Personnel: Richard Ashcroft (vocals, guitar, melodica, piano, organ, Mellotron, keyboards, percussion); BJ Cole (pedal steel guitar); London Session Orchestra (strings); Lucinda Barry (harp); Jim Hunt (flute, saxophone); Jane Pickles, Anna Noakes (flute); Judd Lander (harmonica); Jamie Talbot (baritone saxophone); Philip D. Todd, Nigel Hitchcock (saxophone); Duncan Mackay, John Barclay, Stuart Brooks (trumpet); Chuck Leavell (piano, keyboards); Kate Radley (keyboards); Teena Lyle (vibraphone); Pino Palladino, Chris Potter (bass); Steve Sidelnyk (drums, percussion, programming); Peter Salisbury (drums); Craig Wingstaff (congas); Samantha Smith, Leonard Meade, Vernetta Meade, Michelle John-Douglas, Donovan Lawrence, Irene Myrtle Forrester (background vocals).
Recorded at Olympic & Metropolis Studios, London, England.
Following the worldwide success of The Verve's URBAN HYMNS album, vocalist Richard Ashcroft struck out on his own (with help from Verve drummer Peter Salisbury). ALONE WITH EVERYBODY, his debut solo effort, is a lush affair and the natural next step in furthering the sound of his former band's "Bittersweet Symphony." Each track is carefully constructed, replete with accentuating string sections, and highlights Ashcroft's relaxed-yet-earnest vocals.
Standouts are "Brave New World" and "Slow Was Heart," both which recall Echo And The Bunnymen and feature smoothed-out country grooves accented by subtle, snaky steel guitar. "New York" has an awkward yet curiously catchy funk undertone and swooping, overlapped guitars, while "You Must Be on My Mind," a gorgeous, slow motion lullaby, features a Verve-like instrumental break and is one of two tracks including ex-Spiritualized member Kate Radley (also known as Mrs. Richard Ashcroft). Speaking of Spiritualized, "Money to Burn" mines that band's alternative-gospel/blues vein, complete with harmonica, horns, and choral vocals. The album's highlight is "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)," which sounds as though it was a blast to record and is a catchy, glittering pop song to boot.
What the critics say...
Rolling Stone (7/20/00, p.142) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A quality set of long, slow ballads, heavy on the strings....Ashcroft has superhuman levels of sullen charisma..."
Entertainment Weekly (7/7/00, p.130) - "...An album of sweet symphonies....Piled high with strings and choirs...[the album] has flashes of sublime beauty....A promising...second wind." - Rating: B+
Magnet (8-9/00, p.67) - "...Elaborates on the same elegance he initially allowed to die with the Verve's disbanding....extracting life, hope and soul from its aura..."
CMJ (6/26/00, p.3) - "...A classic songwriter who voyages deep into his heart....[He] has successfully made the transition from band member to solo act..."
Mojo (Publisher) (7/00, p.101) - "...As wired and edgy as you'd expect....veering between classic singer-songwriter fare and dark, cut'n'paste groove-rock...coming across as a more ambitious, more personal retort to URBAN HYMNS..."
NME (Magazine) (12/30/00, p.78) - Ranked #20 in NME's "Top 50 Albums Of The Year".
NME (Magazine) (6/24/00, p.41) - 8 out of 10 - "...His unswerving belief in music's potency has enabled him to produce songs that have perfectly communicated his ongoing voyage of personal discovery....it's a gift that hasn't deserted him here..."
