United Nations of Sound

Richard Ashcroft is the essence of Brit Cool. Like Syd Barrett or Nick Drake before him, Pete Doherty and Alex Turner after him, Ashcroft is one of those rarified rock eccentrics; the type of visionary spirit that's one of England's greatest musical exports. As the frontman of The Verve, Ashcroft was the signature voice of 1990s English pop music. The band's global megahit "Bittersweet Symphony" - which Chris Martin famously called "the best song ever written, sung by the best singer in the world" - made them stars in the States and heroes at home. He had success as a rock star, but he's never made a soul record with a hotshot hip-hop producer and venerated Motown greats, until now. In 2009, Ashcroft disbanded The Verve and focused on writing songs inspired by his love of soul, funk and gospel. The result is his first solo album in four years, United Nations Of Sound.