The Verve had amassed a substantial amount of non-album B-sides from British singles issued in light of their 1993 debut full-length,
A Storm in Heaven, which remained largely unheard elsewhere in the world. To coincide with a spot on Lollapalooza 1994's second stage, a nine-track compilation of uncommon material was issued Stateside, entitled No Come Down (B Sides & Outtakes). Some of the tracks were already issued on their aforementioned debut and their self-titled five-song EP from 1992, but the versions included here are completely different, such as a nearly ten-minute long live version of "Gravity Grave" from Glastonbury '93, stirring acoustic versions of "Make It Till Monday" and "Butterfly," plus a "USA Mix" of "Blue." The remaining selections are more obscure: the title track that gently opens the album, as well as several other soothing compositions (Where the Geese Go, "6 O' Clock," "One Way to Go," and "Twilight"). While the Verve's early B-sides aren't as exceptional as the ones that were included on the singles for 1995's
A Northern Soul and 1997's
Urban Hymns,
No Come Down is still recommended to the serious fan. ~ Greg Prato