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Watch Richard Ashcroft's 'Are You Ready?' comeback video now - exclusive

Former Verve man returns with new band United Nations Of Sound

January 18, 2010 | 16 Comments
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Richard Ashcroft has unveiled the first material from his new project, the United Nations Of Sound, exclusively on NME.COM.

You can watch the video for new song 'Are You Ready?' by clicking on the right now.

The track was produced by No ID, and features Ashcroft working with a host of new musical collaborators.

The song is described as a taster for the album - recorded under the working title 'Redemption' - which will be released on March 29, although the tracklisting is yet to be confirmed.

Stay tuned to NME.COM for the latest news on Ashcroft's new band.

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Comments (16)

masonparkfour

Jan 19, 2010

Is this a Christian record?

plucker

Jan 19, 2010

It doesn't sound ready yet.

danhollister

Jan 19, 2010

This just has to be our anthem for the world cup

points75

Jan 19, 2010

same old same old from the boy ashcroftnot as flashy as he'd like to think it is guitar work over a lumpen bassline and formulaic drum beat, accompanied by vague mysticism in the lyricssounds like a steal from a beatles tune in there too, but i can't quite work out which oneoh for a return to "A Northern Soul". it's sad when your heroes lose it, but keep on chasing the dream

Hybrid League

Jan 19, 2010

Like any other hardcore rock star(or human), after passing the "30's", becoming an adult and realizing mortality makes you softer.Little Richard talking about "Jesus gives you"???Jesus. Please. I'm a a HUGE Verve fan and I like Richard but.... I'm not sure what to think. I'm pretty sure the song will sweet my ears later but the video is extremely lame and doesn't seem to be in unison with the music.Richard in the UFC perhaps?Cool tune, lame video.

HIGH ALERT

Jan 19, 2010

The King is back in style and has been badly missed by his army of fans! Great tune and video and must be a sports commercial dream! WERE READY !!!

doll electronica

Jan 19, 2010

it looks like an adidas advert.

ned446

Jan 20, 2010

Richard Ashcroft is a trifle and this is the sprinkles.....

blueisbrill

Jan 20, 2010

Really liking this, and yes Ashcroft has always had a sense of spirituality in his lyrics.

Tunethinker

Jan 20, 2010

YES! I think it is a Christian type record, a record about saying, so I sinned, what did Jesus die for? I doubt that many people have got the juice packets to make a record about honest matters now days, so come on, let's all Cow Boy the .... up

dobyblue

Jan 20, 2010

This is total gash - sorry Richard, but this song is rubbish. Yeah I'm ready, yeah I'm ready, yeah I'm ready...sounds totally out of place.Yikes, to think that just 18 short months ago amazing songs like "Columbo" were coming out on Forth, the fourth album from The Verve. What kind of comeback is this anyway? The Verve have never officially announced a split and were playing gigs within the last year, so don't you have to disappear for a certain amount of time before you make a comeback?Shame...The Verve never even did a proper tour outside of the UK for Forth, this is a bit of a steaming pile of turd compared to most of Forth.Kinda knew it was going to be rubbish anyway...hopefully we'll get a Blu-ray of one of the 2008 or 2009 shows from The Verve to help fans of good music keep their sanity...in the meantime I'm going to put my copy of A Northern Soul back on the record player and remember better days in the life of RA.

Die drei Streifen

Jan 21, 2010

oh my god - anthem for the world cup - please leave ashcroft alone with that stuff - you even can't shoot penalties!Nice video, wearing the right jacket and a the wall of sound as always

urbanhym

Jan 27, 2010

Huge Verve/Ashcroft fan. The drums do sound a little raw at the beginning, but I think we can surmise-when such a big deal is made out of the producers-that it's intentional. It's an absolutely triumphant-if formulaic-song, made so by the vocals and Richard's persona itself. Vague mysticism? Hardly. It's obviously a song about the rapture, but it may be a kind of "I wish it were true" message, rather than a "I am a disciple", though the title suggests otherwise. His songs have always expressed a spiritual struggle("Muhammad, Allah, Buddha, Jesus Christ knockin' on my door"). If it is mocking Christian doctrine and the escapism of theology("I've been prayin' there's somewhere else for me to go", "Beamin' right out" conjures up images of science fiction), it is so deadpan that it isn't recognizable as such. Sin is acknowledged(usually the part that New Agers want to reject), as is subsequent redemption("us sinners have got a chance with him"), and agape expressed. Brave thing to write in this anti-Christian environment.

CmgE3

Mar 31, 2010

I think this is a great song,all of Richard Ashcroft's albums are great to chill out to.The Verve albums are great to rock out to.I think there is a deliberate difference in the material released as a band effort,and the solo material."On a Beach",I Get My Beat",BraveNew World","Buy it in Bottles" are great songs to just kick back to."Come On","Space and Time","Catching the Butterfly" are great to rock out to.As far as the christian views in his songs?He's not shoving it down anyone's throats,he's just being honest about his faith.The man is seriously underrated.