Imperfect but not without interest

The Verve were rashly hailed in Britain as saviors of art pop when they came along in the late nineties, and this was their best-known track. And it's true, there's something vaguely interesting about looping an old violin riff from a discarded Rolling Stones session and building a song around it. There's also something highly repetetive about it, and the computerized drum tracks don't help the matter. There's also something whiny about the lead singer's voice, and something highly inelegant about the lyrics if you ever take the time to suss them out. ("You know the one that takes you where all the thing meet, yeah. I'm here in my mo, I am here in my mo...") Be all this as it may, it's a catchy riff and there are some fun sound effects whirring around in the background.

Love, life, happiness/Nothing more/Nothing less

More like 4 1/2 stars. I received this CD packaged with it's sister half (Pt.2) two years ago, and I still find it (and the other) to be a good listen when I'm in the right mood.

In addition to the already brilliant "Bittersweet Symphony," the long edit doing a superb job of extending and elaborating on the emotions the original stirs up, "Country Song" is one of my personal favorites. It is anything but "country," and I am glad for it. It immerses you in that same empathic, dark, simultaeously solemn and exhilerating mood that BSymphony does, but in a slightly subtler fashion.

I don't own Urban Hymns, but I've been told by my friends who have heard this and the other import singles that they exceed their parent album in quality and consistency. I had my doubts as to whether the band amounted to more than the BSymphony, and they ended up shattering my skepticism on this maxi-single. If Urban Hymns disappointed you, this little gem surely won't.

I would also suggest for those interested in a really good, (I am assuming) somewhat obscure, non-album single by the Verve, to check out their track on the Doom Generation soundtrack.

Wedding Processional

Don't have the CD, but my friend who just got married had a group of musicians play the "Bittersweet Symphony" music as the wedding processional. I must say the music was 100% perfect for the occassion, and really made it unique and orginal, yet not to "weird." Perfect for the couple getting married. :)