1977

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

At low volume I could have given this a lower score.. I knew I had to relisten and I'm glad I did. There's a lot of depth to this.

Punky power pop well pissed on NY noise, The Undertones, Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr (especially the Bug album) Buzzcocks, Oasis covering Nirvana and seemingly endless amounts of fire n skill make for a fun hour. Anyone that can't have a killer Friday night with 1977, a friend or two and a six pack of 'it was on sale' is a lost cause. Lost I tell you! Meaty beaty big and bouncy!

I absolutely love this album. Always have and always will.

Als Ash 1996 ihr Album 1977 veröffentlichten, war sofort klar, dass hier drei Teenager aus Downpatrick etwas Ungestümes, Charmantes und absolut Zeittypisches eingefangen hatten. Die Mischung aus Britpop‑Energie, Pop‑Punk‑Drive und einem Hauch Garage‑Rock wirkt wie ein destillierter Moment der 90er‑Jugendkultur – impulsiv, melodieverliebt und ohne jede Ironie. Wikipedia Songs wie „Girl From Mars“, „Goldfinger“ und „Kung Fu“ sind bis heute kleine Hymnen, die das Album tragen: eingängig, verspielt und voller jugendlicher Übermut.

I think that this album may have been the basis of every Kerrang compilation from the early 2000s. It is a rock album that is arranged expertly with melodic strings in places such as in "Gone the Dream". Tim Wheeler's vocals as smooth and provide a counterpoint to the rough and overdriven guitars. There are three absolute anthems on this album "Goldfinger", "Girl from Mars" and "Oh Yeah". I feel like I would hear one or more of these on every night out that I went on between 2001 to 2010. Which is impressive considering that they were 10 years old by 2006. This album also has a special place in my heart being a former student of Salford University. The Castle Irwell halls of residence had a Darkside and a Lightside. Which rumour has it was named after the final track of this album. (4.250)

Come on, Jackie Chan, oh oh oh oh oh oh!

J'ai plus de misère à coter haut que Félix mais tu m'as donné une référence de comparaison qui me manquait. Pour moi ça sonne comme du Weezer qui se dilue vers du Blink ou à l'inverse. J'ai leur album Trailer depuis des lustres que j'écoute assez rarement.

Pas convaincu ici! Ça m’a laissé plutôt indifférent

7/10

Never heard before, solid

definitely has some "album tracks" on there, but still holds up well, big nostalgia value

I wasn’t expecting much, going off the cliche 90s template logo, but I like this. They drift between sounding like Teenage Fanclub-esque power pop (“Gone the Dream”) to noise workouts (“I’d Give You Anything”) to the amped-up bubblegum fuzz of “Kung Fu.” Their songs are hooky and fun and the lyrical content (and the Tie Fighter sample at the top of the album) show they have a sense of humor.

je ne connaissais pas. C'est le debut album de Ash. Britpop assez sympa des années 90. Avec parfois (rare) des accents hard voire métal.

Great one to revisit

Was vibing thru this. I like the sound very much, nothing standing out super much, but it is up my alley. Lower 4

Never heard of this band, very 90s alternative rock. I liked their vibe. 4* Highlights: goldfinger

Oh boy. My first concert. One of my first CDs. I used to absolutely love this. I don't feel like it's aged well though, he sounds a bit whiny especially compared to modern Irish rockstars. Heck of an opener and some great songs though. The remaster is amazing and adds so much depth to the songs that the loudness war original mix loses.

Absolutely glorious. No need for it to be in this list of course, but for it's ability to transport me back to a house-party, buying alcohol as an under-age teen and standily moodily in a kitchen tortured by why girls didn't like me, this is right up there. Crank up the volume and blast it out. (side note - girls don't like self-loathing miserable bastards. It is not, repeat not, "being mysterious and elusive")

it was okay, but very repetitive and the songs sounded very alike

Some great guitar playing and energetic songs. Reading the (somehow extremely extensive) wikipedia page for this group is interesting. Real nice of the producer to start introducing drugs to kids fresh out of high school. The album is nice with a lot of bangers, but I really don't know why it's on the list to be honest

Unknown gem for me!

I quite enjoyed this album, good to great indie music, with the majority of cuts I liked better on the 2nd listen which bodes well for further listening (probably). But the puke-fest? That's just shitty. WTF were these blokes thinking? A solid 4 star becomes a near disastrous 1 star: in the end I'll just ignore that that "end-note" was ever put on vinyl. I've done some pretty shitty stuff myself: 4 "forgetful and forgiven but is that really Brit-pop when you're a Northern Irish band" stars.

Very weezer-esque in a great way

Excelente

Not sure how I have never heard of these guys. This is my kind of 90s music.

Cool album, enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, with its very loud, varied, and catchy take on a lot of the alt, britpop, and slacker rock sounds of the mid '90s. Nothing unique really, just good solid tunes. The album really started winning me over with the songs 'Goldfinger' and especially 'The Girl From Mars, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that even deeper into the album, many of the songs continued to stick the landing. I found this album more tolerable than many other albums associated with its style - I just find the riffs, melodies, song structures, and writing here to be more digestible and charming, and less grating and repetitive (given the record's length). Guitar playing is a highlight here; you get raging solos with some cool pedal effects, alongside those pretty typical fuzzy riffs you'd expect out of this genre. Also, a few oddly fitting instrumental choices, like with the string sections of 'Gone The Dream' and 'Oh Yeah', the latter of which was maybe my favorite song here, just gorgeously put together with this theatrical, almost glam-rock feel. Oddly enough, I really enjoyed the interlude-y but fun 'Kung Fu' which sounded like an early Ramones-type punk rock song. 'Let It Flow' was another earworm here, really highlighting just how tight, albeit simple, the melody and songwriting on this album are. An album that's really good at what it does, and varied enough across its 50-minute runtime to keep me entertained. Yeah, it's cliche and sort of cheesy at times, but also, it was just ridiculously easy to get through, and I had a lot of fun with it.

I didn't realise how well I knew this album but I must have listened to it a massive amount back in the day Bough back memories of being a teenager and it's full of bangers. This is a peach

Nice gritty rock that still had some variety. Shows its age a little but still relevant lyrically and still interesting musically. Glad to find these new artists through the project. 4/5

I like noise and tunes and this has both. Hard to fault really if it wasn't for those strings.

This is so good! 90s space rock filled with some beautiful sonic sounds on guitars!

