Richard Ashcroft and the United Nations of Sound

The cheekbones! That jawline! If faces could cut diamonds, Richard Ashcroft would be useful in Sierra Leone. On the back of a coveted spot at Splendour In The Grass, the Verve frontman's inaugural tour to Australia brings his latest crew, the United Nations of Sound — a slick new project proving that change is as good as a holiday.

With the help of Jay-Z's producer No I.D., RPA and the United Nations of Sound fuse orchestral epicness, hip-hop and that seminal Ashcroftian wail that cannot and should not ever be rid of its 90s pigeonhole. Verve tracks will feature beside new material on tour, with an additional promise to unearth gems from his three critically acclaimed solo albums. Since THAT song Ashcroft has garnered a rep for heartfelt anthems of sentimental grandeur — a consistent songwriting prowess that has kept him the darling of NME since Brit-pop. The man's swagger came to define moody indie Britishness circa 1990, but unlike counterparts Blur and Oasis, Ashcroft nicely shyed away from making his attitude more publicised than his music.

This latest tour from Cheekbones and Co. is his chance to remind his Oz followers of his timeless worth. Despite now heralding an acrostic moniker that resembles our local hospital, RPA's return to our hearts and minds will be anything but Bittersweet.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KNnh8nszFU0