Fresh from basking in Oasis’s reunion glow, Richard Ashcroft returns with ‘Lovin’ You’, his first album in seven years. Though, in truth, “return” might be too generous a word for what feels like an encore, or rather…a reheat.
There’s a strange comfort in hearing that same sepia-toned swagger, but it’s also a reminder that Ashcroft has been rewriting the same song for a quarter of a century. Lead single Lover tries to modernise his sound and fails. Built around a Joan Armatrading sample, it’s all finger-snaps and faux-soul warmth as Ashcroft croons with the misplaced confidence of a man convinced Auto-Tune is a personality trait.
Elsewhere, Out of These Blues reaches for country-rock sincerity that works if you don’t listen too closely.
On the one hand, it’s right in the Ashcroft vocal sweet spot, on the other it’s so predictable you can see the key change coming from the other side of The Grand Ole Opry.
The title track, sampling Classical Gas by Mason Williams, aims for gospel uplift but lands somewhere between supermarket playlist and something really high up on Jeremy Clarkson’s Spotify Wrapped. Ashcroft insists “This is amazing!”. It isn’t, but at least someone’s having fun.
Still, there’s a charm to his persistence. On Lovin’ You (the song), he doubles down on romantic devotion with strings, choirs, and every trick in the Verve-era handbook. It’s too earnest to be funny and too silly to be moving, but it does have the kind of unfiltered conviction only a true believer could muster.
But it’s not close to being enough. ‘Lovin’ You’ feels shoddy, microwaved. He’s not quite Ian Brown singing his songs to a backing track and getting booed off stage, but this is in search of something long lost, like a preacher with a dwindling congregation in a mining town, straining for transcendence. There’s craft here, and a flicker of the old voice, but little else to love. We can charitably call it one for the fans.
Richard Ashcroft Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat November 08 2025 - MANCHESTER Co-op Live
Tue March 24 2026 - CARDIFF Utilita Arena
Thu March 26 2026 - LIVERPOOL M&S Bank Arena
Sat March 28 2026 - LONDON O2 Arena
Tue March 31 2026 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Thu April 02 2026 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Sat April 04 2026 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Mon April 06 2026 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Utilita Arena
Sat May 16 2026 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Fri July 17 2026 - LONDON Alexandra Palace Park
Fri July 24 2026 - READING Englefield Estate
Sat July 25 2026 - LUDLOW Castle
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