Godt britpop album rigtig mange sange jeg synes var mega gode

Sleeper for the win! Despite loving 90s grunge I had never heard of this band or album before. While it was a -bit- generic I still overall enjoyed it!

This is one of those accessible Britrock bands that just seem to keep on going. It's a bit hit and miss as an album, but the guitars sound great and it's fun.

I think I just liked it because their music was in Shaun of the Dead That was them wasn't it

Girl From Mars so good. Ash were a great pop punk band. They had some hooks. I am quite a fan of Free All Angels too. This held up way better than I expected. Fave Tracks: Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Kung Fu, Innocent Smile, Angel Interceptor 3.9/5

Opening your debut album with Tie Fighters is crazy. Never heard of this band, wasn’t expecting much. Vocally and lyrically it’s a pretty basic record. You can hear the influences baked into almost every song. But you know what, I think that’s great here. I normally complain about the Brit pop/alt rock pulls on here, but I’m totally vibing with this. The fact that these guys were 19 when they made this makes me like this even more. It’s got this super unfiltered feeling. As I said before, it’s just one big conglomeration of all their influences. The Star Wars nods, the sabbath riffs (listen to I’d give you anything” again) there’s no deep message behind the album. It knows what it is and I fuck with that. This record really just feels super nostalgic even though I’ve never heard of it before. I’m thinking Girl From Mars MAYBE got some radio play in the early 2000’s because that sounds almost too familiar. Regardless, I’m a sucker for nostalgia. All this to say, this is an EASY 3 but I’m bumping to a 4 because I found this at just the right time. I fuck with the youthful vibes. It’s loud, catchy, and not perfect. It knows what it is. Standouts/Saves: Kung Fu, Goldfinger, I’d give you anything, girl from mars, lost in you, Let it flow

I WANNA MOSH THIS IS AWESOME I LOVE POP PUNK

I haven't listened to this as a standalone album for quite some time, having had it sitting in my collection for many years. The singles are all worthy, but what I had forgotten was how good some of the non-single tracks on the album are. Basically, you can put on just about any track from this album and not have too many issues with it. Hard to believe these guys were only 17 when they wrote this, and also hard to believe they are still going strong 30 years later!! Pretty close to a 5, but maybe just short, so I'll give it a 4 for now.

It was a fun album that reminded me of sonic youth mixed with a bit of dinosaur jr

I had some high expectations after reading some of the comments. Girl from mars didn’t really impress me, a bit boring. The all the other songs I liked a lot, powerful sound, Heavy guitar riffs and some quite elements.

Emotional feeling vocals with a very bright rocky sound, this was definitely an enjoyable listen and had a great composition. 8/10, Favorite Song: Gone The Dream

Enjoyed felt like 2000s era not 90s. Delightful songs

Great start, with solid energy! I felt like things kind of slowed down as the album progressed, but I still very much liked the songs.

I had never heard of Ash, but once Girl from Mars came on I started to get into the music and I felt like this song really propelled the rest of the album. 4/5

I've loved this album for years. Girl from Mars and Goldfinger and Oh Yeah used to get radio spins, and there's a lot of charm in the album tracks as well.

- I've always enjoyed this album - it's got a lot of hits, for sure. - It's fun and full of a lot of youthful energy, but it also has a sweetness about it that I really enjoy. - Heavy guitar fuzz but agree with the Wikipedia page that it's catchy... definitely melody focused. I also appreciate the strings. - I remember them being fun live. Also have fond memories of dancing to Kung Fu at the Bomber - thanks DJ guy! - I'd maybe cut a song or two (e.g., I'd Give You Anything, Innocent Smile, and definitely the hidden barf track), but none of the songs are bad, and the album hangs together nicely.

Even I have to admit that some of the music of mid 90s indie bands hasn’t aged that well. His vocals are really bad in some of these songs and there are probably 1 or 2 songs that should have been binned. However, it still really rocks, Kung Fu, Girl from Mars, Innocent Smile, Angel Interceptor the highlights, and you realise it is packed full of great songs. Also never really noticed until now how incredibly similar to Weezer they are.

really good!!

teenage dirtbag boy in love with a girl kinda album, iconic

Ahhh... 1996, the music industry trying to find a Nirvana cover band while the alternative sound moves away from Grunge towards something more unique or mainstream (depending on the band)... Oh, and let us not forget the coming age of boy bands and sexualizing teenage girls from the Mickey Mouse Club. Can't say I remember ever hearing Ash, but it sounds like the perfect example of a mid 90s alternative band... I actually enjoy it for what it is.

грязно, перегружено, попсово я такое люблю вокал необычный и не приедается

There's a four hour pretentious version, I listened to the 50 minute original release. Lose Control is not a good song, but it is one I like. Girl from mars is ok. I like the heavy guitars and the drums and the bass individually but somehow the pieces aren't coming together. This is coming across like a cut rate Blink 182. Kung Fu is a fun song. Yeah ok this album is slowly winning me over.

I was not aware of this and it was a nice surprise. I probably liked the opener the best, but the rest was a decent listen. Will revisit. Not quite a 4 but rounding up because it deserves a separation from the 3’s. 3.5/5

Probably going too high with my rating, but this was a nice surprise amongst a lot of recent meh albums. Need to dig into their discography cuz this def piqued my interest. 3.5/5

No

A Britpop blur of crunchy guitars and sugar-rush hooks that all kind of sound the same… but in a way that’s weirdly charming. It’s not breaking any new ground, but the whole thing radiates teenage optimism and “we just started a band and somehow got famous” energy.

90s rock. Debut. Northern Irish band. Immediately goes off with great guitars. Catchy and nostalgic.

Was vantevoren bang dat dit een soort Oasis soundalike zou zijn maar het is gelukkig een 90s sound die ik wél tof vind. Soort Britse variant van Fountains of Wayne, maar dan anders. Love de productie, en dat een heel aantal van de nummers in elkaar doorlopen. Plus, het album begint met het geluid van een TIE Fighter. De bassist heet Mark Hamilton, GeT iT?!

Hard-hitting 90s garage rock \m/ Love the fuzzy, grungy sound, and "Lose Control" is a killer opening track -- the whole band comes out swinging and rarely lets up for the next 50 mins. Nothing about the production stands out as particularly innovative or revolutionary, but I'll give it a pass anyway as it's easy to groove along to and just all around fun.

I like that one, may relisten

Debut album. Indie Rock. Anything that kicks off with a Tie Fighter has to be good, and this is ! Lose Control is an aggressive banger to open up with. Goldfinger and Girl From Mars are two excellent tracks that follow. Yes, there are maybe a couple of what feel like filler tracks in the middle but Angel Interceptor picks things up again and we then get a decent run to the end. A very good album.

