These People CD

The Wigan-birthed sage Richard Ashcroft has taken his fair share of flak over the years for his messianic tendencies, unflinchingly epic songwriting style and fervent self-belief, yet when it's in the service of albums like 'These People', it seems more than a little churlish to object to any of these attributes. Displaying an electronic freshness that finely complements the string-swathed widescreen sweep for which he's become known, these impassioned ditties are rarely notable for their subtlety, yet Ashcroft's rich baritone and raw charisma serve to elevate them to new plateaus of emotion and intensity. Write this fella off at your peril.