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Human Conditions | 
| Artist: Richard Ashcroft
Label: Hut
Category: Music
List Price: £8.99
Buy Used: £0.01
as of 22/11/2009 18:06 GMT details
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Seller: zoverstocks
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 21939
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.4
UPC: 766489521428
EAN: 0724381338322
ASIN: B00006JXYT
Release Date: October 21, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Check the Meaning | | • | Buy It in Bottles | | • | Bright Lights | | • | Paradise | | • | God in the Numbers | | • | Science of Silence | | • | Man On A Mission | | • | Running Away | | • | Lord I've Been Trying | | • | Nature is the Law |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Richard Ashcroft has always been driven to tackle big topics in music, and IHuman Conditions/I finds him earnestly rolling the world into a question one more time. Even the titles tell their own story: "Check the Meaning", "Paradise", "God in the Numbers", "Man on a Mission"--more songs about God, life and passion, then. For better or worse, no contemporary rock star has engaged in such an intense, irony-free existential quest since Jim Morrison.p IHuman Conditions/I continues the wide-eyed spiritual odyssey instigated by 2000's IAlone With Everybody/I which is very good. Ashcroft is in persuasive, expressive voice on the fluent opener "Check the Meaning", while the spiritualised "Buy It in Bottles" will increase sales of disposable cigarette lighters in arenas around the globe. "Science of Silence and Man on a Mission" find the ex-Verve vocalist seeking, as ever, truth in an insecure world and the wracked, shoulder-heaving "Lord I've Been Trying" scales new heights of confessional grandeur. There are weighty splendours aplenty here: for Richard Ashcroft, it's clear the quest for catharsis through rock continues. I--Ian Gittins/I
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 22
 Ashcroft is back - with some classics too November 2, 2002
18 out of 20 found this review helpful
Well i have to say as a huge Verve fan I was dissapointed with Alone With Everybody. It had a few good songs but nothing like Urban Hymns or A Northern Soul. Excited by the prostect of this new Album "Human Conditions" I bought it straight away. I was blown away. This album is absoloutely fantastic. Check The Meaning screams Verve at you, but before you know it we really delve deep into Ashcroft as a solo aritst. Buy It In Bottles is sure to be classic. The melody, the lyrics it's all so addicive. And as the album progresses, Ashcrofts darker side that was lost on Alone With Eveybody returns most triumphantly with God In Numbers. It is a song so remincent of early Verve and the like found on Storm In Heaven. Ashcroft blends this darkness with poppier upbeat tunes on tracks such as Science In Silence and Nature Is The Law. But it's not the tracks on this album, it's how they fit together and how they move you through every emotion.pThis has to be the best album for a long while along with Coldplay's A Rush Of Blood To The Head. Although I doubt that good music will ever return to the top, at least the real music is still alive and kicking in the form of this tremendous album. If you loved the Verve, liked Alone with Everybody,then you must buy this because it will blow your socks off!
Ashcroft returns with convincing verve November 13, 2002
N. Mancini (Cranston, RI)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
Nobody can produce the soundtrack of human emotion like Richard Ashcroft. Ashcroft, the former lead singer and songwriter of the now-defunct Verve, returns to the symphonic-based introspective style of his first solo album, Alone with Everybody, with Human Conditions, a ten-track voyage through the psyche of one British rock's most purely interesting stars. Human Conditions represents the next step of Ascroft's phsychological recovery and self-discovery, but is emblematic for the inner struggles of all individuals. His sound is soothing and his message is universal and real, not feigned like so many of today's pop-folk guitar strummers. Human Conditions can only truly be appreciated for its full value in the context of all the Verve's work and Ashcroft's first solo album, but can still be embraced by those not willing or able to dedicate themselves to those other several albums. Taken alone, the album is a beautiful and triumphant escape from the doldrumms of rejection, loss, and sorrow that plagued Richard throughout a period of his life. Taken alongside the other works, Human Conditions is a medicine for the soul and a continuation of Ashcroft's examination of the full spectrum of emotion through music. Track by track, Human Conditions takes us into Richard Ashcroft's world, and in doing so, strikes a chord in each of us. His knack for doing just this is no new talent though, clear in all his works since the Verve EP and A Storm in Heaven. Take the chance and let Richard in....once you do, in your soul he'll remain.
Ignore the critics, this is very very good! January 13, 2003
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I can't believe some of the harsh reviews I've read here, because this is quite simply a great album. It starts superbly with "Check The Meaning", and just carries on from there. "Buy it in Bottles" brings back memories of The Drugs Don't Work, and Paradise has a killer chorus. There's loads going on here and you just have to be impressed with the consistency of Ashcroft's song writing. My personal favourites though are probably the last two tracks. On "Lord I've been Trying" he sounds very much like Neil Diamond and on "Nature is the Law" we hear shades of Elvis. Fantastic stuff, and how anyone can give it 1 star is beyond me!