Very fuckin' solid alt rock and power pop. Not a single bad song, and it was made vmby fookin' 19 year olds!!!

Enjoyed this one a good bit, easy to relisten. Solid 4

Franchement, c’était une belle découverte ! J’ai trouvé ça vraiment chouette

This appeals to the teenage me.  Its a grungy slightly pop record which has a raw edge.  I think its recorded badly, appeals to a more simplistic pattern musically but actually it encapsulates the audience and makes you want to feel it and get on board.  The vocals are more of the same, slightly terrible but makes you lean in to the grunge / vulnerablity you are experiancing. I am massively biased as was said teenager experiencing this almost real time and literally.  My first and most seen band live to this day by chance. Owned the album etc etc. Pleasant trip down memory lane. Probably deserves 3 but nostalgia bump it had to be a 4!

Lo disfrute, me la pase muy bien escuchándolo. En lo personar es el género con el que más me siento cómodo y a gusto. Será una calificación un poco subjetiva, pero intentando destacar cosas puntuales me gustaría decir que el trabajo lirico es muy bueno, además de que todo el disco tiene un estilo único, con influencias, obviamente, pero con su propio toque y sazón. Además se me hizo un disco muy honesto, con actitud y autentico, sin pretensiones. Muy sencillo pero genuino, eso siempre se aprecia y se agradece. Buen disco. Creo que es la perfecta combinación del punk muy pesado y conceptual, y el punk muy pop y ligero; une lo mejor de los dos mundos.

Was between a 4 and a 5. Going for 4 because I think the extra point is for nostalgia vibes. Also not a 5 because there's 5 minutes of them throwing up at the end and I wasn't in a good mood as it was

I know this album, I like this band. There's some catchy songs on here, particularly for the band that were so young at the time. Goldfinger and Kung Fu are pretty well written pieces of music. The energy is quite cool, even if the lead guitar is a bit corny at times. 4 Stars.

Ok surprising w? This is from 77?????

Pleasantly surprised in many ways by this album. A new to me band, who I am eager to check out more of their stuff. Surprised also to learn they are Northern Irishmen. Somewhere between an 80s Modern English-ish alternative and a 90s Weezer sound, Ash feels nostalgic and fresh at the same time.

hard rock clasico de los 90, canciones con tematicas de peliculas, mola bastante

Common 90s rock W

nice and melodic, soft and fun

Listened Before? N This oozes mid-90s post-grunge and post-punk sounds. Most of the songs are about women, which is fine by me. I actually liked this one a lot and found it somewhat of a hidden gem. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Oh Yeah

Good. Nostalgic feeling

very good teenage crash britpop

Oh yeah, I know Girl From Mars! Not sure about the "britpop" label though, are Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth or Weezer britpop? Can't some Irish lads partake in a bit of garage rock without being reduced to just a country of origin?

I had never heard of this band or album before. I knew the song Girl from Mars (the least interesting song on the album) but only from the last couple of years, and I thought it was much more recent. I LOVED this whole album...fantastic! Can't believe I didn't know it from the 90s. It's been added to my library. Looks like they have a ton of other albums which I'm looking forward to checking out. 4.5

I don’t know this band but maybe I should. I like this.

A favorite record of mine upon release, 1977 is Ash demonstrating amazing proficiency on a debut record. This is a guitar record filled with brilliant melodies making this a complete album that is catchy as fuck. I discovered this on a CMJ compilation where Kung Fu was the single but once you get to the album, it’s the immediacy of songs like Girl From Mars, Angel Interceptor, Goldinger and the killer intro of Lose Control which presages the entire album. Tight catchy songs and some terrific guitar work fusing metal riffage onto pop punk to produce a pretty exciting high energy record filled with songs you can singalong to as you turn up the volume. In parts, the urge to engage the air guitar is high. There are no skips on this record but the 2nd half is a little uneven as the songs take a little time to engage the listener particularly when the Angel Interceptor is a superbly catchy track. But skipping tracks like Innocent Smile or the last track, Darkside Lightside, would be shortsighted as these tracks are sonically among the best on the record. Honestly, for a debut record, there are few I’ve encountered that would match this for overall excellence. 4.5/5

så svag för det här. so sue me!!

I actually really enjoyed this album. It is totally up my alley, and at first I was surprised I had never heard anything from this band before but then I realized I had at least heard "Goldfinger" So, I'm going to give this album 4 stars because to me it was great. But at the same time, I totally get why people would dog on this album. It totally begs the question of "why is this here?" And feels way more like a fan favorite of the curator rather than something truly worth of being a "must listen". Because I liked it, I would certainly keep it over a bunch of albums I've already been forced (ok, maybe not forced...coerced?) into listening to. But eventually I can see this one being on the chopping block over albums that maybe aren't for me but are perhaps more noteworthy or influential. 1977 isn't perfect, hence 4 stars, but it's solid enough that I plan on returning to many tracks from it, if not full listens again.

Angsty.

grungy and fun and a nice solid listen. never heard of em before!! i will be back!!

i enjoyed this one! happened to be listening to ash a couple days ago on a lark, so i was surprised to see it pop up on this list. i only knew their song from burnout but this album is pretty good! definitely returning to a few of these in the future. favorites: lose control, goldfinger, girl from mars

2 albums to go! Man this has been a trip. I have been a part time fan of this band at times. Wonder if this record holds up. LATER: seems like it does

Hat mir deutlich besser als Supergrass gefallen. Schön abwechslungsreich, mal etwas rockiger, mal etwas mehr Power-Pop, mal ein Noise-Part. Dachte irgendwie immer, die würden nur so zahmen Indie-Rock machen. Hat mich sehr positiv überrascht.

Erstaunlich hart für die damalige Zeit. War ganz cool, ist aber nicht viel hängengeblieben. Konnte mich aber auch nicht komplett darauf fokussieren. Deswegen mal ne wohlwollende 4.

Ash waren für mich immer ein bisschen die britischen Weezer und ich bin mir nicht mal sicher ob das Briten sind. Ich bin allerdings ein Fan von Weezer und somit auch von Ash. Habe die mit ihrem 2025er Album auch vor kurzem wieder etwas mehr für mich entdeckt. Doch auch hier ist das wirklich sehr toll was die machen. Poppig, grungy und ab und an etwas noisy geht vorallem Girl from Mars ins Ohr. Der ganze Rest ist etwas austauschbarer aber hiermit macht man alles in allem nicht viel falsch.

