Released twenty five years ago this month in June 1995, A Northern Soul was the Wigan based bands second studio album after their debut release, A Storm In Heaven. Often hailed as a classic and featured heavily in 'best of the 90s' lists, Our Sound takes a look at an album that gave us two bona fide classic songs in This Is Music and History.
Recorded in Wales with Oasis producer Owen Morris, the album has an incredible sound. The guitar sound is alive and dangerous; singer Richard Ashcroft's vocals throughout are sublime. This Is Music is the first The Verve single I ever bought and it sounds as immediate as it ever was. On Your Own is a lighter song that has stood the test of time as one of Ashcroft's finest compositions. So It Goes and Noel Gallagher dedicated title track A Northern Soul sound like the evolution of jams by the band in that there is nothing wrong with them they are just there.
Stand out track History is an all time classic and foreshadows the bands following release Urban Hymns. It is epic and anthemic as well as being just as moving listening in 2020 as it was all those years ago.
A Northern Soul stands above many albums from its era however beyond History, This Is Music & On Your Own there is very little else to warrant any extended repeat listen. **1/2
To take a look at this classic album on Vinyl click here