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8.0
14575
8.0 |
The Irish Times
There really is some excellent stuff on this, and Ashcroft remains as charmingly out there as ever
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8.0
26475
8.0 |
Blurt
Right from the first notes, the listener is launched on a high-speed rock journey that not only necessitates seat belts but perhaps shoulder harnesses too
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6.0
14895
6.0 |
The Scotsman
Fear not, Verve fans, there's still scope for his usual patchwork lyrical bombast. "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection, love is the law", etc, etc.
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6.0
14709
6.0 |
Culture Deluxe
Taken in comparison to previous solo works, this is definitely a step up
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6.0
14812
6.0 |
State
The kind of record that only a man who barges into youth clubs to lecture on the power of music would have the guts and will to make. And as hard as that might be to believe, that’s no bad thing
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6.0
14458
6.0 |
Mojo
A messy, somewhat confused canvas, but magic sometimes lurks 'neath the chaos. Print edition only
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6.0
14461
6.0 |
Uncut
Ultimately it's hard to listen to a lot of this album without cringing
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6.0
14522
6.0 |
God Is In The TV
Verve fans will be taking a second glance at their MP3/CDs to see if this is really Richard Ashcroft that their listening to
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6.0
14559
6.0 |
BBC
It might not always succeed in its style-swapping, but The United Nations of Sound is certainly as bold a record as Ashcroft’s ever made. If you thought he was incapable of making non-Verve music, it's time to think again
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5.0
14427
5.0 |
The Digital Fix
Despite a few touches of the old verve, United Nations Of Sound is quite a let down
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4.0
14455
4.0 |
Q
As Ashcrofts' urban crossover record this is less Jay-Z more East 17. Print edition only
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4.0
14883
4.0 |
The Skinny
Ashcroft may view this latest project as an ascension back to the forefront of the British music scene, but realistically it sounds like the death knell of a once promising career
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4.0
14602
4.0 |
Evening Standard
We find Richard doing a poor man's Marvin Gaye on Good Loving, a laughable Muddy Waters on How Deep Is Your Man and a hilarious Lou Reed on Royal Highness, which is so close to Sweet Jane that I wondered whose royalties he had in mind
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4.0
14627
4.0 |
The Observer
The United Nations of Sound should have been a lush, stirring work. Instead, it misfires wildly
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4.0
14684
4.0 |
Scotland on Sunday
Life Can Be So Beautiful emulates the smooth sound of Philadelphia, but is desperately close to parody
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4.0
23781
4.0 |
Rolling Stone
Ponders religion ("Beatitudes"), the ladies ("She Brings Me the Music") and old Prince songs ("This Thing Called Life")
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4.0
15116
4.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
If he keeps releasing music as dreadful as this, people won’t even be able to listen to his older material without bringing up his inferior current output, with even his classic songs being clouded by these lousy numbers
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4.0
15140
4.0 |
Daily Telegraph
Inspirational in small doses, the air of trite exultation becomes comica
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4.0
15197
4.0 |
The Quietus
Ashcroft is on record as claiming he's one of the best rock'n'roll frontmen of all time, but nothing quite prepares you for the arrogance underpinning United Nations of Sound
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4.0
14539
4.0 |
Drowned In Sound
Ultimately, despite some innovation, United Nations of Sound cannot transcend the presence of its architect, who renders half the tracks fundamentally unlistenable with his horrible attempts to play gospel preacher or loverman
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3.3
23775
3.3 |
A.V. Club
For a man with a true gift for epic pomposity, he’s mostly dull here
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-
3.3
14906
3.3 |
Beats Per Minute
Too many songs on offer here meander for too long without any development; too many genres are thrown together into the melting pot in the hopes of making something rewarding
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3.2
14892
3.2 |
Pitchfork
He too often tries to take the fast track to universal appeal, routinely dropping blank-slate slogans
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3.0
14523
3.0 |
NME
There’s plenty of the parping soul-lite where he strives for Marvin Gaye, but ends up at M People
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3.0
24632
3.0 |
Under The Radar
Overly eager to please, overly stylized, and falls way short of honoring the genres for which Ashcroft clearly cares deeply
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2.0
14565
2.0 |
The Guardian
Too much of United Nations of Sound feels like a vanity project gone horribly awry
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2.0
14470
2.0 |
musicOMH
Has to go down as a pompous, self-indulgent rock folly. Not good. Not good at all
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