I really enjoyed this Album

Unexpectedly great, really great punk rock songs that really get you in he mood to let loose. I like it a lot, 8/10

One of my favourite britpop albums

First time listen. Never heard of the album or band. I really liked it!

Great album. Echoes of Therapy? on "Darkside Lightside" - but they lived very close to one another, and there's no way Ash had failed to hear them.

Classic punk rock from my youth.

Sometimes it sounded like little bit of Radiohead. I really enjoy this highschool garage rock band type of music.

I feel like I should have gotten into these guys a lot. I think that I just heard Kung Fu at the end of Rumble in the Bronx and thought that they were no more than that. While that tune is quite fun, the rest of the album is pretty great too.

Girl From Mars...good 90s alternative.

It's mostly sugary fun fluff, with some lyrics that are pretty on the nose, and I might be a sucker, but I enjoyed it. It sounds too similar to be a 5, but it's good in my book, and had this came out during my youth, I would have been all over it

90 tals indie. Fina grejer, lite som Wonderstuff. Solklar fyra

Fun britpop. Still love the singles.

Really loved hearing this again. Loads of singles, great mix of guitar styles, great energy.

Incredibly accomplished given that were so young. The singles are well known and stand out, but the whole album rocks along nicely

Never heard this before but I liked it. Certainly a capsule of its time. Music was fast and kept going. A little held back by the singing

Had I heard this when it was relevant, this album might be one of those that holds a special place in my heart like other mostly-forgotten discs (Subliminal Plastic Motives, for example). Bands that sounded like this were the music of my youth; the soundtrack of my 20s, the music I raised my daughter on, those that bring me back to so many important times, and make me think of people who are important to me. Listening today, never having heard this before, it sounds like a thousand other forgettable acts from those days. Still, these guys are competent and likable, though pretty average for their time. I listened to and liked everything on the album, but I had to skip the Black Sabbath rip-off. That was jarring and it sort of pissed me off, which I can't really articulate a reason for. As the album progressed, the more I decided I liked it. I don't yet know that I'll add it to my personal collection, but it's a contender. I'm glad I heard this today. ⭐⭐⭐.75

Winterman

Almost worth 4 stars for girl from mars alone

I feel like singers used to blend in with the instruments more pre-2000s. Even in this very rock album the singing seems to blend a lot more with the instruments than they do now. I liked the instrumentals though.

Straddles the line between Weezer-rock and Britpop! As someone who likes the former, the melodies and hooks are simple(y) enjoyable 🙃

Pretty good 90s rock.

I have never heard of this band, but I really enjoyed this album.

I really enjoyed this! I want to listen again for sure.

Good guitar work. Interesting song structure and chord sequences. Kinda shit singing

sick

Very 1996, Weezer and Foo Fighters vibes. Surprised I hadn't heard of them before.

I like this, feels very 90s which makes sense since it was released in 96.

Surprised I'd never heard of this band. Good album.

Strong songs. They kick ass but are melodic and a little trippy too: nice combo. Lovely, grungy, dirty yet sweet vibe. This is a really interesting and enjoyable album. Pavement meets Ride meets shoegaze. Very heavy and yet very listenable. Love it

Not bad! it brings nice energy

Really good Really strong Better than i thought it would be All good

I occasionally enjoy pop punk but it’s largely run its course. This rocks harder than most and is a little above average. Extra point for the extra energy

for some unknown reason despite having seen ash play i have never listened to this album. it's like a love letter to the 90s, in all the songs that aren't ashs big hits you can pick another big act from the 90s that the song sounds like. So either ash are trend setters giving all the others inspiration, or they're musical magpies. not an insult oasis made a career of that. I like how amateur and garage band it all is. I bet Brian McClair loved this album.

They were 17 when they wrote most of this. In the infamous words of Big Mac SHACK Attack, "they were very mature for their age".

Oh my god they’re letting me listen to music I like again, tears in my eyes. I didn’t want it to be over but I also didn’t notice that Spotify had gone into autoplay for a few songs. I think that paints a picture. Perfectly pleasant listen tho! Will def return to some of these songs

Some parts sound quite a lot like teenage fanclub, where there are really strong pop influences over a much heavier backing, but I think this might be a bit heavier but no less catchy, which I love. It’s not blastingly loud all the time though seems like they weren’t afraid to have some quieter moments. Singing is great and so are all the guitar, both lead and rhythm. I feel like some of the lead parts are quite metal inspired, which I think always works with this kind of stuff. Favourite songs: all Overall around 8/10

Knew absolutely zero about these guys. Where the hell have I’ve been? Man the energy is infectious.

Had never heard of this band, and expected it to be sucky industrial noise rock based on the bizarre and kind of amateur cover art. What I found instead was some pretty solid 90s rock, triangulating “power pop” influences like Big Star and Cheap Trick with 90s contemporaries, reminiscent of early Foo Fighters, Weezer, Dinosaur Jr, etc maybe even some Third Eye Blind. I liked it, nice change of pace to have some good straightforward tunes. This is a Dewey album that I’ll probably come back to…A 3.5 that I round up because I’m a “rockist”, I suppose.

Really enjoyed. How have I kept away from this for so long. Some great riffs in here.

Pretty solid, although it dragged a bit by the end. I also like the cover even though it's bleak as hell. 3.8

👍🏼👍🏼

Vamos hoy con una banda que me suena de nombre. Creo haber visto su logo antes, así que ahora lo descubriremos. Empieza fuerte y al medio, en la línea de la reseña oficial: Sonic Youth. Luego, sigue dentro del registro de, por ejemplo, Weezer y se mantiene así hasta el final, a veces más arriba, otras, más estable. Gran sorpresa que me dio ganas de seguir escuchando esta banda. Gracias y hasta mañana.

The album starts out with the tie-fighter sound effect. That’s awesome. I was a fan of this one, a lot of fun for an album that clearly needs a little more polish in the studio and might sound like Weezer here and there. 90s alternative rock will always get high marks from me.

I loved this album! It's not that deep or technically impressive. It's just has a great indie rock sound. It's like eating a good burger. I'm not going to tell people that they have to get it, but I'll order it any day of the week.

yep, fond memories

melodic nirvana, less grungey than expected, liked last song, wish it had hidden track built in

What a nice surprise! Never even heard of the band, but really enjoyable and bit chaotic (diverse) music.

