Forth (album).html



Forth
Studio album by The Verve
Released	August 25, 2008
Recorded	2007 - 2008, at State of the Ark in Richmond, London1
Genre	Alternative rock Shoegazing Space rock Psychedelic rock
Length	64:22 76:33 (LP version)
Label	Parlophone (UK) On Your Own Records (U.S.) EMI (Worldwide)
Professional reviews
Allmusic Link Billboard (Very Positive) Link BBC (Positive) Link The Guardian Link NME (8/10) Link Pitchfork Media (5.0/10) Link Q (August '08) Rolling Stone Link Spin Link Uncut Link
The Verve chronology
This Is Music: The Singles 92-98 (2004) Forth (2008)
Singles from Forth
"Love Is Noise" Released: August 11, 2008 "Rather Be" Released: November 17, 2008

Forth is the fourth album by English alternative rock band The Verve and was released internationally on August 25, 2008, and a day later in North America.² The album is the band's first release since reforming in 2007 and touring at various festivals in 2008. It is also the band's first album of new material since Urban Hymns was released in 1997, excluding two unreleased tracks on the singles compilation album This Is Music: The Singles 92-98.

The album's first single, "Love Is Noise", received its first airplay by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 on June 23, 2008.³ The song reached #4 in the UK and became a summer hit in Europe. The band also released a non-album track, "Mover", as a free digital download a week later.

The album was leaked on August 13. On August 19, The Verve put the entire album online via their MySpace page for one week, allowing everyone to listen to the songs in their entirety.

Background

The band recorded new songs in Richmond between 2007 and 2008. Most of the backing tracks were done before touring the UK in November and December. Then, recording continued between February and the start of their summer dates in April and some final work was done after the mini US-tour done between April and May before their summer festival appearances in Europe and Japan.⁴ The new songs feature vocalist Richard Ashcroft's structured balladry found on Urban Hymns with freeform sonic storms inspired by Nick McCabe's guitar. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard states that Forth is "[A] bracing blend of the experimentalism of the group's early work and the more structured songwriting of its last two efforts."⁵

"Sit and Wonder" and "Love Is Noise" have been played live during the band's festival appearances, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2008; "Rather Be" also received select live airings throughout the summer, notably as part of the band's headlining set at the V Festival in August, 2008.

Track listing

All songs written by The Verve, except where noted.

1. "Sit and Wonder" – 6:52
2. "Love Is Noise" (Richard Ashcroft, The Verve) – 5:29
3. "Rather Be" (Ashcroft) – 5:38
4. "Judas" – 6:19
5. "Numbness" – 6:35
6. "I See Houses" (Ashcroft) – 5:37
7. "Noise Epic" – 8:14
8. "Valium Skies" (Ashcroft) – 4:34
9. "Columbo" – 7:30
   • "Ma Ma Soul" – 5:45 (LP version, Japanese CD edition, and U.S. iTunes Store exclusive bonus recording)⁶
   • "Muhammad Ali" – 6:26 (LP version, Japanese CD edition, and U.S. iTunes Store pre-order exclusive bonus recording)⁶
10. "Appalachian Springs" (Ashcroft) – 7:34

Bonus track

• "Let the Damage Begin" – 4:09 (Amazon.com exclusive bonus track - live version from 2007 originally released as a B-side to "Love Is Noise")

Special Edition DVD

• "Sonnet" (live at Coachella)⁷
• "Life's an Ocean" (live at Coachella)⁷
• "The Rolling People" (live at Coachella)⁷
• "Lucky Man" (live at Coachella)⁷
• "Love Is Noise" (live at Coachella)⁷
• Space and Time documentary⁷

Charts & reception

The album was made #47 in Q's 50 Best Albums of the Year 2008.¹¹

Release history

References