The Verve: ‘Love Is Noise’

It’s been 10 years since The Verve last graced the singles chart with 1998's ‘Sonnet’ and, with few diehard fans totally satisfied with Richard Ashcroft’s interim solo offerings, quite a lot is left resting on this latest comeback.

The single follows a heavy spate of festival performances and precedes the imaginatively titled fourth album, ‘Forth’, from which this track is taken. There are elements of the sound which hark back to the earlier grittier albums such as ‘Northern Soul’, yet the more poppy direction which ‘Urban Hymns’ took them in has certainly not been ignored completely.

As for the track itself, it is a bit of a mixed bag. Elements are quite commercial and the annoyance of the ever-present Teletubby-esque backing vocal loop can at times become rather unbearable. However, for the most part it nestles in the background amidst the highly layered trademark Verve sound, with echoed guitars permeating through subtle synths and vocal effects.

Released on 11th August 2008 by Parlophone Records.

Written by Andy Hirst.