1977
Ash
1996
Album Summary
1977 is the debut studio album by Northern Irish rock band Ash. It was released on 6 May 1996 by Home Grown and Infectious Records, with whom the band had signed following the release of several demo tapes. Ash released the mini-album Trailer in 1994, and followed it with three singles "Kung Fu", "Girl from Mars", and "Angel Interceptor", all of which would reappear on 1977. Ash recorded their debut album with producer Owen Morris at Rockfield Studios in Wales in early 1996. Described as a Britpop, power pop and garage rock album, 1977 drew comparisons to the Buzzcocks, Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth. Preceded by the album's fourth single "Goldfinger" in April 1996, the band embarked on tours of the United Kingdom and Europe. "Oh Yeah" was released as the fifth single in June 1996, followed by tours of the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Ash ended the year with another US tour, as well as a US support slot for Weezer. They toured Europe and the UK, before their appearance at Glastonbury Festival. 1977 received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the album's "catchy" nature. The album peaked at number one in the UK, as well as reaching the top 40 in Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland. "Kung Fu", "Girl from Mars", "Angel Interceptor", "Goldfinger", and "Oh Yeah" all charted on the UK Singles Chart, with "Goldfinger" reaching the highest position at number five. 1977 appeared on several UK publications' best-of-the-year album lists, by the likes of Kerrang!, NME, and Melody Maker, among others. The album would later be certified platinum in the UK.
WikipediaReminds me of the burning issue of the nineties. Who was fitter: Charlotte from Ash or Hillary from JJ72 (it was Hillary). Fun album but loads better from that particular decade
This hit at the right time. Was very pumped for some 90s butt rock. Closest related listening from me is Sweet Apple. Anyone else trying to play some easy rock? Cmon!
Had not heard of this band and after listening I am surprised they are not better known. A shimmering example of 90's grunge. Could hear bits and pieces that sounded like other bands - Weezer, Blur, Oasis, Black Sabbath, The Beatles - and anyone else hearing "Strangers in the Night" in "Lost in You"? Yet they still have their own unique sound.
Great singles - does it work as an album? Hmmm. Quite muffled production. Very impressive for a bunch of 17 year olds though.
This is one of those messy, pop-punk albums that could only be created by teenagers making their first album, but the highs on this record really shine through. 3.5/5
I somehow was completely unfamiliar with this band so another blank slate to begin on... My initial impressions run from *this is fun aggressive rock album with somewhat typical (in a good way) 90s alt-rock progressions* to *...wow this gets a little boring...* And as I'm into my second listen through, I lean heavily towards the second sentiment. It's decent enough but a cynical commenter (me?) might question why this is one of the 1001 albums you must listen to. Not that it isn't fine, it actually is, but it's also...maybe just not that memorable? I gave this yet another spin today to see if something grabbed hold but you could have told me this was _______ [fill in with any of ~25 early-mid 90s bands from Boston or London or Seattle] and I wouldn't have blinked. Loud stereo guitars with a generally non-aggressive melodic vocal track over the top. Again: decent enough. For the most part. Inoffensive but I don't really remember anything about it. 4/10 2 stars for a fine of-the-period rock album but suffers from a sameness and lack of depth.
Fully admit: this is one of my favourite albums from thr 90s. I like every track, there are some great transitions between songs. It's one of those albums where if each song wasn't played in order it would sound wrong. Really dig the production as well.
Just three teenagers from northern ireland having the time of their lives and it's fucking brilliant. 6 stars.
Banda da Irlanda do Norte. A primeira vez que ouço o som deles. Rock alternativo com britpop (pelo o que li, um movimento dos anos 1990 que exaltava o lado de ser britùnico). Som leve, cativante... e pop. Me lembrou as cançÔes do jogo "Tony Hawk".
Apple music categorizes this as pop punk and idk that I would have guessed that - but they are totally right. This album would fit right in with the Clueless soundtrack, but give it a smidge of Neutral Milk Hotel.
Loved this album. His voice is still terrible but the songs are great.
