Richard Ashcroft - Keys To The World (2006)

Richard Ashcroft is back with The Verve, but I'm hoping that he'll also continue releasing solo stuff. The Verve are great but it was Richard's music that led me to them in the first place. Some say that 'Bittersweet Symphony' is the crowning glory of Richard's career, but I say that most of his solo work is pretty darn spiffy, too.

Case in point: the first half of Keys To The World. Kicking off with 'Why Not Nothing?' and its sing-along chorus (I can just imagine this being sung in pubs!), Keys is the album that introduced me to Richard Ashcroft. 'Why Not Nothing?' has a great energy and great lyrics that question everything from politics to God. 'Music Is Power' is, for me, the song that sums up Richard Ashcroft's work - he believes that music really is power, a power for good:

'Cause music is power, it's easing your soul
Rockin' like a cradle, yeah it won't let you go

If the melody's timeless, oh it won't let you down
You can feel the air moving, submit to the sound...

It's such a feel-good track. :) 'Break The Night With Colour' is next and I really can't say enough about this song. I went through a rough time last year and that title (along with 'Happiness Is An Option' by the Pet Shop Boys) sort of puts words to the feeling I had when I was finally getting better. I learned that life doesn't have to be sad - it can be happy, and I could be happy. So I felt like I really was breaking the night (the badness) with color (happiness), if that makes any sense at all! Anyways, enough of my life story. 'Break The Night With Colour' is based around a harpsichord and that's probably why it has such a cool sound. This is one song where I think the lyrics make the song even better - sometimes it doesn't really matter what the lyrics are, so long as the music is good, but here they work really well.

A tender ballad comes next in the form of 'Words Just Get In The Way.' The chorus in this song is so beautiful and true - words do sometimes just get in the way! 'Keys To The World' is probably the coolest song on the album. It has a female vocal sample - it sounds like something out of a house track! - and fantastic low strings pushing things along. Dark, moody, and wonderful.

Sadly, the last half of the album is pretty forgettable, except for 'Sweet Brother Malcolm,' which is thoroughly depressing but very pretty, with strings, piano, and an expressive vocal from Richard. 'Cry 'Til The Morning' is too long at 5:04, and sounds a little whiny (but I still like it for some reason!). Sort of in the same vein is 'Why Do Lovers?'. I switch between liking and not liking 'Simple Song' - but it has such a positive feel (strings, guitars, beats) that I can't not like it! Still, it's not one that I play often. Finally, 'World Keeps Turning' closes the album... rather boringly.

But! The B-sides from the singles of this album, and the bonus track from Japan, make up for the last half of Keys To The World, especially the rollicking 'Long Way Down' and the gorgeous 'The Direction' are the ones you must get. You can find those on iTunes and other places online like 7Digital (or scroll down for all the B-sides and '75 Degrees' in varying qualities!). :)

So, give Keys To The World a try! :)

Keys To The World (2006) (m4a CD rip)
1. Why Not Nothing?
2. Music Is Power
3. Break the Night with Colour
4. Words Just Get in the Way
5. Keys to the World
6. Sweet Brother Malcolm
7. Cry Til the Morning
8. Why Do Lovers?
9. Simple Song
10. World Keeps Turning

Bonus track/B-sides

• Circles ('Words Just Get In The Way' single)
• Slip Sliding ('Break The Night With Colour' DVD single)
• Long Way Down ('Music Is Power' single)
• 75 Degrees (bonus track - Japan)
• The Direction ('Break The Night With Colour' single)

Enjoy! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Richard Ashcroft - Keys To The World (2006)