Keys To The World

His voice sounds better than ever, and while nothing here recaptures the glory years of The Verve, his songs are more focused than ever before.

Rarely has he sung this well. [Feb 2006, p.99]

For the most part, Keys To The World is a definite step forward and demonstrates that Ashcroft is finally hitting his stride as a solo artist.

A deeply personal, occasionally lifeless but equally insightful passage into the latest chapter of Richard Ashcroft's life story.

What compensates for 'Keys To The World''s shortcomings... is that voice. [21 Jan 2006, p.33]

Keys to the World does have a few great moments, but it's not the definitive solo record he's been promising.

Very focused and quietly anthemic. [Feb 2006, p.92]

What both sinks and saves the album is Ashcroft's songwriting. [#13, p.90]

Not terribly different [from 'Human Conditions'], though certainly more pastoral and perhaps more middle of the road.

Sure it’s full of unwavering confidence and some pretty songs, but the dull groove Richard Ashcroft seems to have settled into is striking.

More corny than convincing. [May 2006, p.91]

Too much is sodden with his overbearing ego.

Give or take the odd tweak - a Bittersweet Symphony-ish orchestral sample on Music Is Power, some dated-sounding world music influence on the title track - Keys to the World sticks fast to the blueprint: soft-rock plod, songs that abandon verses and choruses in favour of dragging out a simple chord sequence to the point of distraction.

His voice is bland and has little variety.

In trying to wrest profundity from simplicity, Keys to the World is only profoundly disappointing.

How the mighty have truly fallen.

Swept up in maudlin strings and chintzy brass, Ashcroft blurs his anguished syllables like Tom Petty doing Bob Dylan, embraces U2-jerkoff bombast, and follows his idiosyncratically generic muse into uncharted depths. Keys to the World is as hilariously indulgent as "Trapped in the Closet", if vastly less self-aware; it's also a more laughable satire of contemporary music than Bang Bang Rock 'n' Roll, though less durable and totally accidental.