Hello teenage me! What a perfect album. Ash got tighter and more professional as they got older (they were sitting exams when they were on Top of the Pops) but in hindsight it's the naivety and wonkiness that makes this. Every poor decision pays off on this album and adds to it's poppy, punky charm. They still have a few good songs each album, but never the hit rate they had on here. Kung Fu, Goldfinger, Angel Interceptor, Lose Control, Oh Yeah and Girl From Mars - it would be hard to make a Best of Ash without most of this album!
Outstanding album. Full of youthful energy, timeless. Still sounds perfect more than 25 years on. I remember the sleevenotes from this having a photo of Tim in a bath, pouring a bottle of vodka into his face and thinking that was the most rock and roll image, and being so happy that kind of slightly intimidating excess was still a thing.
I absolutely adore this album, always have. Girl from mars to me is the standout track, this sweet little love song poking its head above this sea of chaotic alt rock. Kung Fu is also great, such an infectious and high energy song. But the whole album is just really solid slightly grungy, slightly garagey alt-rock. Brilliant live band as well, so many good times seeing these guys at festivals. Plus it starts with a tie fighter sound, how could you go wrong.
I've been complaining a lot in my reviews about all of the 90s-00s britpop albums, but I've got to say, I like this. It definitely sounds of its time, but the production is excellent, and the sound is poppy without sounding cheesey. I can see why they got comparisons to the Buzzcocks. The first track on the album is an absolute scorcher, and they keep going from there. I absolutely love the chunky distortion of the guitars 4/5
I love that 90s British Rock sound. More "garage rock" than the rest of the genre. Lose Control has Offspring vibes... I like the chaos on I'd Give You Anything a lot. Kung Fu is fun - I remember it from the end of Rumble in the Bronx. It gets more Britpop as the album progresses but keeps the feedback and modulated guitars. Darkside Lightside is a big and awesome ender. Angsty. Young. Gen X shit. Not as catchy and theatrical as Oasis. Not as clever or innovative as Blur. But still a solid effort by a band I've never heard of in a genre I like.
Um excuse me- I'd like to talk to the ambassador of music-Nick-would-have-loved for northern Ireland. The Irish ambassador was able to push cranberries through (not complaining), what the hell! The Blue album was released in 94, this album in 96. It was perfect for the time, and now! Northern Irish prick. Asshole was probably asleep at the wheel trying to figure out if he identifies more with a potato or a scone. Anyways, I loved this album, I would give it 5 stars but I've only gone through it once. I listened to some more singles, all which were great. I'll be listening to this more for sure.
Something about this just felt good. Really struck a lot of chords with me sonically.
Very evocative. A few absolute classics and a fair bit of filler as well.
Grotendeels uit jeugdsentiment 4 sterren. Klinkt inmiddels wel behoordlijk gedateerd, en die zanger mag toch eigenlijk geen zanger heten..... hoezo vals? Maar het scheurt en rockt wel lekker! đ€
Lekkere plaat hor. Lang geleden dat ik die gehoord heb. Was in de nineties een hete band. Ik vond het toen niet zo geloof ik, maar nu vind het tof en catchy klinken.
Los grandes olvidados del grunge, traileros y atronadores por momentos y cercanos al punk pop a veces, estĂĄn mĂĄs cercanos a Soundgarden que a Nirvana. VitamĂnico.
Great mix of slamming guitars and pop sensibilities. Maybe not the most original work in the world, but it was a fun ride!
The sound of endless summer, innocent fumblings and cider in the park.
Such a chill, sweet sounding rock album. A very throwback sound, I especially loved "Girl From Mars"!
Good start to the album! Really what I needed for work today. Ok maybe I just really need this album/type of music today, but I'm really enjoying it. Probably going to rate a 4. On the last song now, yeah I really enjoyed this album. It's not quite a 5 cuz of some of the vocal recordings (could just be part of the style) so I'm giving it a 4.
Una onda medio Green Day. El tema 4 "I'd give you anything" esta bueno. El 5 es muy Nirvana jaja. A la vez aveces suena como Coldplay, aveces como Oasis. Muy 90's todo. Tranquilamente podria ser soundtrack de Daria. El ultimo tema esta bueno tambien.