Cool.beans

really really like goldfinger

continuing the rock trend after the last album i listened to, this one is a lot less elegant and more in your face, stereotypically punk. this album is pretty solid, especially if you like british pop or rock music. ideal music that you'd listen to as a rebellious teenager, jumping on your bed and wishing mom would stop bothering you. not every song is a winner, sometimes i feel like the overall theming can be a little crazy... but for a genre like this, it's pretty damn good.

Somehow this one entirely slipped past me even though it's from my era. I liked it. Might listen to it again sometime.

Shit, this was fucking good. No clue who Ash was before this but might have to listen to more now. Lot to digest, all good.

Pleasantly surprised by this album. Had never heard of Ash, but they do have some decent hooks.

Catchy mix of 90s styles.

17/08/2025 I've never really given Ash a go and this album was okay. Spotify listeners: 528.2k

Unohtunut bändi kokonaan, vaikka tuli joskus tykiteltyä tätä. Inspiroi kuuntelemaan myös Free All Angelsin, joka on parempi levy kuin tää 1977. 4,25/5.

Góð plata hjá unglingasveitinni Ash. Þétt og góð. Leiðinlegt að þeir skyldu ekki ná lengra en þeir gerði. Besta lag Goldfinger.

Ash’s 1977 is a punchy, nostalgic blast of '90s teen spirit—gritty guitars, catchy hooks, and zero pretension. Girl From Mars and Kung Fu still hit like adrenaline shots. If you were into Ash back then, this album feels like a wild summer you never quite got over.

i liked the first 1/2 more than the 2nd, but it was super fun

4.5/5

some of my favorite crunchy guitars from a time when i was beginning to choose my own music and a bonus that it really annoyed my dad at the time.

Definitely one of the albums made! Good!

(4.5) i liked this

Really enjoyed gold finger and girl from mars, thought I would love this album but it ended up just devolving a bit. Disappointing. Specific rating- 3.8 Fav song- goldfinger Least fav - dark side light side

This one came out swinging. The first stretch was so strong I really thought it had a shot at a full 5, but the back half lost a little steam for me. Still, there is a lot here that works. The TIE Fighter intro on “Lose Control” was an immediate point in its favor. “I’d Give You Anything” has a riff that sounds a lot like “N.I.B.,” which I liked, and “Let It Flow” was a banger. That early run had a ton of energy and made the album really easy to get into. It does fade some later on, but not enough to drag it down too much. Favorite song: "Let It Flow"

Good alt/punk album, really enjoyed Girl From Mars

I enjoyed it

Very fun. I would’ve liked it more as a teen tho

Never been keen on the vocals, but still a great catchy album

Very cool album. I didn’t know what to expect but it was great. Part grunge, part alternative. And the songwriting is really good.

I loved it. Real good album, loving the riffs .

Solide Band, die Lieder würde ich größtenteils auf jeden Fall wieder hören. Ich muss sagen das sich die Singstimme für mich ein bisschen dümmlich angehört hat haha. Ich weiß auch nicht, ich fande es ein bisschen lustig diese Roch Musik zu hören und dann seine Stimme dazu. In manchen Songs hatte mir die Band fast schon zu viel Power. Z.b fande ich das Lied "Innocent Smile" ganz cool, jedoch war die 2. hälfte einfach nur anstrengend. Und etwas was mich auch gestört hat, war das man teilweise die Singstimme nicht richtig gehört hat und gefühlt nur die Band. Lieblingssongs: Girl from Mars (kannte ich aber schon), Goldfinger, Gone the Dream, Kong fu (klingt irgendwie wie so ein Highschool song)

Really liked this. Not a band I had ever heard before. Although I could hear what bands had influenced them, they did not merely mimic, but took those influences and wove them into a tapestry all their own. Also appreciated the Star Wars sound effect to start the album, given the title. I’ll be looking for more if they have more out there.

Had never heard these guys before and enjoyed this album very much. Melodic post-punk that's like a cross between Green Day and Nada Surf with a pinch of Weezer thrown in. Liked the little touches like orchestral flourishes too. The song "Kung Fu" smacks of racism a bit but, otherwise, a very solid album.

Totally new-to-me band, hadn't even heard of them. Really unique, sounds kinda like if young Rivers Cuomo fronted Dinosaur Jr. Enjoyed most it a lot, especially the songs that end with fuzzy guitar freakouts.

Optional album review. Add it before you vote below

The third best Teenage Fanclub album

Raw, honest, and unrestrained.

Don’t let my Innocent Smile fool you. This album will make you Lose Control.

Solid album. Gives that 90s British rock sound, kinda like Oasis. Plenty enjoyable

Loved the guitar tone on this album. Several songs I listened to on repeat.

I see why these guys toured with Weezer, they definitely have that early Weezer sound in some parts. That’s fine with me though, and their other influences (punk and Sonic Youth being the strongest) are fun too. I’ll listen to this again, though it didn’t blow my mind

Ooh, this one's right up my wheelhouse! Love getting a new discovery from the list. Probably just a 4/5 for now, but worth a re-listen.

Hype songs

Degelijk alt-rock album uit de jaren 90 die exact ook klinkt hoe het zou moeten klinken. En als Pavement, Weezer, Buffalo Tom en Grant-Lee Buffalo fan vind ik dit uiteraard ook geweldig. 3.9

I have never heard of this and it's great! Very catchy songs and music, nothing too heavy. It's only knock is that late 90s production sameness to the guitars/bass. But, they've also thrown in cool harmonies, samples, and kind of psychedelic sounds here and there. Unexpected.

I wasn't really sure about this one, but it was easy to listen to.

Ik ken de band, maar als ik kijk naar de tracklist kan ik niet zeggen dat ik hier nummers van ken. Misschien word ik verrast. Eigenlijk nemen we natuurlijk geen deel aan deze tsjellunch om in ons eigen hokje te blijven, maar ik moet toch zeggen dat het wel lekker is om eventjes soort van thuis te komen. Na een paar albums aanpoten ligt dit namelijk meer in m'n straatje. Een soort power-pop / garage-rock met lekker gruizige gitaren, wat consternatie, een zanger die niet per sé geschikt is om gevoelige Adele nummers te coveren maar voor zo'n soort band gewoon prima levert en een wat melancholisch geluid. Een beetje een mix van Oasis, The Ataris, Semisonic en (nu we toch in de sonic-hoek zitten) Sonic Youth. Ik hou de 5e ster wel in m'n binnenzak want dat zou ik net wat overdreven vinden en heel af en toe is het me nét iets te druk/noisy, maar ik kan hier makkelijk 4 sterren voor uitdelen.

very good 90s power pop, big fan of this.

