RPA & The United Nations of Sound

RPA & The United Nations Of Sound

Richard Ashcroft & The United Nations of Sound's 'United Nations of Sound' is going to see a proper US release On March 29th under the moniker of simply Richard Ashcroft.  This, I believe, is a horrible idea and I'll tell you why:

The album is shit.

And I don't mean to say that with any malicious intent.  I've tried to force Richard Ashcroft's solo work onto everyone I know who's got a heavy head.  Most know him as the lead singer of the now thrice disbanded The Verve, but it's songs like 'I Get My Beat' 'XXYY' and 'Science of Silence' that he'd released as a soloist that placed him high among the numbers of my favorite artists.

There is very little of that man found in this latest project.  Richard's song writing and backing vocals seem completely phoned in.  The lyrics are rehashes of previous songs on prior albums.  Songs that were done better the first time.  And what the hell is with that awkward falsetto on 'Life Can Be So Beautiful'?  Why did no one tell him it was a bad idea?  Even still that turns out to be one of the catchier songs.  Granting these set backs Richard's voice is just as good as it's always been.  I don't fault him entirely for the shortcomings of this outing. Primarily I will blame that on the production done, surprisingly, by Chicago native and notable Hip Hop producer No I.D..  I remember No I.D. from back in the mid nineties when he was working with soon-to-be superstar COMMON and mentoring a young Kanye West.  I haven't really followed his career much after that, because I was never really blown away by him but it seems he's kept busy.  He's responsible for Jay Z's 'Death Of Auto-Tune'. So when I read that he'd worked on this album fond memories flooded back to mind.  Those were soon followed by massive apprehensions about how this collaboration would turn out.  All of those fears were confirmed once I got my hands on the album.
Every thing's played in really tight 4/4 arrangements.  Metronomic high hats.  Smooth ass bass lines.  With a couple exceptions, tracks that would seem more fitting for rap verses or spoken word.  I personally prefer the twangy slide guitar of his first album 'Alone With Everybody'.  I used to say the Brits make Country music far better than us Yanks.
Not to say that this is all bad, but it's a departure and that's fine.  My point is that it should be an off-shot side project as opposed to being included in the formal canon of Richard Ashcroft albums.  He's made some truly exceptional music and at moments that potential peaks it's head out on The United Nations of Sound but either it's short lived (i.e. the ending of She Brings me the music when the song just starts to be worth the 3 minute investment right before it abruptly ends) or it's stifled by the ill fitting instrumentation.

4.5 out of 10

Standout songs on The United Nations of Sound are:
Good Lovin'
She Brings Me The Music
Glory
Life Can Be So Beautiful

I'll let you look those up on your own time.  As for now I'll leave you with a few of the Richard Ashcroft songs that I've loved throughout the past decade.