An awesome wave on 90's rock. Heavy distortion, big drums, just a wall of sound, while also using dynamics effectively to give room for wider sonic exploration. Vocals remind me of Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, cementing that 90's power pop feel. This sound is incredible, I love the rawness of the distortion and the chosen riffs. This is definitely a fallout from Nirvana's career, and I have no complaints whatsoever. Sonic Youth is another clear influence, with all of the best parts. 1977 is probably the most straightforward album on the list so far. As in, there isn't much to branch off from here, it's just making the best of it's influences. Ash doesn't do anything inventive or boundary-pushing, they just do the best with this sound and it's great.
Ooh. Grungy britpop. This works for me. I really liked it overall, and though I don't really have any songs that stood out to me, I think the general vibe and atmosphere that was created was pretty neat.
Wow nice album and a good discovery I think I'm going to spend some discovering this bands catalogue. The album has a lot of familiar influences. A little punky, a little grungy, some shoegazzy elements and a little Britton too. A solid 4 đ
Pop rock perfection. Didnt think i knew any of their songs, actually knew loads and enjoyed a few of the ones i hadnt heard too
This might be my favorite album from a band Iâve never heard of that weâve gotten so far
For nostalgia reasons, it's a classic album. Youth, talent and determination. The original CD had a hidden track at the end - Sick Party - of them all puking up. https://open.spotify.com/track/6m5JPMEeIDUzU6ifOYn9Yr
Cañero, guitarrero, mucha fuerza. Todo un descubrimiento. Realmente buenos.
File under 90s on 9. I have an affinity for the middle of the road 90s rock and this one started with a Tie Fighter so extra points
A charming and fun album. Overall the sound is pretty standard for modern alternative rock, but many of the songs are pretty distinct and catchy.
I always loved 'Girl from Mars" but the album can be a bit of a same-y wall of sound.
Iâve herd girl from mars but than that nothing I do tend to learn towards Britpop albums though due to personal bias⊠Lose control has this awesome aggressive intro and the pre chorus bit was cool too, felt like a theme song for the band. Goldfinger is a great song works well bringing the pace down after lose control but itâs not super slow. I donât hate girl from mars but it is awfully â fuzzyâ sounding and other than the fact that itâs got a catchy chorus how was this the bandâs big hit. It does flow well into Iâd give you anything, a ( very fuzzy) mess of a song (in a good way) and has a good guitar solo adding an extra guitar. Gone the dream is much nicer sounding ( but more boring) than the last two I like the strings in the back of this one. I like the kung fu noises at the start of kung fu and the song sounds nice enough but the lyrics are stupid and when the cheering comes in around the second verse it doesnât work. Oh yeah is much better a poppier track with some good strings the song really lacks a bridge though but it does have a cool guitar solo which kinda counts. The bit before let it flow explodes should be about half the length, the rest of the song is good though not a favourite but not the worst. Innocent smile flows really well off let it flow this is a heavier cut, with a cool instrumental drum break not the best not the worst. Angel interceptor is awesome great intro great song usually I donât like backing vocals too much but these (surprisingly) worked quite nicely. Lost in you has been the only time the albumâs wanted to slow down, it does build up in aggressiveness but never to the extent of others. Darkside lightside is a huge final blow in the face, for my personal opinions of album tracklisting I wouldâve had this as the penultimate and lost in you as the closer until the song goes to its â lightsideâ an instrumental bit which really feels like the listener has reached the end of something epic. There are worse Britpop albums on the generator ( elasticaâs debut, the cornershop album) much better on the generator ( suedeâs dog man star, pulpâs different class) and much better that arenât on the generator ( ocean colour sceneâs Mosley shoals and the longpigs the sun is often out). Overall though itâs very solid and does deserve a place on this generator even if itâs a more mid level Britpop album.
Det hÀr var jÀttebra! Àlskar gitarrer wroom wroom. och sorgliga lÄtar om kÀrlek mjao >.>>>>
The opening track âLose Controlâ is a high intensity start to the album. Beginning with the sound of a Tie Fighter flying in the song just has an energy to it that you canât help but bop up and down to. The song âGirl from Marsâ sounded a bit familiar. I like the use of intense distortion in that song I think Wikipedia called it wall of guitars. Really enjoyed the interweaving guitars in âIâd Give you Anything.â The track âInnocent Smileâ was the standout for me. Great tribute to Sonic Youth in the buildup there. The rest of the album had some good moments but there were a few forgettable tracks on here as well. I think itâs a solid 3 or maybe 3.5 since the tracks that really stood out makes me want to check out some of their other stuff.
