If 2025 was the year the UK reclaimed its rock ‘n’ roll crown with the Oasis reunion, 2026 is officially the year Richard Ashcroft reminded us why he was always the movement’s beating heart. Fresh off his massive stint as the special guest on the Oasis Live ’25 tour, Ashcroft has dropped Live Vol. 1, a career-spanning collection that feels less like a standard live album and more like a victory lap.
Recorded during his triumphant run of shows following the stadium mania of the previous year, Live Vol. 1 captures Ashcroft at his most potent. From the opening chords, it’s clear his voice hasn’t aged a day; if anything, it’s gained a soulful, weathered depth that adds new layers to classics like “The Drugs Don’t Work” and “Sonnet.”
The production strikes a perfect balance.
Tag Archive: Richard Ashcroft
Galvanized by his special guest slot across the summer’s Oasis uber-gigs, Richard Ashcroft returns with his first album of new material in seven years. Yet little has changed: on Lovin’ You, he’s only thinking, writing, and singing about the big themes.
Best exemplified by the title of recent single ‘Lover’, the former Verve frontman once more draws inspiration from his undeniably deep love for his wife. But while the subject matter is familiar, musically there are new soundscapes, having returned to one of his favourite tricks: built around a looped riff sampled from Joan Armatrading’s ‘Love and Affection’, the track is all finger-snaps, strings, and a skull-thudding bassline, yet with soul and warmth. Shamelessly uplifting…