Pretty good album 👍

Surprisingly not bad. Started off as not my cup of tea, but it kind of got me after a bit.

I didn’t think this would be up my alley, but I liked it quite a bit. Girl From Mars was on the Gilmore Girls soundtrack, but the rest was new to me. A little Weezery, a Teenage Fanclub in places. I’d listen again.

6/2/25. Wow, feel like this one is a sleeper hit for me! Really catchy and great guitar work, very underrated. Really enjoyed it. Never heard of Ash before this but will check out more of their music.

A lot of pleasant songs

Very good album with some great songs on it.

I had a few of their albums but hadn’t listened in awhile. This was one I didn’t have. It’s fantastic. Guitars for days! Some songs sounded like weezer. Some like the stooges. Some like Dino jr. Good ass 90s rock.

This is a solid album that lies somewhere on between rock, pop and garage.  I liked it. Liked Songs Added: Lose Control Oh Yeah Let It Flow Innocent Smile

Favorites: Girl from Mars, Oh Yeah, Let It Flow, Darkside Lightside I was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. Some really great power pop elevated by an obvious love for making music that Ash display throughout the entire record. It feels fun and fresh!

I have never heard this album before and am instantly in love with it. Maybe I am just a sucker for anything Northern Ireland Grung Rock. This totally would have been something I would have come back to over and over again in high school and feel nestolgic listening to it even though I never actually listened to it in my youth. Yet, here we are. Glad to have stumbled on this.

Lots of guitar shredding, overall fun and enjoyable alt rock

Not totally in love with all of it but this is very much my kind of thing

When the music mags are raving about a new band and their great new debut, then your local Our Price puts the cassette at a special price of £3.99, yes, you race there after school on release day to grab it. 1977 became my life for basically the whole summer and second half of 1996. I bought it soon after saving up for my first electric guitar so it became an album I listened to in great detail as I figured out the chords to Goldfinger and tried to nail the solos in Lose Control (and failed. I was a 13-year-old beginner, to be fair.) So there is zero chance of an objective rating or review here. A part of my heart belongs to this album and it will always be a personal favourite. There were five UK singles on this album and they are all perfect examples of the kind of pop/punk that had emerged in the shadows of Britpop for those of us who liked Britpop just fine, but also wanted something with a bit more edge and a bit less irony. There were also some solid rockers in between the catchier singles and Tim Wheeler was an underrated guitarist, considering the guy was also a teenager at this point. With all that said, I actually think they went on to make a comfortably better album with 2001's Free All Angels. I can gladly listen to this badboy though, any day, from front to back.

Really good.

Nice surprise here! Enjoyed the punk-ier songs on the album; didn't resonate with the popier ones as much.

I've never heard it before, but the guitar sounds and overall feel of the album made me think of Blink-182, New Found Glory, etc. I liked it!

I really enjoy this record. Almost all of it. Bought it after hearing Girl from Mars and Kung Fu.

Big 90s / Britpop feel to it. I'm probably including an extra star out of nostalgia.

I really enjoyed this one. Grungy, britpop, good guitars (though they do tend to get a bit long in their solos) but overall, very good. Will listen to this one again.

A surprisingly good album. There's a lot of good songs here with hooky hooks.

This record is equal parts grungey and preppy - like a depressed cheerleader. Big fan

Considering how shit these guys were live when I saw them supporting The Darkness, this album actually isn't that bad

Solid album

Another one where teenage me takes over! I loved this album first time around. Non threatening garage punk of the britpop era. Lots of cultural references, some banging tunes and lots of energy. Coming back to it reveals its not going to change the world, but the guitars, the drums and the hooks are still top notch.

Pretty good album. Had never hear dof the band. They have a nice sonic youth kind of thing going. Impressed because I had no clue what to expect. A bit commercial on some songs but guess thats ok cause others were hardcorish

This one has a lot of sentimental value for me, as when I was about 7 or 8 my aunt and uncle gave me a mix CD with a load of their favourite songs to bring back to the US with me. Lose Control was on it, and I thought the Tie Fighter sample at the start was the hight of coolness. It still kinda is tbh, and a lot of these songs still hold up. It kind of loses its way towards the end, but the singles are still great.

Definitely a fun album that took me back to a youthful me. GFM still pops up on my running playlist now and again and usually at the point I need a pick me up/boost track. But I’d forgotten how much I liked ‘Oh Yeah’ as well. Great album of its time.

Nice rock

Decent. But idk how many more 90s britpop oasis bands I can listen to.

im trying a modified pomodoro technique where I work for one album and then take a break but the breaks are more like full stops. album was good I enjoyed it.

8/10 - I need to revisit it because the songs sounded the same but, it sounded good the same.

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

Liked it

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.

very high 4

Bout ye hi

If I had to classify this album with one word it'd be upper-mediocre. Who knew a British band could do poppy grunge better than most Seattle bands...? It's a low bar, sure, but this album surprised me. Darkside Lightside sounded like a demure Stone Temple Pilots. Innocent Smile's build and increasing pace was unexpected and Lost in You was sickly sweet and altogether so terrible, that it was good. Overall, this band was pretty much exactly what you'd expect from this generation, but somehow a bit better.

Such a teenage sounding album, but wow did I love this. It definitely sounds like something a bunch of high schoolers wrote while screwing around with instruments, with childish but awesomely fun songs like Kung Fu or Girl from Mars. But at the same time, it's the right level of catchy and campy that makes many of these songs plain fun to listen to. A couple of them surprised me with just how good the songs actually were, with Goldfinger and Oh Yeah being my favorites.

Some absolute bangers on here, a few of the album tracks are middling but still a worthy listen

Starts great and really holds on to that noisy, destructive edge that is desperately needed in most other British rock albums from the time, and for that I have to give it tons of credit, because I was really having a good time up until the midpoint, in which the excitement started to fade away. Songs were still good, being just ferocious enough to be extremely accessible, and while I've heard far better noise rock, it didn't stop it from being enjoyable. I think the pop-ier moments were just a bit silly, especially when you could make out the lyrics, and it really lost stream by the end of the hour. Not helping things is having to listen to people throwing up for five minutes. Terrible end to an otherwise pretty decent album.

Very good. 3.5.

Surprised by how many sounds I knew and liked but never knew the band or album. Great surprise

Loved it, solid 4.