I know Girl from Mars and that's about it (maybe heard Kung Fu once or twice before). These guys are better than I thought. Lose Control was a great song to kick off the album - guitars really jam on this one. As far as its other singles, Angel Interceptor had similar energy to their two best known songs above (good tune) while Goldfinger and Oh Yeah not so much - still, pretty good (Oh Yeah has some nice Oasis-esque guitarwork in the last half of the song). I also liked I'd Give You Anything and Darkside Lightside (more cool guitarwork on both) and Lost in You (has that chill mid-90's alternative ballad sound). Not sure what makes them so unique to be on this list, but if you're a rocker there's a lot to like here. I definitely wanted to (and did) play the album multiple times. Checked out a few songs from other albums too - definitely a band I'll need to look more into.
this sounds exactly like you would think it sounds. but not in a bad way
8/10. Girl From Mars is a classic that I heard a lot growing up, but after over 500 of these albums, I'd worried that this album would be one of those that's just on the list because it had one good song. As such, this album was a pleasant surprise. It was a bit long, but I enjoyed it throughout and will likely come back to it.
ugh. so good. it's got a garage/grunge sound that I really dig, the vocals are appropriate for the genre. It's playful and it rocks pretty hard.
Really great, strong rock music. Oasis-tinged, but so was most rock music during the time. I really enjoyed listening. Iâll definitely be sure to return to some tracks â âGirl From Marsâ especially.
Robert est en feu en ce moment, son pacemaker vient en effet d'ĂȘtre rĂ©ajustĂ© suite Ă un disfonctionnement qui pompait une grande partie de son Ă©nergie. L'horizon est radieux dans le ciel gĂ©nĂ©rateurien.
I'd never heard of Ash until today, but everything I've read about the band told me I would like them. This proved true! What a great 90's alt rock/grunge/pop rock band. I heard influence from many different sources while listening to them: (1) Goldfinger sounds quite a bit like Nirvana; (2)the vocals on the chorus of Girl From Mars sounds like Weezer; (3)the chord progression in I'd Give You Anything sounds like N. I. B. by Black Sabbath A few songs on the album run into each other seamlessly (notably Girl From Mars into I'd Give You Anything, and Let It Flow into Innocent Smile) I thoroughly enjoyed this listening experience. From the heavy distortion and sludgy guitars to the tight drums this album was great! If I were to have any criticisms at all it would be that sometimes the vocals fall behind the wall of sound and distortion a bit, and the use of static as a backing sound in a section of Innocent Smile was a bit irritating, otherwise a great album. Favourite songs: I'd Give You Anything, Angel Interceptor, Kung Fu, Girl From Mars, Lose Control, Goldfinger, Darkside Lightside Least favourite songs: Lost In You, Innocent Smile 4/5
Ca sonnait super bien jâai eu du plaisir dans lecoute. Du bon rock pour vrai. 4
This was a big deal back in 1996. Steve Lamacq was all over them. Ash were the young kids that could unite indie and pop. They pretty much pulled it off with 1977. What's great about this album is the pure pop: Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Oh Yeah, Angel Interceptor - all timeless songs that would work just as well if they recorded by a boy band. Ash add an extra snark and snarl to the tunes. It's a pretty cool package when put together.
Somewhere between Warped Tour and Nirvana. Took me a few listens to get through, can be a little whiny. Still, I enjoy the vibe of ordering a fancy coffee in a hipster cofffeeshop in Seattle while this blares over the speakers. Favorite tracks: "I'd Give You Anything", "Innocent Smile"
Not a bad album, but not an amazing one either, felt a bit meh at time.
Ah, erÀs teinivuosien suosikkibÀndeistÀ jota en tosiaankaan olettanut nÀkevÀni tÀllÀ listalla. Soundit ovat paljon nuhaisemman kuuloiset kun olin muistellut. Muutenkin meno on vÀhÀn vÀljÀhtÀneen oloista eikÀ tÀmÀ jaksa enÀÀ innostaa ihan niin paljoa kuin nuorempana. EhkÀ muutenkin Free All Angels oli enemmÀn mun juttu Ash-levyistÀ. Korvamatoisat kertsit kyllÀ toimii edelleenkin!
