1977

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.

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 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.

A bit like a more punk Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub with a little Sonic Youth thrown in for good measure. Pretty solid.

Reminds 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

Is Tim Wheeler a good singer? Not really. Is he a brilliant guitar player? Not especially. But I love this album. It’s a fucking 90’s classic, riddled with great tunes and it was done by lads from just up the road. What’s not to like?

A generic Weezer meets Stroke-9 middle 90's alt rock clone. They probably liked that one high school song by Local H, if I had to guess. It's not that good. It doesn't really belong on a list. Maybe for an angsty 13 year old in 1996? Who was just one album away from finding something with some energy and meaning? Or maybe one album away from the myriad flavors of nu-metals infamous rap-rock-DJ collabs? Can't say. Not good. It's a two because the playing is proficient. It should be a one.

British Popish

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

"Goldfinger" was a good song. These guys want to sound like Nirvana/Smashing Pumpkins, but were a little too watered-down and late to the party. "I'd Give You Anything" is ripped off from Black Sabbath's N.I.B. Other than that, there wasn't anything memorable about any of these tracks.

For me this album is all the offcut Brit pop music amalgamated into one album. Then they added one straight Black Sabbath rip off and tried to hide it all under a huge layer of fuzz guitar. No thanks

uppa norn iron

I started listening to this and at first for some reason felt like this wasn’t particularly noteworthy. I was thinking this might be a 3 or so when I had to stop listening. When I picked up listening to it again it suddenly caught fire and I loved the second half. Wondering what had changed I immediately started the album over and decided first-time-listen-me was an idiot. These songs rock! Great guitars and drums and fun songwriting. I love this!

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!

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!

Gotta love an album that kicks off with Star Wars sound effects. This album certainly kicks off with a cracking pace and settles into a nice rhythm. Girl From Mars and Kung Fu are certainly the highlights, not bad for a debut.

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

Has an early Weezer "Blue Album" vibe to it, so I'm all about it

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.

Solid. No bad song on this album

Liked it but won't revisit. Has enough Weezer elements to push the 'why is the Blue Album not on this list' button.

Another Britpop band I’ve never heard of. The first track sounds like Weezer crossed with the Buffy theme song. Cool guitar solo, though. Second track sounds like if Rivers Cuomo became the lead singer of Lit (to be fair, I loved Lit back in the day). Another fun guitar solo. The more this album went on the more I kept thinking about how much they sounded like Weezer, sometimes crossed with a bit of other bands (Oasis, the Beatles, Lit, Travis, Ramones, etc.). Then I got to “Kung Fu,” which I guess is their racist version of “Buddy Holly”? Reading that they in fact opened for Weezer was the least surprising thing I’ve learned all week. Look, this was a catchy album, even if it is repetitive. The lyrics are decently written but trite. Every song is about the same thing — a guy obsessed with a girl who’s not there. The musicianship is pretty good, and there are cool guitar solos on almost every song. The lead singer is good, but he sounds like a carbon copy of Rivers Cuomo. Actually, he’s a little less annoying than Rivers. Is there anything special about this album that I needed to hear before I die? If there is, I must be missing it. To me it sounds like any number of Weezer soundalike bands from the mid to late 90s. There’s nothing memorable about it that would make me want to listen again. 3/5

No. 182/1001 Lose Control 2/5 Goldfinger 4/5 Girl from Mars 3/5 I'd Give You Anything 2/5 Gone the Dream 4/5 King Fu 3/5 Oh Yeah 3/5 Let It Flow 3/5 Innocent Smile 3/5 Angel Interceptor 2/5 Lost In You 4/5 Darkside Lightside 3/5 Average: 3,0 Pretty cool album.

