of all time. The Verve were awarded with the first ever "Q Classic Album" award for this album at the 2007 Q Awards. In a 2008 poll, Urban Hymns was ranked as the 10th best British album of all time.
It was also nominated for "Best British Album of the Last 30 Years" at the Brits 2010 but lost to Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 October 1995 through Creation Records. The album was Oasis' most enduring commercial success, charting at number one in the UK and number four in the U.S...
Track listing
All songs written by Richard AshcroftRichard Ashcroft
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
, except where noted.
- "Bitter Sweet SymphonyBitter Sweet Symphony"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve, the lead track on their third album, Urban Hymns. It is based on music from an Andrew Loog Oldham adaptation of a Rolling Stones song, "The Last Time". It was released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings as the first single...
" (Jagger/RichardsJagger/RichardsThe songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, known as Jagger/Richards , is a musical collaboration whose output has produced the majority of the catalogue of The Rolling Stones....
, Ashcroft) – 5:58 - "SonnetSonnet (song)"Sonnet" is a song by Britpop band The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released 2 March 1998 as the final single from the album . The song has the same instrumental layout as "The Drugs Don't Work", consisting of acoustic and electric guitars backed up with a string...
" – 4:21 - "The Rolling People" (The Verve) – 7:01
- "The Drugs Don't WorkThe Drugs Don't Work"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by the British rock band, The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released on September 1, 1997 as the second single from the album, charting at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's most successful single in the UK...
" – 5:05 - "Catching the Butterfly" (The Verve) – 6:26
- "Neon Wilderness" (Nick McCabeNick McCabeNick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
, The Verve) – 2:37 - "Space and Time" – 5:36
- "Weeping Willow" – 4:49
- "Lucky Man" – 4:53
- "One Day" – 5:03
- "This Time" – 3:50
- "Velvet Morning" – 4:57
- "Come On" (The Verve) – 15:15
- "Come On" - (00:00–6:38)
- [silence] - (06:38–13:01)
- "Deep Freeze" - (13:01–15:15)
The Japanese edition of the album contains 15 tracks — the bonus track "Lord I Guess I'll Never Know" is track 14 and "Deep Freeze" is track 15.
B-sides
- "Lord I Guess I'll Never Know" (Ashcroft) (produced by Youth)
- "Country Song" (produced by Youth)
- "So Sister" (Ashcroft) (produced by Chris Potter)
- "Echo Bass" (produced by Chris Potter)
- "Three Steps" (produced by Chris Potter)
- "The Crab" (Ashcroft) (produced by Chris Potter)
- "Stamped" (produced by Chris Potter)
- "Never Wanna See You Cry" (Ashcroft)(produced by Chris Potter)
- "MSG" (produced by Chris Potter)
- "The Longest Day" (produced by Chris Potter)
Other
Songs which did not make the cut include- "A Song for the LoversA Song for the Lovers"A Song for the Lovers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the opening track on his 2000 album, Alone with Everybody. The song was also released on April 3, 2000 as the first single from that album in the United Kingdom...
" - "New YorkAlone with EverybodyAlone with Everybody is the first solo album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, released via Hut Records in June 2000 ....
" - "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)C'mon People (We're Making It Now)"C'mon People " is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft and is the tenth track on his 2000 album Alone with Everybody. The song was also released on September 11, 2000 as the third single from that album in the United Kingdom...
" - "This Could Be My MomentThis Could Be My Moment"This Could Be My Moment" is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve and was released as the thirteenth track on their 2004 singles compilation album This Is Music: The Singles 92–98. The song was recorded during the sessions for the band's penultimate studio album Urban Hymns in late...
" - "Monte CarloMonte Carlo (song)"Monte Carlo" was a song by British band The Verve. It was first released as the second of two bonus tracks on the compilation album This is Music: The Singles 92–98...
"
All of these five songs, however, would later be released; the first three as solo singles by Ashcroft, and the latter two on the band's compilation album, This Is Music: The Singles 92–98.
Sales
| Country | Chart position | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 | 8× Platinum |
| United States | 23 | Platinum |
| France | 1 | Platinum |
| Canada | 1 | 2× Platinum |
| Australia | 9 | 3× Platinum |
| Netherlands | 1 | Platinum |
| Switzerland | 1 | Platinum |
| New Zealand | 1 | 5× Platinum |
Album
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
23 |
| Top Canadian Albums | 18 |
| Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... (Germany) |
11 |
| Lista Top-40 (Finland) | 4 |
Singles
| Single | Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| "Lucky Man" | Modern Rock Tracks | 16 |
| Lista Top-20 (Finland) | 16 | |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 38 | |
| "Bitter Sweet Symphony" | Top 40 Adult Recurrents | 9 |
| Adult Top 40 | 8 | |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 4 | |
| Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 | |
| Top 40 Mainstream | 23 | |
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 12 | |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 15 | |
| Lista Top-20 (Finland) | 6 | |
| "The Drugs Don't Work" | Lista Top-20 (Finland) | 9 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 10 | |
| "Sonnet" | New Zealand Singles Chart | 43 |
Band
- Richard AshcroftRichard AshcroftRichard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Nick McCabeNick McCabeNick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
– lead guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Simon JonesSimon Jones (musician)Simon Jones is an English bass player. He played bass and provided occasional backing vocals for the English band, The Verve.-Personal life:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Peter SalisburyPeter SalisburyPeter Salisbury is best known as the drummer of The Verve, which he joined as a founding member in 1989.- Personal life :...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Simon TongSimon TongSimon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival and Transmission. He has also played on tour with Blur, Gorillaz and the unnamed supergroup responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
With
- YouthMartin GloverMartin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
("Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Sonnet", "The Drugs Don't Work", "Lucky Man", "One Day", "This Time", "Velvet Morning") - Chris PotterChris Potter (producer)Chris Potter is a British music producer and mixer, most famous for his work as long-term collaborator and producer of The Verve and Richard Ashcroft....
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
("The Rolling People", "Catching the Butterfly", "Neon Wilderness", "Space and Time", "Weeping Willow", "Come On", "Deep Freeze"), engineer, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, recordingRecordingRecording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording.... - The VerveThe VerveThe Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Liam GallagherLiam GallagherWilliam John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
- backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
("Come On") - Mel Wesson – programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Paul Anthony Taylor – programming
- Will MaloneWill MaloneWill Malone is a British music producer, who has worked with artists including Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Todd Rundgren, The Verve, Massive Attack and Italian rocker Gianna Nannini. In 1976, Malone & Lou Reizner covered a Beatles song, "You Never Give Me Your Money", for the evanescent musical...
– conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, stringString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - Gareth Ashton – assistant engineer
- Lorraine Francis – assistant engineer
- Jan Kybert – assistant engineer
- Brian CannonBrian CannonBrian Cannon is a British graphic designer, art director, photographer, band manager and music video director. He is best known for his Microdot graphic design company and its work in the 1990s, which created the album cover for Oasis' record breaking debut album, Definitely Maybe, in 1994.Two of...
– directorArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, sleeve artRecord sleeveA record sleeve is the outer covering of a vinyl recording. The sleeve is technically the paper covering that is closest in contact to the surface of the recording, as in "dust sleeve", "liner" and "album liner". The term has come to be synonymous with "record jacket" and "album jacket", which is... - Martin Catherall – design assistant
- Matthew Sankey – design assistant
- Michael Spencer Jones – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- John Horsley – photography
- Chris Floyd – photography
See also
- List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom