Music Review: 'Urban Hymns' Acoustic/electric guitar interplay; orchestral crescendos; vocals reverently delivering uplifting lyrics. Barry Manilow's latest? Nope. Just a surprising — and stunning — comeback from Britain's shoe-gazing… Richard Ashcroft The Verve
EW's GRADE
A-

Details Lead Performances: Richard Ashcroft and The Verve

Acoustic/electric guitar interplay; orchestral crescendos; vocals reverently delivering uplifting lyrics. Barry Manilow's latest? Nope. Just a surprising — and stunning — comeback from Britain's shoe-gazing shamans the Verve, resurrected after two splintered years. Crooner Richard Ashcroft makes it all sound like churchworthy gospel. Or at least a tidy sermon for jaded MTVers. B+

Originally posted Oct 10, 1997 Published in issue #400 Oct 10, 1997 Order article reprints