Fine. Sounds like a less good Foo Fighters

This is fine. I don't know enough about this band too could have been contacts there's some songs that are really fun and some are doing something interesting

"Girl From Mars" is great, and unsuspectingly has the highest play count of any track on the album via Spotify. I really love the melody and the guitar tones. That distortion really is just too loud though.. when it goes away the rest of the song sounds a little weak volume-wise. Solid besides that. "I'd Give You Anything" got Black Sabbath stuck in my head after listening, because the riff sounds just like the song "NIB". Pretty nice album. Not a ton stood out to me though. It's not exactly bad but I don't know if you need to hear it before you die.

Great singles - does it work as an album? Hmmm. Quite muffled production. Very impressive for a bunch of 17 year olds though.

The sweet spot between Nirvana and the Jonas Brothers.

Generic 90s alt/grunge rock. There was nothing unique, important, or interesting about the music

By teenagers, for teenagers. Some pretty catchy tunes (Kung Fu, Goldfinger, Girl Form Mars), with pretty high energy, that got a lot of airplay on Triple J at the time. It is not that different (in some ways) to the Hard-ons or Ratcat; catchy, if somewhat puerile, songs played with noisy guitars at reasonably high velocity (although the Hard-Ons pushed this concept a bit harder). And I loved that type of music when I was 16. I think this album would be terrific if you were 16 or 17 when released, and you could see the band at an all-ages show. Fun, but inessential. "I'd Give You Anything" stood out for me, because it sounds like the Stooges.

Holy shit. Never heard of this band and I was a teen in the 90s. This fucking rocks. How did I never hear this? So much fuzz it's like every song is made out of Velcro! God damn this is good.

It feels like the list is pandering to me with these 90s british alt/indie albums

Really good!

A great mix of aggression and emotion, with great songwriting, cool vocal melodies and a slew of really enjoyable moments. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

Expect for maybe 'A', Ash were the first band I was properly obsessed with. Don't think I've listened to this album in full for probably a decade but it held up far better than I expected, the album tracks were much stronger than I remember. I'd still say they are primarily a singles band and the singles are so good. Angel interceptor, Kung Fu, they have that Weezer like proper pop melody thing but they also sound so indie and thrown together, I love it. 1978 is the best album probably, though free all angels is also incredible. I'd give a five to everything though.

Great memories of being a late teen in Belfast - thanks!

What a fun discovery, and I have once again failed to beat the 90s rock allegations

Own it, love it, always have, always will! Released in my mid teens as I was making my way through the end of school and finding my way into college, right about when I started learning guitar and was infatuated with video games. “Girl From Mars”, “Oh Yeah”, “Angel Interceptor” and “Kung Fu” are some of favourites. All were perfect for my teenage angst, lust and confusion. Solid 5 for this one.

Gran Turismo! Tie Fighters! 35 years ago Eric Cantona Kung Fu kicked a racist fan and was immortalised on the cover of the single of the same name. Girl From Mars! Goldfinger! Oh Yeah! Oooh ahhh, Angel Interceptor! Ten minutes of silence...and then: Sick Party! I see Spotify have censored Sick Party off most versions of this, but it's available to search for the curious. And yes I was a teenager when this came out, and there are better albums, but you lot don't like The Birthday Party or that German clanking album or anything else that upsets you so I have earned the right to overscore a somewhat generic pop/rock album with muddier production than I remember.

Despite Norn Iron being such a small place we have produced some talent. Ash are certainly the most fun, mixing the pop sensibilities of The Undertones with the aggression of Stiff Little Fingers. Eclectic teenagers that they were they threw in metal, Dinosaur Jr and ABBA influences, pop-culture references from Star Wars, X-Men, Jackie Chan, Karate Kid, Captain Scarlet. The album starts with the sound of a TIE fighter and ends, at least on early versions, with a hidden track of them egging each other in a vomiting competition. In between there are so many catchy fun, wall of noise songs - Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Kung Fu, Angel Interceptor - really not a bad tune and all delivered with the youthful exuberance of kids having the time of their lives. Downpatrick’s best!

