A Northern Soul (studio album) by The Verve

Not a patch on Urban Hymns, and not a good album really. Life's An Ocean is a good track and there are a few other decent tracks - but most of the tracks are too monotonous and some too long. The title track is really bad, almost difficult to listen to. Almost feels like a b-sides album.

From imacgill 09/25/2022 19:24

"This is music" the way it's supposed to be made. Epic, grandiose and a masterpiece.

From pedro1976 04/27/2022 12:24

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Terrific Album, aging like a fine wine. Album of the year, 1995.

From Jboy56 03/22/2022 07:43

A dark, slow album that Jim Morrison could have loved.

From Goliath 01/03/2019 10:41

I only really like the first track, the rest is a bit slow and depressing. Apparently the lyrics are good, but as usual I cannot make them out.

From luigybetis 06/03/2018 16:45

Another nice listen, these guys have something atmospheric... 8/10.

I have 3 The Verve albums - Urban Hymns (of course); A Storm in Heaven (who are they trying to be? Not really found their feet there with this psychedelic attempt) and this album - not quite Hymns but definitely a progression from Storm and moving towards the more punchy and rocky album that will be Hymns, without quite delivering as interesting songs on this attempt. But always nice to see a band grow into themselves rather than shine and fade over the first two releases - in effect a real band rather than a TV Show produced effort.
Nevertheless a good album - if a little one pace and downbeat and tracks probably over long. But I can see for others that it presses their buttons and each to their own.
If I need to feel depressed and seek some solace I'll reach for this album then.
Best tracks - off key vocals and lazy beat of Drive You Home; History - a track that could be on Hymns and as such can be seen as the acorn from which Hymns grows?

Unforgettable album, a britpop masterpiece, not recognized by many.

2nd fav release from this band just below Urban Hymns but not by much. Great album imo. MEZ

From marazico 10/22/2014 11:17

The songs, such as they are, are long and have little structure, the production is murky and raw and harrowing, the tempo is unchanging to the point of testing endurance. There is no joy or even solace to be found in this record, only unforgiving turmoil. It is a traumatic realisation of the hopelessness of human existence, a document of fractured mentalities, the sound of four young men old before their time, scarred by life, already dead once and now desperately striving to be alive for just a moment before it all fades. Songs in the key of pain. Modern, urban, tortured psychedelic soul [...] A wall of noise, a sea of anguish, a masterpiece. On a hillside somewhere in the distance a man screams his desolation at the sky and curses his birth, overcome with fear that this emptiness may be all he can ever know. This record is his scream.