A new work you have to FEEL and get listened into! October 28, 2002
StarlittenAntipathy
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
After the first listening, I was being very sceptic about Richard Ashcrofts follow-up of marvellous "Alone With Everybody" as well. You could almost state I was HIGHLY indignant and disappointed with it. But I thought that Richard Ashcroft has done so much for music and has released so many great masterpieces in his past, he deserves the chance that one gets listened into his latest release. And I have to admit... it is stunningly surprising how addictivebrhis melodies make. At least for me, he still has kept his skillbrof writing timeless melodies on 3 chords, that can't get of your mind.br The opener "Check The Meaning" is catchy and makes you curious for more. Already shows the changes in his music, that got even more loungy and chilling than before. "Can you hear what I am saying, got my mind medidating on love" the moving words in the opening chorus part, build the central topic around the album: "Come on and Let it in your heart, and Check The Meaning", as I'd interpret. The 8 minute-version might firstly turn off, but will allow further discoveries later on. Remarkable are the double-recorded vocals in the verses, where high and deep voices run parallel.br "Buy It In Bottles": at first I thought it's awful, but it makes addictive after a while. Very emotional middle 8("Stuck in this life where nothing changes").br "Bright Lights": affecting country-rock song, reminds of "Money To Burn". br "Paradise": one of the most beautiful songs on the album. very dreamy lyrics without being corny. Beautiful riff,brtasteful horn instruments in the background. Chill-out song.brWhen lyrics and spirit of "Human Conditions" first of all were irritating compared to earlier works, it will clear up by "God in the Numbers" at the latest: "I know I could learn a little harder. There's so much I want to read and know, but maybe I am a little lazy, maybe I don't really wanna know. I saw God in the numbers", probably explains his destiny about music and its mental enlightennment that's independant from any books and academic intellgence, but only caused by songs, verses and the experience of growing age, that will lead to yourself. Aside that Ashcroft's partly deep and dusky voices and the church organ throughout that song will let you catch chills and set you into a mysterious atmosphere,brTwo nice poppier songs follow up: "Science of Silence" ("We are on a rock spinning infinity") and "Man On a Mission", that easebrthe atmosphere of the album and let some sun through. Possible further singles.br Quiet "Running Away" seems to be very personal ("I ain't running away from my mind this time. Too stressed to eat, too tired to sleep. Alien to all you meet"), it has a beautiful piano, chilling bass lines and a sizzling intro/outro effect. br "Lord I've Been Trying" has easy, bluesy lyrics, needs a special time to get into it. It reminds of elapsed Verve times, where it also served as sound-checking track. "Sure it feels like I've been here before." A song about hanging on and sticking with the road you're on.brA well-done transition to the gigantic "Nature is The Law" as result of the collaboration with Beach Boys' legend Brian Wilson, that might seem a bit pompous at first hand, but will develop to the secret climax of HC by time: Ashcroft's voice tangling between country, Elvis and everything possible, overwhelming strings and a whole broad gospel choir keep vaccinating it up into your mind; NATURE IS THE LAW..."Many men here stood like I am, gazing out wishing foir someone. Some are living, Some are dead, and some are hiding, waiting for the sun. Nature is the Law". brThis is a new CD that is NOT OVERCATCHY. I dislike the shallow people who critisised this album and didn't give it a fair share of listening. If we don't give Ashcroft a chance who will we? And anyway how can Ashcroft ever be that awful, no matter whatever he might write, when his production is so unique that it stands for itself? The outstanding programming of Ashcroft's unique and charismatic lead and background vocals, as good as never before. No doubt!br And Wil Melone, who's outdone himself one more time, by arranging and conducting the string arrangements, which are from another space. brHUMAN CONIDTIONS will slowly sneak into your heart, and conquer its place there. So give it a chance.brYou will discover something new every time, which makes it special and unique.brNot as legendary as "Urban Hymns" and "Alone With Everybody", but who's able to write a "Decade Album" all the time? It's something new. And it's good. 5 stars.brCheck The Meaning. Feel what he's saying. Cheers.
Classic Rock star with Classic Album October 22, 2002
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
After only a couple of listens I already LOVE this record. 'God in the Numbers' and 'Buy it in Bottles' are the initial stand out tracks for me but the nearly all of the songs have a classic feel about them that makes me sure I'll be listening to them for many years to come. brRichard Ashcroft is obviously reaching out his musical ambitions to be listed up there with the greats - collaborating with Brian Wilson on one track and sounding quite Elvis Presley-esque in others.brThe music has moved on from the early Verve tracks - this album will appeal more to those who bought 'Urban Hymms' than those who prefer 'A Northern Soul'.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 22
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