I'd never heard of Ash, and didn't recognise any of their songs. So I went into this album blind I really really enjoyed it! As soon as that opening guitar started I was thinking oh hell yeah here we go. And it did not disappoint! Honestly such a nice surprise to find on this list. This is my sort of thing 5 ⭐️

Was 14 when this one came out and i first heard Goldfinger. At the moment loved 'em even more than Oasis, which was a sick feeling for a Gallagher fan. Since that time there're a few things in their repertoire i dig more, like Meltdown, still can't even think of rating 1977 less than 5 out of 5.

90er Britrock (aus Nordirland), aber nicht so softrock kacke. Gute ElektroRiffs. Gefällt mir bisher fast am besten. 5/5

ei tartte lyyrikoita kuunnella ja ymmrätää kun voi fiilistellä...

Ash – 1977 Album Review Ash’s 1977 isn’t just an album—it’s a time capsule of teenage rebellion, romance, and raw exuberance. Released in 1996, it catapulted the Northern Irish trio into the spotlight, blending Britpop melodies with punk urgency. The album feels like a love letter to youthful chaos, capturing the kind of unfiltered energy that only comes from a band barely out of their teens. Opening with “Lose Control,” complete with a cheeky Star Wars TIE fighter scream, the album establishes its playful yet forceful tone. This is not a record that tiptoes around its influences; it embraces them. Tracks like “Goldfinger” and the iconic “Girl From Mars” shine with hook-laden melodies and crunchy guitars, showcasing Ash’s ability to craft earworms that feel both nostalgic and fresh. “Kung Fu” is a frenetic punk anthem that barrels through its runtime with reckless abandon, while “Oh Yeah” slows things down for a wistful, sun-soaked ode to summer love. The diversity in sound is one of 1977’s greatest strengths—it oscillates between raw punk energy and polished pop sensibilities without ever losing its charm. But what makes 1977 truly special is its sincerity. Ash wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here; instead, they made a record that feels intensely personal yet universally relatable. The lyrics are simple but heartfelt, the production is unpretentious, and the energy is infectious. Even in its quieter moments, like “Darkside Lightside,” the album radiates an authenticity that resonates. Nearly three decades later, 1977 still holds up. It’s a snapshot of a band finding their voice and having a blast doing it. For anyone who’s ever felt the electric spark of youth—the reckless joy, the heartbreak, the endless nights—this album is a perfect soundtrack. Ash might have grown up since, but 1977 ensures their teenage spirit will live on forever.

Impossible to separate this from the nostalgia I feel for this album. "1977" was the second CD I owned (Dodgy's "Free Peace Sweet" was the first) and it provided the soundtrack to summer of '96, when my 16-year-old self was discovering new levels of freedom in the most inept way possible. Ash were Oasis for sci-fi nerds like me. It's still great, to me, perfectly paced, and Owen Morris' wall-of-sound production makes it a lot rockier than their Britpop peers' albums. Tim Wheeler doesn't always hit the right note, but the boyish charm of his singing means it doesn't matter. The only thing missing is the bonus puke track, which is here (if you dare listen!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYivCDJN9PQ

Biased because this is one of my seminal rock records/bands but this is a 5 star from track 1.

I'm surprised I've never heard of these guys, because this is right up my alley. The singer reminds me so much of someone else. Maybe Weezer, sebadoh, or hum or a combination of them. A bunch of very enjoyable tunes. Some great melodies, and great guitar tone. This will definitely go into my rotation. Mid 5.

Such a good album, very 90's tracks that just hit different, takes me back to better times!

A great great album and another one I heard at a young & important age (still remember staying up late to tape their 1996 concert at the Point off the radio). 5 stars for me for sure. Slightly doubting whether it should be on this list (question how influential it's been) but it is a way better and more polished piece of work than probably half the stuff on this list. And they were *so* young. This album is teenage potential and teenage possibilities in a bottle. Favourite songs: Goldfinger, Angel Interceptor, Darkside Lightside.