Stuck because it was solid classic garage rock and there were a few great songs individually but the album didn't have a distinct vision or sound. prob 3.5 if I could
Very middle of the road for me... I like the style okay, but it wasn't very distinct. Fell into the background for me
Had this as a teenager, totally fancied the singer. "Girl from mars" was a huge hit, didn't realise they were widely recognised outside Ireland, quite surprised to see this album on this list, considering all the better and more influential albums I can think of. It's fun and nostalgic, pop/pop-punk/rock. Vocals are weak at best, often out of tune, certainly sounds like a 17 yo recording in their garage. Not much cohesiveness in style from song to song - "Girl from mars" is this cutesy low-fi pop song, followed by "I'd give you anything" that has kinda classic-rock/metal-ish guitar chords/solo with some out of tune "singing" on top, was a bit painful to listen through that song. 3 is being generous, extra points for nostalgia.
Not horrible. It opens with a tie fighter fly by. Sounds like 1996 in a time capsule. Sounds like these songs should be in Euro Trip or some other teen movie. It's a poor man's Space Hog. "I'd Give You Anything" is a nice riff.
Clåssico do Grungee, aquela pegada rasgada depois de uma estrutura melosa, mostrando o que parece ser uma irritação com seu lado sentimental.
Ganzen Tag schon "Girl From Mars" als Ohrwurm, und ich mag ihn gern. Ăberhaupt, die Hits: Oh Yeah, Angel Interceptor und eben Girl From Mars, da soll erstmal jemand kommen und noch bessere Pop-Punk-Smasher raushauen. Rest der Platte geht fĂŒr mich bisschen unter, ist aber auch nicht schlecht. Meine volle Sympathie geht heute mit 3.4 Punkten nach Belfast!
Fun album. Enjoyed listening to it. Youthful energy. Some really great songs. A bit of filler. May benefit from previous familiarity.
I had higher hopes for this album with the sick guitar at the beginning, but feel like it just kinda went straight to edgy rock that I wasn't as fond of
Great little power pop/punk album. BT: Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Kung Fu
These guys were so hyped in the mid-90s I got sick of them before I ever listened. This is actually a decent album, I'm surprised how many songs I know already, that hype must've worked. There are two types of song here, the surefire hits and the fillers. The hits are a fun listen, half of this album would have been better than all of it.
This album is a conventional pop-punk album. It isn't terribly ground-breaking, but does sound like the era of its creation.
I enjoyed this. It was slightly above average, but not good enough for 4 stars.
Ian Wood. Ja, wij kennen die man! Heus! Heel Discovery Channel praat hij vol met 'but there's a problem'. Is het niet bij de pyramide bouwer, of bij uw pizzabezorger op z'n brommer, of een aal die wil gaan paren in de natuur, dan is het wel bij het draaien van Ash - 1977, na nummer 2 a 3 a 4. De rest van de dag heb ik besteed aan Lemonheads' oevre. Mijn gemoed staat weer op een 4. Ian, you can the pot up.
La voz es un poco rara y a veces como que se quedan un poco a medias entre ser alternativos y tener un sonido poprock bonito Pero me ha gustado o sea estĂĄ disfruton
I probably would have liked this more as a teenager in the mid-90's. In fact, I know I would have.
this album sounded like a high school band who gave up after a few songs, i liked a few but it sounds like they got a little bored while singing but i did like it
I got sick of all the Brit Pop bands in the 90s (yes, you Oasis) so I tuned them out and missed out on this band. The scorching guitars in the first song grabbed my attention and I was intrigued for the rest of the ride. I read that they were a bunch of 17 yr olds that made this, impressive. Great driving guitars with a melodic vocal overlay. They did it way better than Oasis and Blur IMO. I also hear some Dinosaur Jr, Ramones and Buzzcocks here, but hey if you have to steal, might as well be from the best. This is a FUN record!
