Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1

Description

Richard Ashcroft is set to release his new album 'Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1' on October 29th, 2021, via BMG. The album features twelve newly recorded acoustic versions of classic songs from his back catalogue, covering both his solo career and his time with The Verve. Following lockdown, Richard decided to launch the project to bring the community around him back together, reuniting a selection of great musicians and old friends. As the project took shape, they discovered how varied their new approaches could be. Some of the arrangements proved to be timeless and remained similar to the originals, with years of experience and a newfound passion seeing Richard's vocals express a new empathy in their lyrics. Meanwhile, other songs took on a new form in this stripped-down configuration. The revival of the iconic "Bittersweet Symphony" was an emotional moment for Richard. It was particularly poignant to re-record a song he had written almost twenty-five years ago, especially since it is now officially his composition after Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ceded their copyright to him. Another great moment comes with the new version of "C'Mon People (We're Making It Now)," a duet with Richard's old friend, Liam Gallagher. The duo had often talked about recording or performing the song together since its initial release in 2000, and now it has finally happened – the energy and enjoyment they shared during the session are palpable as the new recording radiates a joyous sense of optimism. 'Velvet Morning' is another track that has been transformed. The vocals on the original version, as featured on The Verve's classic "Urban Hymns," were sung through a megaphone that Richard had bought at a garage sale the day before the recording session. Now, Richard's voice truly shines as it unleashes the full breadth of the song. The biggest surprise on 'Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1' is the inclusion of "This Thing Called Life," a song Ashcroft has rarely played live. It was originally recorded with No I.D. in the United States as the highlight of his RPA & The United Nations Of Sound project. Now stripped back to its essentials, the new arrangement reveals a song that feels perfectly at home alongside Richard's most beloved work. Produced by Richard with his regular collaborator Chris Potter, the album features his regular live band augmented by some special collaborators. Wil Malone provides the string arrangements, which were recorded at Abbey Road Studios. In addition, Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers) plays piano, Roddy Bloomfield leads the brass section, and Steve Wyreman (Leon Bridges, Vic Mensa) contributes acoustic guitar and backing vocals.