An album I loved at the time, and a band I have seen live a bunch of times - most memorably at T in the Park 2001 when I was taken to the medical tent after bouncing about too much! Hard to believe this was a debut - it sounds so fully realised and confident.

1996

Buenísimo. Tremenda sorpresa pop-rock-punk. Eso podría no parecer absolutamente genial, pero sí lo fue.

1977 was the year of cataclysmic change. Two sevens clash, new hopes, disco fever, stiff little fingers, all the bollocks. It was also the birth year of the principal members of Ash and they congregate to make an absolute blast with this album. More aligned with Dookie than Definitely Maybe, 1977 wears its influences on its sleeve, baring its weird, often angular, at times sincere nature. Britpop this is not and, with the way it was heading, it's for the best.

Ohhh I know this one well. So many times cranking 'Let it flow', which is lame and a banger in equal measure. Easy 5 for rock and nostalgia (nostalgia from age 27, so pretty consistent)

You know what? I’m at a 5. I really am stunned by that; maybe I’m just sort of overreacting on a first impression, but I seriously enjoyed that a lot. The only track I wasn’t feeling was I’d Give You Anything, which just has a fucking huge wall of noise at the end of it that drowns out any semblance of a melodic structure. Besides that though… yeah, I just really liked it; I think the vocals are the weakest part, but they’re not bad, they just feel like they could’ve added a bit more character to each song. The lyrics, while sort of lackluster, do the job they’re supposed to do, which is to get the feeling across, and the feeling is expertly weaved into the soundscape – I adore the way this album sounds. I think every song here has a really strong structure to it, save for I’d Give You Anything, and that structure, both vocally and instrumentally is what really carries this album to a super honest spot. I can firmly believe this was an album written by a 19-year-old kid, and that honesty makes its way through every track here in a way that I just kind of admire. I’m also a sucker for a good Star Wars reference, which I honestly didn’t pick up on until reading the title of the last track, then hearing them humming the Star Wars theme at the end, and then realizing 1977 is when A New Hope came out. It’s a seriously good album, and I’m feeling super good about giving it a 5. I really liked it, man.

90s Irish rock !? What! How did I not know about these guys? Super awesome and maybe my fave find of this 1001 Albums journey so far.

Wow, this was a great find! I ended up in the deluxe edition which I normally hate, but I could have listened to this all day!

Dayum, this has been one of my favourite first listens of an album so far. This shit slaps. There's so much energy in the drums and guitar playing it keeps me engaged which a lot of other records can't do. Fav songs: - Lose Control - Goldfinger - I'd Give You Anything - Gone the Dream - Innocent Smile - Angel Interceptor

This is the kind of album that this project was built for! Rocks so hard and so awesomely from beginning to end. Loved the use of strings too! Favorite track: “Girl From Mars”.

Kings of cool distorted guitar! Definitely some filler tracks, but the highlights set a massive ceiling

Should’ve known I would like it as soon it opened with the TIE Fighter sound. Enjoyed the whole thing. The front half and final few tracks were all great with a little in the middle I was pretty indifferent too. Rating: 4.6

love every track from start to finish

Brilliant brilliant LP - Oh yeah! Brilliant music

- This is perfect - Love the garagy, yet clean vibes - Oh Yeah, and Lose Control were great songs - Would for sure go back to this

This was rad

Very good hard rock album. Am exited to revisit

Stupendous album from a band who were still teenagers when it was released. Just an instant classic.

Awesome

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.

Loved this album. His voice is still terrible but the songs are great.

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.

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 britânico). Som leve, cativante... e pop. Me lembrou as canções do jogo "Tony Hawk".

A banger for sure

Thoroughly joyous mid 90s nostalgia. Packed with great songs

Just three teenagers from northern ireland having the time of their lives and it's fucking brilliant. 6 stars.

Amazing, the energy picked up my twenty year old self again 😀

ok

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.