They've got an energetic raw sound, some catchy melodies and a lot of spirit. I would have liked to listen to them at higher volume, but my co-judge (who was driving) told me to turn that f%#?@!g mess down, because it was giving her a headache. She also pointed out that the lyrics were "lame", but I countered that that was only on the ballads, when you could actually make out what they were saying. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and round up.
So I'm listening to the first song at blow your speakers volume while I start to peruse the wiki notes. First thing I notice is the Wiki notes say that say Ash was influenced by Abba and Paul Mcartny and Wings. I said: âPardon?â This must be a joke right? Wiki also says they got the name Ash from reading the dictionary. As a kid I remember thinking I should read the dictionary. I never got past A either. I'm surprised they got as far as the word Ash. I wonder if the Zombies got their name when they were reading the dictionary but started at the back. It would explain the brutal choice of name. Anyway, I found this album to be the heavy enough to grab your attention but not so much to be grouped in outdated and painfully boring heavy metal genre.
Super-heavy riffs and wall-of-noise distortion too frequently ends up with straightforward and uninspired songwriting. Moments of headbanging greatness.
Rough start but it gets better. I enjoyed listening to the album, some songs are really good but I really did not like the lead singer's voice.
Britpop meets 90s punk, well executed. Favorite Track: Girl From Mars Relisten: Yes
not bad, pretty impressive this came out in the 70s, this sounds straight of the 90s 6/10
Genre: Power Pop 3/5 A fun little piece of pop punk/power pop/alt rock, whatever you want to call it. This feels like an incredibly random add, and Iâm sure I can think of a few albums, even in this genre, that wouldâve made more sense in this book, but it wasnât a disappointing album, by any means. The peppiness of the whole record is quite infectious, but it never gets more than good. Goldfinger and Girl from Mars were pretty good, but thatâs as far as it gets in terms of standouts.
I liked this a lot better than I thought I would, for an album I hadn't heard of and whose first note was a bit cacophonous :) The songs I liked best were Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Let It Flow, and Angel Interceptor.
Fairly solid hard rock with some punk influences. Interesting sound on some tracks but pretty paint by numbers overall.
Good thing that I waited to hear this one once I was able to enjoy it, it was a nice surprise, very alternative and catchy.
Playful 90s rock. The way the guitar feedback just turns into a suspended drone in one of the songs was gnarly.
Im familiar with Ashâs hits but first time listening to this album. A very 90âs teenage sounding album. Can see the teenage fan club influence along with the 1977 punk reference. Enjoyable and I would of loved this If I owned this as a teenager, but it does now sound like an album for teenagers made by teenagers. Good album but not as good as the bands that influenced them.
This album is a mix of everything happening in rock in the mid 90s. I hear aspects of grunge, pop, garage, and Britpop. It oscillates quite a bit. I hear shades of early Radiohead, some Nirvana like melodic lines, and the seeds of what sounds like pop punk. Itâs perfectly fine, but Iâve heard these genres done better though the mixing is interesting.
Fun rock album, entirely non-essential though. No idea why it's on this list. 3.5
Who are these people and why have I never heard of them? Such a classic mid-nineties sound, and Iâm in heaven. I almost wish this was a 2020s album doing a throwback sound. I assume they (he) was born in 1977 (as was I). A specific, happy, fuzzy âindieâ sound that instantly evokes an overexposed music video of plaid-wearing skaters and blue skies. Errs just on the wrong side of non-descript.
It could have been a 1977 album but the production is better and there are plenty of twiddly bits thrown in.
Eh, I wasn't to impressed with this. I was expecting to like it a lot more. Average pop/rock album.
Another band that somehow escaped my notice from a time when I would have been really into them. Not really into it now but this kind of grungy stuff was really in my wheelhouse back when this album was released.
Good power pop with some songs I could do without. I enjoyed it overall but kind of got tired of it after a while. In particular, I disliked Kung Fu and Innocent Smile (way too much feedback!). I was going to give the album a 4 until I encountered those tracks and after realizing I was getting tired of the album after the third listen. So, it's a 3. Favorite tracks: Lose Control, I'd Give You Anything (this one caught my attention every time I listened - very cool track).
