Music > Album Reviews

Richard Ashcroft - Natural Rebel

04/10/18

This is Ashcroft’s 5th solo album, since The Verve split up back in 2009. He retains his rock star coolness and extremely sharp dress code, just as he had it when his old band were ruling the music scene back in the late nineties. Some nine years on from when they split for the last time, he is proving once again with his very prominent vocal style that he still knows how to knock out some excellent songs.

All My Dreams is a great opening track, it’s got classic Ashcroft written all over it, it’s a big bold song and a great piece of song writing. That’s How Strong is a full on passionate love song that follows on in the same vein.

As an artist he has won much acclaim during a quite distinguished career both as a solo artist and as lead singer with The Verve, including winning an Ivor Novello award in 1998 for songwriter of the year. In the late nineties he was described as "the unmistakable face of the Number One rock band in England".

With regard to Natural Rebel, he said of the new album, “with experience comes knowledge and for me this is my strongest set of songs to date. All my favourite sounds distilled into something that will hopefully give my fans lasting pleasure. It is for them. Music is power.”

The final track Money Money, harks back to the classic days of his now distant past and resembles the classic Verve track Sit And Wonder from the album Forth. It’s a great moment on the album.

The LP is released on the 19th of October on his own record label RPA and for those who are keen Ashcroft followers, take note that it will also be released in a limited edition clear orange vinyl. Now is that sexy enough for you or what?