Human Conditions

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Human Conditions
Humanconditionsashcroft.jpg
Studio album by
Richard Ashcroft
Released21 October 2002
Recorded2001–2002
Studio Metropolis, London; Astoria, London; Olympic, London; Real World, Bath
Genre Alternative rock
Length54:51
Label Hut
Producer Chris Potter, Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft chronology
Alone with Everybody
(2000)		Human Conditions
(2002)		 Keys to the World
(2006)
Singles from Human Conditions
  1. "Check the Meaning"
    Released: 7 October 2002
  2. "Science of Silence"
    Released: 6 January 2003
  3. "Buy It in Bottles"
    Released: 7 April 2003

Human Conditions is the second album by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft. It was released on Hut Records in 2002.

Contents

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 61/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Drowned in Sound 2/10 [4]
Entertainment Weekly A [5]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Spin 8/10 [9]
Stylus F [10]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]

Review aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalised score of 61 based on 15 reviews, which indicated a "generally favourable" reception. However, many of the critics had negative views of Ashcroft's ideas. Some of the negative reviews, included Nick Southall of Stylus , who remarked that "Ashcroft obviously sees himself as some kind of incisive commentator with a greater depth of understanding of the human condition than those around him. This record reveals with alarming clarity that he is actually a poor songwriter, dire lyricist, and arrogant buffoon all at the same time." [12] Andrew Lynch of entertainment.ie gave the album two stars out of five, calling it "in the final analysis, quite unbelievably boring." [13] Rowan Shaeffer of Counterculture gave it three stars out of five and praised aspects of the album, though still feeling that "for the most part Richard Ashcroft seems be going through the motions; and while he's produced a good album, it's an ultimately unfulfilling listen." [14]

Details

In 2003, when asked about the naysayers to the album, Ashcroft responded: "If I had put on fifteen stone and Kate had left me and I’d almost [overdosed] on smack, then this record would have been received very well". [15]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Richard Ashcroft

  1. "Check the Meaning" – 8:04
  2. "Buy It in Bottles" – 4:39
  3. "Bright Lights" – 5:15
  4. "Paradise" – 5:37
  5. "God in the Numbers" – 6:58
  6. "Science of Silence" – 4:15
  7. "Man on a Mission" – 5:29
  8. "Running Away" – 4:16
  9. "Lord I've Been Trying" – 5:23
  10. "Nature Is the Law" – 4:55

Bonus track

The Japanese and American editions of the album featured one bonus track originally released as a B-side for the UK single "Check the Meaning".

Personnel

Release details

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalog
Japan17 October 2002 Toshiba-EMI CDVJCP-68440 / 4988006804005
United Kingdom21 October 2002 Hut Records 2LPHUTDLP77 / 7243 8 13383 1 5
CDCDHUT77 / 7243 8 13383 2 2
United States25 February 2003 Virgin Records CD7243 8 13384 2 1

References

  1. ↑ "Human Conditions by Richard Ashcroft".
  2. ↑ AllMusic review
  3. ↑ Pemberton, Andy. "Richard Ashcroft – Human Conditions". Archived from the original on 20 August 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Drowned in Sound review". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  5. ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
  6. ↑ "CD: Richard Ashcroft: Human Conditions". The Guardian . 11 October 2002. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
  7. ↑ An overreaching cathedral, designed by Spiritualized, Kris Kristoferson and John Barry, Human Conditions still somehow charms with its hungry troubadour's idealism. [Nov 2002, p.102]
  8. ↑ Rolling Stone review [ dead link ]
  9. ↑ Stunning pop for pale after-party people. [March 2003, p.119]
  10. ↑ Stylus Magazine review Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ At times he tries too hard, but there's much here to commend. [Nov 2002, p.114]
  12. ↑ "Richard Ashcroft – Human Conditions – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  13. ↑ "Richard Ashcroft – Human Conditions. Review by Andrew Lynch | Entertainment.ie – Ireland | Music, CD Reviews". Entertainment.ie. 30 October 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  14. ↑ "cc | Richard Ashcroft : Human Conditions [ Album review ] » Check The Meaning, God in the Numbers, Science of Silence, Man on a Mission, Running Away, Lord I've Been Trying, Nature Is The Law". Counterculture.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  15. ↑ Beller, Thomas (13 February 2012). "A Conversation with Richard Ashcroft | Mr Beller's Neighborhood". Mrbellersneighborhood.com. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
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