This felt a bit poppier band than I was expecting. As such, the songs needed to be shorter. (Girl From Mars, for example. It seemed to go on a good 2 or 3 choruses too long.) So the juxtaposition of the band being a bit "noisy" (in a good way. Really.) as they were playing songs that were trying to be more pop sounded is fine. But I just felt that they went too long. The songs need to be briefer, like the Hives.
I'll tell you what, this album won me over. This album art did not give me high hopes - I was getting 311 vibes and that's not a scene I dig, man. And that tie fighter sound at the top was probably a lot cooler to hear in 1996 than it is now. There aren't huge standouts here for me, but especially like some of the bigger, buzzier moments. I probably would've gone for this in '96, if I'd heard it first.
Neither terrible nor terribly interesting, this recordâs inclusion smacks of rockism. Feels pretty indistinct in the post-grunge, high-alt category â in which there were many similar bands (say the non-included Foo Fighters) circa late-90s. Editors claim theyâre more original than Britpoppers, who were surely cleverer by half and much less one-note, too. There are winning moments and effects, but they get a bit lost in the excessively rock-y din (see the fade-out of âDarkside Lightsideâ).. Best song: âGone the Dream,â though the Jackie Chan and âOh Yeahâ and âLost in Youâ are also strong. Grading up on the curve for they were only 19, and then down because of the (really shouldnât have been mentioned) "unmentionable" hidden track, plus they donât seem to have done much since this impressive-ish debut.
Solid 80s power pop written in the 70s. Guess that makes them a bit ground breaking.
The album is just kinda of there. It didn't really move the dial one way or another. The genre of music is hard to describe but probably closest to alternative rock. It is not indie music. It is not punk. It is late 90s rock, if that is a genre. I didn't hate ir. Some songs were catchy while listening to it but mostly unmemorable.
These teenagers join the early pop punk back when it was still very much tied to power pop, but it's intensely grungy, with heavy bass and high distortion, with the biggest influencer being Sonic Youth, most obviously evident by the opening track "Lose Control." It's my genre(s) of music, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, all the middle song were forgettable, and the performances (especially vocals) were lackluster. But they did incorporate Sonic Youth's tricks really well, employing engaging non-repetitive ambience in many songs. The closing songs were fantastic, saving this score from being a 2. Those last 2 songs are such a triumphant way to end. Favorites: Lose Control, Girl from Mars, Gone the Dream, Innocent Smile, Angel Introspector, Lost in You, Darkside Lightside
This was like a heavier grunge album with a taste of industrial. Not bad.
Some good rock bordering metal? Looking forward to actually listening to this
Any album that starts with the sound of a TIE fighter is a winner in my book. Also, 1977 was the year Star Wars: A New Hope came out. This album has previously been compared to bands like Sonic Youth, which made sense to me. There's a lot of heavy guitars with catchy melodies and dirty distortion. Many of the songs balance quiet and loud, slow and fast, which was another thing that reminded me of Sonic Youth. This album felt a little generic and not particularly groundbreaking, but again, I am generally a sucker for 90s pop/rock/alt/grunge/etc., so this album finds a nice home with me. Average, but enjoyable enough.
An enjoyable alt-rock LP that comes across as just a bit more radio-oriented but in the same vein as what Hum was doing around the same time. Does run a bit long for how many ideas it has to present, but a solid find from the project nonetheless.
Surely not bad, but it just doesn't really grasps me. Nothing really stands out as either outstanding or bad.
Vous connaissez mon aversion pour tout ce qui est punk, néanmoins je me dois de souligner que ces gentils messieurs auront eu la sympathie de nous épargner les clébards et les canettes de 8.6.
I would never have thought that I will have any residual fondness for this album. Nostalgia is an odd thing. I remember reading a profile of them in Q that pretty much broke my heart. I can't remember why (hey, this was almost a quarter of a century ago!), but I'm pretty certain it was as much about what was not said as what was said in the piece. I'll look it up sometime. Remember thinking (from the grand old age of mid 20s) that they were impossibly young. The energy of the performance is what carried them through then, I think. Personally, I don't think it belongs on this list; personally, I'm sort of pleased that it is on this list.
Somewhere between "Child Abuse" and "Corporate Record Company Bullshit Wank", "1977" brings a punk-pop sound that is so strikingly '90s that listening to it felt a bit nostalgic. Judging by their opener, "Lose Control", they could've made a good punk album.
