Picking up where they left off. Ten years ago.
The credit crunch seems to have had an effect no one expected; more and more bands are deciding that 10 years is too long to be away from the studio. Maybe irreconcilable differences aren’t so irreconcilable after all. This single is going to divide the fans a bit. It’s very radio-friendly, and a really good listen. It’s actually danceable, upbeat, and probably a high point of a night out. Ok, so the ‘ooh ooh, squeak squeak’ backing vocals are going to grate on your nerves after a while, but at least it’s original. These guys could easily have fallen back on pale imitations of former success, but they haven’t, and for that they have to be saluted. Fans of Nick McCabe’s guitar are going to be disappointed, as it’s glossed over in favour of synths, which is shooting themselves in the foot a bit. But The Verve’s reputation is built on solid albums, so for those in doubt, wait for the record.