Surprisingly great 90's rock record. Never heard of this band before this list, but this album was full of catchy songs, with great riffs and hooks. Could quite possibly become a regular listen 👍

"Kung Fu" has always been an endearing pop punk highlight à la Buzzcocks for me. I even bought a special edition of Ash's first EP just because the latter had it as a bonus track. But by the time the band's first album came out, I had gone out to other things. "Kung Fu" was in the album, but drawing from the other new singles, there were also a lot of more "romantic" songs that didn't interest me that much. In retrospect, I know I was unfair to Ash. "Lose Control" is a killer opener taking a page out of Sonic Youth, "Goldfinger", "Girl from Mars" and "Oh Yeah" -- the poppier "romantic" tunes -- I've just referred to, are actually very well written songs, "Kung Fu" still slaps decades after, and "Innocent Smile"'s guitar riffs make the latter a great moment. The rest goes from instantly forgettable to decent. Among the decent cuts, "I'd Give You Anything" conveys the impression that frail teenagers are trying to act like the Stooges circa-"1969" (very much what happens, actually). A little ridiculous or quite fun and charming, take your pick. Not going to elaborate on the forgettable tracks, because they're forgettable for a reason. It's just a little annoying several of them clutter the last leg of the record. So not a bad LP overall, in spite of the filler. But there were so many better album released in 1996. Not to mention the ones released in... 1977, of course. 😉 3.5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 4. 8.5 for more general purposes (5+3.5) Number of albums left to review: 31 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 419 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 245 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 310

O jee, jeugdsentiment. Hoewel ik destijds de naam van de band nauwelijks geregistreerd heb, klinkt dit direct vertrouwd, door de hits maar ook door het geluid in het algemeen. Op een bepaalde manier een ruwe doorontwikkeling van wat Oasis aan het doen was, hoewel ik ook Amerikaanse bandjes dit soort muziek heb horen maken. De gitaren vlammen, maar de zang is verstaanbaar en het tempo ligt niet al te hoog. Een aangename herontdekking dit.

Wat geinig, een relatief onbekend bandje uit de 90s. Al komen ze wel regelmatig voorbij op kink, wat ik de rest vd dag draai als ik mijn huiswerk gedaan heb. Ik ken het album dus verder niet, maar ik ken een aantal nummers van dit album wel. Ik vergeet alleen vaak de naam van de band. Het is een aanstekelijke mix van punkrock, britpop en noiserock a la Sonic Youth en Dinosaur Jr. I'd give you anything heeft vervolgens weer een riff die me doet denken aan Black Sabbath. De gitaren staan in ieder geval lekker op standje heavy distortion. De zang zit op een prettige manier net naast de juiste toonhoogte. Ik vind dit fijn om te luisteren. Ik moet ze toch maar eens gaan onthouden ipv vergeten.

Albumi #84, 20.10.2024 Tää oli kova levy ilmestyessään vuonna 1996. Intistä pääsyn vapaus iski päälle tosi lujaa ja tämä säesti fiilistä tosi hienosti. Sittemmin fiilis on laantunut rajusti mutta tämän albumin hienoksia on säilynyt paljon. En jaksanut seurata Ashin edesottamuksia tämän jälkeen, mutta tämä jätti jäljen sydämeen. Mainittakoon tässä myös EP nimeltä Trailer joka oli myös tärkeä. Ehkä jopa tärkeämpi. 🤷‍♂️

On the fence for this one; starts off strong but possibly meanders and could be trimmed by a couple of songs. A generous / low four; you're welcome.

I listened to it while playing some PS1 Need for Speed. 10/10 experience, would recommend. The album itself is a 8/10.

British garage rock, sounds more modern than it is. Stand-out: Lost in You

I kind of liked it.

Some great songs on this album and an extra star for nostalgia.

I’ve heard so many bad albums come through lately, so I’m feeling a bit generous with this one.

