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Sep 26, 2018 Richard Ashcroft By Christopher Roberts

Richard Ashcroft (formerly of The Verve) is releasing a new solo album, Natural Rebel, on October 19 via Ashcroft’s own label, RPA, and BMG. Previously he shared a video for the album’s first single, “Surprised by the Joy” (which was an honorable mention in our Songs of the Week list). Now he has shared another song from the album, “Born to Be Strangers,” which has kind of a classic rock/1970s vibe to it. Listen to it below, followed by Ashcroft’s upcoming U.K. tour dates.

Ashcroft had this to say about the song in a press release: “This record has more guitar playing on it than the last. We’ve reached the point where the guitar has to do something if you’re gonna play it. It’s got to move you in some way. It doesn’t have to be intricate or muso, it just has to have soul.”

Ashcroft produced Natural Rebel alongside Jon Kelly (Paul McCartney, Kate Bush) and Emre Ramazanoglu (Bobby Gillespie, Jarvis Cocker). It was mainly recorded at State of the Ark Studios in Richmond, England, with further sessions at The Bunker, Tileyard Studios, and Hoxa HQ.

Ashcroft had this to say about Natural Rebel in a previous press release: “With experience comes knowledge and for me this is my strongest set of songs to date. All my favorite sounds distilled into something that will hopefully give my fans lasting pleasure. It is for them. Music is power.”

The Verve’s first two albums, 1993’s A Storm in Heaven and 1995’s A Northern Soul, were critically acclaimed but weren’t huge chart hits. The band broke up in 1995, but reformed for 1997’s Urban Hymns, which hit #1 on the UK album charts thanks in part to the success of the iconic single “Bittersweet Symphony” (as well as the hits “The Drugs Don’t Work” and “Lucky Man”). The band split up again in 1999 before reforming in 2007 and releasing a fourth album in 2008, the fittingly named Forth. The Verve split up for the third and so far final time in 2008 and Ashcroft’s last solo album, These People, was released in 2016. Natural Rebel is his fifth solo album (sixth if you count 2010’s United Nations of Sound, credited to RPA & The United Nations of Sound).

Richard Ashcroft UK Tour Dates:

Friday October 26th - Glasgow Barrowlands - SOLD OUT
Sunday October 28th - Middlesborough Town Hall - SOLD OUT
Monday October 29th - Nottingham Rock City - SOLD OUT
Wednesday October 31st - Manchester Albert Hall - SOLD OUT
Friday November 2nd - Kentish Town Forum - SOLD OUT

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