Forth (album)

The band recorded new songs in Richmond between 2007 and 2008. Most of the backing tracks were done before touring the UK in November and December. Then, recording continued between February and the start of their summer dates in April and some final work was done after the mini US-tour done between April and May before their summer festival appearances in Europe and Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.reflectionsofdarkness.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3621&Itemid=46 |title=A dark music webzine |publisher=Reflections of Darkness |date=19 August 2008 |access-date=5 October 2011}} Jonathan Cohen of Billboard states that Forth is "[A] bracing blend of the experimentalism of the group's early work and the more structured songwriting of its last two efforts."Cohen, Jonathan. [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044612/the-verve-storms-back-on-fourth-album "The Verve Storms Back on Fourth Album"]. Billboard. 1 August 2008.

"Sit and Wonder" and "Love Is Noise" have been played live during the band's festival appearances, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2008; "Rather Be" also received select live airings throughout the summer, notably as part of the band's headlining set at the V Festival in August 2008. "I See Houses" was played live once, at the Eden Project in Cornwall in August 2008.

{{Album ratings

| MC = 71/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/forth/the-verve|title=Forth by The Verve|publisher=Metacritic}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1407745|tab=review|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|accessdate=20 June 2011}}

| rev2 = Drowned in Sound

| rev2Score = 5/10{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/13597/reviews/3913996-the-verve-forth |title=The Verve – Forth |work=Drowned in Sound |date=26 August 2008 |access-date=4 August 2019 |last=Wale |first=Dan |archive-date=4 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804230013/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/13597/reviews/3913996-the-verve-forth |url-status=dead }}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/aug/22/rockreview.theverve |title=Rock Review: The Verve, Forth |last=Costa |first=Maddy |work=The Guardian |date=22 August 2008 |access-date=20 June 2011 }}

| rev4 = The Michigan Daily

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last1=Buljina |first1=Harun |title=Bittersweet Comeback |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BwlbAAAAIBAJ&pg=5361%2C842468 |access-date=20 November 2018 |work=Michigan Daily |date=10 September 2008}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/the-verve/9850 |title=The Verve – Forth |last=Stokes |first=Paul |work=NME |date=14 August 2008 |access-date=20 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101081056/http://www.nme.com/reviews/the-verve/9850 |archive-date=1 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 5.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12145-forth/|title=The Verve: Forth|website=Pitchfork}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7Score = {{Rating|3|5}}Q, August 2008

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|first=David|last=Fricke|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22684336/review/22694615/forth|title=The Verve: Forth|website=Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827051434/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22684336/review/22694615/forth|date=September 4, 2008|archive-date=August 27, 2008}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Wood |first=Mikael |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/verve-forth-your-ownmegaforce |title=The Verve, 'Forth' (On Your Own/Megaforce) |website=Spin |date=25 August 2008 |access-date=5 October 2011}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_verve/reviews/11995 |title=Album review: The Verve – Forth – Review |website=Uncut |access-date=5 October 2011 |archive-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817022142/http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_verve/reviews/11995 |url-status=dead }}

| noprose = yes

}}Forth received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on 28 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/forth/the-verve|title=Forth by The Verve|website=Metacritic}}

Forth was named No. 47 in Q's "50 Best Albums of the Year" for 2008 {{Cite journal|date=January 2009|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2008|page=81|series=Q}} and No.26 in NME's "Best Albums of 2008" list.{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/q1001_songs.htm |title=1001 Best Ever Songs – Q 250 |website=Rock List Music |access-date=June 26, 2012}}

All songs written by the Verve, except where noted.

{{Track listing

|headline = Standard version

|title1 = Sit and Wonder

|length1 = 6:52

|title2 = Love Is Noise

|writer2 = The Verve/Ashcroft

|length2 = 5:29

|title3 = Rather Be

|writer3 = Ashcroft

|length3 = 5:38

|title4 = Judas

|length4 = 6:18

|title5 = Numbness

|length5 = 6:34

|title6 = I See Houses

|writer6 = Ashcroft

|length6 = 5:37

|title7 = Noise Epic

|length7 = 8:13

|title8 = Valium Skies

|writer8 = Ashcroft

|length8 = 4:34

|title9 = Columbo

|length9 = 7:30

|title10 = Appalachian Springs

|writer10 = Ashcroft

|length10 = 7:33

}}

{{Track listing

|headline = LP and Japanese version bonus tracks

|title10 = Ma Ma Soul

|length10 = 5:42

|title11 = Muhammad Ali

|length11 = 6:20

}}

Notes

• Due to the addition of two tracks before "Appalachian Springs" on the LP and Japanese versions, the song "Appalachian Springs" becomes track 12.

• "The Thaw Session" - 14:09 ( It was released exclusively as a free download by the band through the NME website on 22 October 2007)
• "Mover" - 3:55 (2008 Version / It was available at www.theverve.tv for one week only)
• "Let the Damage Begin" – 4:09 (Amazon.com exclusive bonus track – live version from 2007 originally released as a B-side to "Love Is Noise")

• "Chic Dub" - 6:12 ("Love Is Noise" B-side)
• "Major Force" - 5:53 (Rather Be 7" Vinyl #1)
• "All Night Long" - 7:26 (Rather Be - 7" Vinyl #2)

• "Blue Pacific Ocean" - 6:20 (Leaked the 18-05-08)
• "Mona Lisa" - 3:59 (It was going to be included in the album and was also proposed as the first single, according to Nick McCabe) [Richard Ashcroft]
• "Ain't The Future A Trip" ?:?? (This song was temporarily leaked on a forum of fans)

• Space & Time: The Verve Documentary{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Verve-Forth/release/1443151 |title=Verve, The – Forth (CD, Album) at Discogs |publisher=discogs |date=26 August 2008 |access-date=5 October 2011}}
• The Verve: Live at Coachella, April 2008
• #"Sonnet"
• #"This Is Music"
• #"The Rolling People"
• #"Lucky Man"
• #"Love Is Noise"

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The Verve

• Richard Ashcroft – vocals, acoustic guitars, keyboards
• Nick McCabe – lead guitar, keyboards, vibraphone, autoharp
• Simon Jones – bass guitar
• Peter Salisbury – drums, percussion

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Additional personnel

• Davide Rossi – string arrangements, violins (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8)
• The Verve – producer
• Cameron Jenkins – mixing, recording
• Chris Potter – producer, mixing, recording (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10)
• Tim Bran – producer, mixing (tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10)
• Jazz Summers and Tim Parry for The Big Life Music Company – management
• Dean Chalkley – portrait photography
• Studio Fury – design & art direction

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{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Forth|artist=The Verve|relyear=2008|certyear=2008|type=album|region=Ireland|award=Gold}}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Forth|artist=Verve|relyear=2008|certyear=2024|type=album|region=United Kingdom|award=Platinum|id=2363-1958-2|access-date=5 September 2024}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkBxZP3vTODKKD83OspygvfEFBJwk36gj Forth] at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

{{The Verve}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2008 albums

Category:The Verve albums

Category:Albums produced by Chris Potter (record producer)

Category:Parlophone albums