Definitely my type of music. 0RS

4.3

There was a massive buzz around Ash in the UK when this came out, but they never really seemed to properly take off. This is a good album though, but maybe that’s more a memory thing for me, as I was in my early twenties when it came out.

1977 is the perfect example of a scrappy, youthful garage rock album that thrives on energy over technical precision. It’s raw, slightly grungy, and packed with infectious hooks, making it easy to see why it connected so strongly with fans of loud, unpolished rock. The album kicks off with Lose Control, a breakneck opener that throws you straight into the chaos, setting the tone for an album that never really slows down. Ash’s brand of punk-tinged power pop isn’t about complexity—it’s about capturing the reckless excitement of being young, and they absolutely nail it. Girl from Mars is the obvious standout, a perfect mix of melody and grit that lodges itself in your brain immediately. The production is just messy enough to feel authentic but never so much that it buries the anthemic quality of the songwriting. While the album is full of great moments, it’s not flawless. Some tracks, like I’d Give You Anything, feel a bit more like raw noise than structured songs, and while the vocals work within the album’s loose, garage-rock feel, they don’t always carry enough personality to elevate every track. The lyrics aren’t groundbreaking, but they do what they need to—channel the youthful spirit and reckless abandon that make the whole record feel so honest. The Star Wars nods scattered throughout only add to the charm, reinforcing that 1977 isn’t just a title, but a full embrace of the band’s influences and sense of fun. It’s loud, unrefined, and maybe a little rough around the edges, but that’s exactly why it works so well.

Would listen again

Well, this transported me back to being a teenager in the summer of 1996. I could practically taste the cider. I think it could stand to lose a couple of tracks but I don’t think it’s just the nostalgia talking when I say I enjoyed this.

I wonder if these guys have ever heard of Weezer...

Heard

Definitely enjoyed. Girl From Mars was a favorite and would come back for that one.

I would've never have called myself a huge Ash fan, but they were everywhere when I was a teenager. I'm surprised how nostalgic this was for me and how much of the album I still knew. One of the few big ish bands I saw locally where I grew up. The first few tracks are great. So are Kung Fu and oh yeah I'm not sure it's quite worthy of a 5, but 4.5 it is

Sounds like my youth

Didn't know about this and the happy to find out. four stars just for this

This sounds so 90s with that very distinctive sort of teenage sound but with some almost "Beatle-like" tunes sprinkled in. Very interesting album

I'd only heard Girl From Mars before. The rest of the album feels very late 90s/early 2000s alt rock which was fun and nostalgic

This is like the definition of garage rock to me. It is slightly grungy as well, which is a lot of fun. Is the singer especially talented? No. Are the guitar parts especially challenging? No. But the album works. It sounds very raw and I feel like this band would be fun to hear live. I loved this album probably more than I should have. Wow is "Girl from Mars" such a good track. I will be listening to this song on loop for the rest of my life. "Lose Control" is a FANTASTIC heavy and fast opening track. Liked Songs: "Lose Control" , "Goldfinger" , "Girl from Mars" , "Gone the Dream" , "Kung Fu" , "Let It Flow" , "Innocent Smile" , "Darkside Lightside"

4/5, some good stuff here

Good 90s rock. Listen again

I didn’t expect to like this based on my first initial listen of the first bit of the opener. Then “Girl From Mars” came on and I had the BIGGEST nostalgia flashback to being a kid in the 90s. Without remembering the song existed but somehow knew half the words? Anyway, I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I expected. It’s fun, the background harmonies are great, the guitar has a groove. Saved this whole album, as well as added some of it to my playlist.

I had this album back when it was new. Really solid mid-90s sound. 'Goldfinger' got some radio play here in Seattle and was a favorite of mine back then. Definitely in the Weezer ballpark.

A pleasant surprise, one of the underestimated great alternative rock albums of the 90s. It doesn't bring anything particularly new to the genre, but it has a great execution.

Not too bad.