Nice rock album, sounds a bit like green day from time to time but lacks the charm, not terrible but not crazy good 2.5/5
3.5 I was shocked that is was from 1977. Seriously, I thought it was modern rock. NNED more of this!
I didn't quite like it even thought it's 90s garage rock / grunge which I should at least enjoy a little. But something was off and I didn't.
Meh. Below-average punk-rock. A bit cheesy for me. I've heard "Girl From Mars", which is ok. It's fine but does not a whole lot.
Read up a bit on this before listening as I hadn't heard of this one. Expected to hate it but on first listen it's alright. Definitely has some catchy pop hooks. Hearing all the influences listed in the descriptions. About 1/3 of the way through it's starting to wear thin for me though. Don't like the songs with string arrangements at all - seems unnecessary. "Kung Fu" is plain dumb. Can't believe it was a hit. Their music is kinda like junk food. It tastes good at first but if you try to make a meal out of it, it'll make you sick.
Hatte alles seine Zeit. Ashâs Pop/Punkrock kommt in Teilen auch wieder in einer Band wie Girls wieder vor, aber in seiner GĂ€nze bleibt es doch sehr flachgrĂŒndig & datiert auf 1996 - statt wie proklamiert auf 1977. Hence 1.996 points
Not really my thing but not bad. It sounds like if Elliot Smith was in a rock band
Aika mitÀÀnsanomatonta kevytrokkia. VÀhÀn liian nopeatempoista ollakseen sellaista kesÀfestareilla fiilisteltÀvÀÀ musaa, mutta sitten taas toisaalta liian kepeÀÀ ollakseen ihan kunnolla rokattavaa. Hajuton ja mauton vÀliinputoaja. Ei jatkoon.
odd mix of britpop and grunge that manages to be less interesting than the sum of its parts. as if the gallagher were less talented and listened to too much nirvana but didn't understand it. a product of its time i guess. and if it were 1996 i'd probably have liked it. as it is, i didn't hate it but can't imagine ever wanting to revisit.
When all bands had to play in a run down industrial state warehouse and puddles lots and lots of puddles
un petit cĂŽtĂ© grundge? c'est quand mĂȘme pas terrible, encore une fois on dirait une BO de fin d'un film mĂ©diocre c'est mĂȘme carrĂ©ment nul, 3/10 Non allez quand mĂȘme ça s'Ă©coute 4/10 La moins pire c'est Kung Fu :c'est con mais ça marche (wohohohohoho). + goldfinger a un truc. Mais c'est un gĂąchis la chanson ne part jamais dans la bonne direction (tu verras ce que je veux dire en rĂ©Ă©coutant le moi du futur)
Banda de rock irlandĂ©s totalmente desconocida para mĂ. Nada destacable para estar en un ranking como este.
Nah. More punk-ness and I just am learning I do not care for that style. I love the energy of it, but the vocals and freneticism just don't work for me.
Definitely feels like a record from 96. A pop band trying to ape the sounds of great underground bands but in a much more commercial style. It's like another version of Creed or something. Girl from Mars is straight-up sugar pop with a layer of distortion added on top. Some tracks (Lost in You) are just straight up bad. They occasionally sound a lot like bands that I love and some of the guitar work is enjoyable but the whole thing is just kind of offensive and feels very calculated / inauthentic. Would never put this on a list of albums you have to hear before you die. Nothing here should be a requirement for anyone - go listen to the bands this group is imitating.
2.6 - The sort of anonymous 90s rock that would've appeared on the soundtrack for a high school coming-of-age comedy. Very thin on vocals with flabby shoegaze-type guitars. A couple of pretty tracks ("Oh Yeah", "Gone the Dream") but overall forgettable and inessential.
Het album begint met "Girl From Mars" dat me meteen pakt. Kinderachtige punkrock op een lekker snel tempo. Helaas pretendeert de rest wat meer serieus te zijn en daardoor verliezen ze mijn aandacht. Ook zit de zanger er soms net naast waardoor het een beetje vals klinkt. Ik blijf "Girl From Mars" het leukste liedje vinden, maar "Goldfinger" is een nummer met hit-potentie dat me aan Nirvana doet denken. **