#107 THE VERVE - Unreleased Urban Hymns (Flac)

Now the holiday season has passed, the music scene picks up with a deluge of new releases scheduled for release. A deluxe re-issue marking the 20 year anniversary of the release of 'Urban Hymns' by The Verve caught my eye, it's a box set consisting of five audio discs and one DVD.

Those that have only heard the album 'Urban Hymns' and none of the numerous cd single only tracks, released on the three (double pack) Hut singles in 1997, will be in for a bit of an ear opener. There was enough quality music available for the release of a quick, less comercial follow up to 'Urban Hymns' but a history of internal strife within the band put paid to any further releases, as they again split. They reformed for one further album 'Forth' a decade later. Tensions still exist between band members, recently Nick McCabe wrote on Facebook about the penultimate track on this set: "Richard doesn't want it releasing, because he knows how good it is"

This bootleg has therefore appeared in timely fashion. These eleven tracks were supposed to have been released on the recent 'Urban Hymns' reissue but unfortunately after the band approved them for release, Richard Ashcroft then vetoed them all. Nick McCabe showed a picture of the cd-r online. They were then leaked by an unknown source in the first week of September. Co-incidentally a YouTube uploader claims that they came from someone who works in the distribution department of the record company UMC. Whatever the exact story behind this, many fans have complained that these unreleased tracks should have been included on the box and it is undeniable that it would have made the set more complete.

The only non essential track is Original Insanity with its static noise, tinkling bell and crying baby. It was finished with guitar replacing the static noises and re-titled Deep Freeze for release as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of  'Urban Hymns'. The opener here, Sweet And Sour may sound familiar as it employs a drum track similar to that of Bittersweet Symphony. The Beat Nick mix of This Time is more stripped back and excludes the synth and guitar overdubs of the album track. The previously unreleased songs: Sweet And Sour, Wednesday Madness, Jalfrezi, Tina Turner, All Ways Are Maybes and King Riff 2 are all excellent

Original notes:

2017 Deluxe Edition Box Set Outtakes of fully mastered tracks approved by all band members
except Richard Ashcroft and subsequently leaked allegedly by guitarist Nick McCabe.
These tracks are flawless quality, professionally mastered by the same remastering team
and should have been included in the deluxe edition box.

The Verve - Urban Hymns Unreleased Studio Tracks

1. Sweet And Sour (5:22)
2. Wednesday Madness (4:49)
3. Neon Wilderness (Idea) (1:38)
4. Jalfrezi (4:40)
5. This Time (Beat Nick Mix) (3:49)
6. Tina Turner (6:49)
7. Oh Sister (3:31)
8. Sonnet (Acoustic demo) (3:40)
9. Original Insanity (1:36)
10. All Ways Are Maybes (4:46)
11. King Riff 2 (7:54)

LINK