Human Conditions

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

For the core issue in ethics, see Human condition.

Human Conditions
Studio album by
Richard Ashcroft
Released21 October 2002
GenreAlternative rock
Length54:51
LabelHut Records
ProducerChris 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
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic61/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Blender[3]
Drowned in Sound(2/10)[4]
Entertainment.ie[5]
Entertainment Weekly(A)[6]
The Guardian[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
Stylus Magazine(F)[9]
Yahoo Music[10]

Release and reception

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."[11] Andrew Lynch of entertainment.ie gave the album two stars out of five, calling it "in the final analysis, quite unbelievably boring."[12] 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."[13]

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".[14] In a 2006 interview with The Sun, Ashcroft said of the criticism: "I wouldn't say I was massively affected. I didn't feel the paranoia I felt when The Verve broke up."[15]

Track listing
  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".

  • "The Miracle" – 3:51

Personnel

Release details
Country Date Label Format Catalog
Japan 17 October 2002 Toshiba-EMI CD VJCP-68440 / 4988006804005
United Kingdom 21 October 2002 Hut Records 2LP HUTDLP77 / 7243 8 13383 1 5
CD CDHUT77 / 7243 8 13383 2 2
United States 25 February 2003 Virgin Records CD 7243 8 13384 2 1

References
  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
  5. Entertainment.ie review
  6. Entertainment Weekly review
  7. The Guardian review
  8. Rolling Stone review
  9. Stylus Magazine review Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Yahoo Music review
  11. "Richard Ashcroft – Human Conditions – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  12. "Richard Ashcroft – Human Conditions. Review by Andrew Lynch | Entertainment.ie – Ireland | Music, CD Reviews". Entertainment.ie. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  13. "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.
  14. Beller, Thomas (13 February 2012). "A Conversation with Richard Ashcroft | Mr Beller's Neighborhood". Mrbellersneighborhood.com. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
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