### In-Depth Review of *1977* by Ash *1977*, released in May 1996, is the debut full-length studio album by Northern Irish rock band Ash. Combining youthful energy, punk-infused power pop, and emotive lyricism, the album catapulted Ash into the limelight of the Britpop era. The title, a reference to the year that both *Star Wars* was released and the year of lead singer Tim Wheeler’s birth, reflects the band’s youthful exuberance and sense of nostalgia, perfectly encapsulating a moment of 90s guitar-driven rock. #### Lyrical Themes and Analysis The lyrics of *1977* primarily focus on youth, alienation, relationships, and nostalgia. Tim Wheeler’s songwriting reflects the turbulence of adolescence, exploring themes of first love, heartbreak, and the search for identity. - **"Girl from Mars"** is one of the standout tracks, capturing the essence of a fleeting summer romance. Wheeler’s lyrics evoke a sense of longing, but it is tinged with fantasy and escapism, referencing a girl who feels otherworldly, unreachable, as if she belongs to another planet. The chorus, with its catchy hook, highlights the band’s ability to blend wistfulness with pop sensibility. - **"Goldfinger"** shifts the focus toward unrequited love and the passage of time. Wheeler expresses emotional vulnerability and an almost cinematic sense of melancholy, singing about memories of lost love. The lyrics are simple but effective, conveying universal emotions that resonate with the listener, making it a quintessential 90s alt-rock anthem. - **"Angel Interceptor"** and **"Kung Fu"** balance moments of angst with youthful exuberance. While "Angel Interceptor" touches on themes of freedom and rebellion, *Kung Fu* leans into a more playful side, referencing Bruce Lee and pop culture in a way that captures the irreverent spirit of the album. - Tracks like **"Oh Yeah"** and **"Lose Control"** highlight the album’s focus on the excitement and chaos of youth. "Oh Yeah" in particular is a nostalgic ode to summer and teenage love, with its straightforward, sentimental lyrics evoking the thrill and innocence of youthful romance. In terms of lyrical depth, *1977* is not overly complex. Rather, it thrives on its raw emotion and simplicity. Wheeler’s lyrics express a universal sense of longing, rebellion, and excitement that captures the essence of adolescence. There are moments where the lyrics can feel slightly repetitive or superficial, but this contributes to the carefree nature of the album. #### Musicality and Composition Musically, *1977* is a high-octane blend of punk, pop, and alternative rock, borrowing influences from the likes of the Buzzcocks, Nirvana, and Teenage Fanclub. The album’s core strength lies in its fusion of melodic hooks with aggressive guitar riffs and punchy percussion. - **"Girl from Mars"** exemplifies the band’s ability to combine a punchy, upbeat tempo with infectious melodies. The guitars shimmer with a jangly quality, while the rhythm section keeps the momentum driving forward, making it one of the most instantly recognizable tracks from the Britpop era. - **"Kung Fu"** leans into punk sensibilities, with its short runtime and frenetic pace. It’s a sharp, fast, and fun track, driven by crunchy guitars and a chaotic, almost slapdash energy that feels raw and spontaneous. The guitar riffs are tight and gritty, giving the song an aggressive edge without losing its playful charm. - **"Goldfinger"** offers a change of pace with a slower, more reflective tone. The track’s shimmering guitar intro builds into a powerful, emotionally charged chorus. The dynamics between the soft verses and loud, anthemic chorus demonstrate Ash’s mastery of tension and release, a key element of their sound. - **"Oh Yeah"** is another example of the band’s gift for crafting pop-infused rock songs. The guitar melodies are bright and nostalgic, evoking the warmth of summer afternoons, while the rhythm section remains solid and driving. The song's structure is straightforward, but the production and execution make it an enduring anthem of teenage love. The album’s overall sound is characterized by its energetic and anthemic guitar work, with layers of distortion and feedback that create a gritty texture. The bass lines are prominent, giving the tracks a solid foundation, while the drumming by Rick McMurray provides an aggressive, yet controlled pulse throughout. Musically, *1977* walks the line between punk’s raw energy and the polished, melodic appeal of Britpop, resulting in a unique sound that stands out from its contemporaries. #### Production Quality The production on *1977*, helmed by producer Owen Morris (best known for his work with Oasis), strikes a balance between rawness and clarity. Morris brings out the best in Ash’s live energy while maintaining a polished, radio-friendly sound. The guitars are loud and distorted, yet the melodies remain clear and accessible. This balance is crucial in defining the album's appeal. - The use of feedback and distortion adds a sense of urgency and rawness to the songs, especially on tracks like **"Lose Control"** and **"I'd Give You Anything"**. The production enhances the band's youthful energy, giving the album a spontaneous, almost chaotic feel without sacrificing sonic quality. - Morris’s experience with Oasis is evident in the album’s wall-of-sound approach, where layers of guitars create a dense, full-bodied sound. This is particularly noticeable on tracks like **"Goldfinger"** and **"Let It Flow"**, where the guitars take center stage, yet the vocals remain clear and emotive. - The mix ensures that Tim Wheeler’s vocals are always at the forefront, which is essential given the emotional weight of the lyrics. The balance between the instruments and vocals is expertly handled, allowing the music to feel both raw and polished at the same time. While the production is largely a strength of the album, there are moments where it feels too polished, losing some of the rawness that makes Ash’s sound so appealing. The slick production may detract from the gritty energy of tracks like **"Kung Fu"**, where a rougher, more unpolished sound might have suited the punk ethos better. However, this is a minor criticism in the context of the album’s overall sonic cohesion. #### Themes and Atmosphere The central themes of *1977*—youth, rebellion, love, and nostalgia—are reinforced by its sonic and lyrical elements. The album embodies a sense of freedom and recklessness that mirrors the experiences of adolescence. From the carefree exuberance of **"Kung Fu"** to the reflective melancholy of **"Goldfinger"**, the songs cover a broad emotional spectrum, yet they remain unified by a common sense of youthful abandon. The album is also steeped in 90s pop culture, with references to *Star Wars*, kung fu movies, and comic books. This creates an atmosphere of nostalgia that appeals to both the band’s generation and older listeners who can appreciate the cultural references. The title itself, *1977*, evokes a sense of looking back, though the music feels immediate and fresh. Moreover, the band’s Irish roots subtly inform the album’s identity. While the music itself is largely influenced by British and American punk and pop, the sense of alienation and rebellion can be seen as a reflection of the band's outsider status in the Britpop scene. Ash wasn’t a London band, and this gave their music a slightly different perspective, setting them apart from their contemporaries. #### Influence and Legacy *1977* arrived at a time when Britpop was at its peak, and while Ash were often grouped with the likes of Blur, Oasis, and Pulp, their sound was more punk-influenced and aggressive. Their mixture of high-energy punk and melodic pop helped them carve out a niche that allowed them to stand alongside their more established peers. - The album’s influence can be seen in later pop-punk and emo bands of the late 90s and early 2000s. Bands like Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, and even early Foo Fighters share Ash’s ability to blend catchy pop hooks with driving, distorted guitars. - Ash also helped pave the way for other Irish rock bands, showing that you didn’t have to be based in the UK or the US to achieve mainstream success. Their success proved that the Northern Irish music scene had something valuable to offer to the wider world of alternative rock. In terms of commercial success, *1977* reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, and its singles, particularly **"Girl from Mars"** and **"Goldfinger"**, became radio staples. The album's energetic and accessible sound ensured that it resonated with a wide audience, from punk enthusiasts to pop fans. #### Pros and Cons **Pros:** 1. **Catchy Melodies and Hooks:** *1977* is full of memorable melodies and infectious hooks, making it an album that sticks with the listener. 2. **Raw Energy:** The album captures the raw energy of youth, with driving guitars and frenetic rhythms that create an exhilarating listening experience. 3. **Emotional Resonance:** Despite its punk attitude, the album also has moments of emotional depth, particularly in songs like **"Goldfinger"** and **"Oh Yeah"**. 4. **Nostalgic and Fun:** The pop culture references and sense of nostalgia add an extra layer of charm to the album. **Cons:** 1. **Lack of Lyrical Depth:** While the lyrics are effective in conveying emotion, they can sometimes feel simplistic or repetitive. 2. **Overly Polished Production:** At times, the production feels too slick, detracting from the raw, punk energy that drives many of the songs. 3. **Lack of Variety:** Some tracks blend together due to similar structures and tempos, making the second half of the album feel less distinctive than the first. #### Conclusion *1977* is a landmark debut album that captures the essence of youthful rebellion and the thrill of adolescence. Ash’s blend of punk energy, pop melodies, and emotional lyricism made them a standout act in the Britpop era, and the album has aged remarkably well. While it may lack some lyrical depth and suffer from overly polished production in places, *1977* remains a testament to the power of raw, energetic guitar music in capturing the highs and lows of youth.

This was a terrific album by a previously unknown band for me. Very much tread the line between pop-ier sounding like Oasis to dirty/grungy sounding like Smashing Pumpkins at times. Good mix of tempos and feels of songs throughout kept me intrigued, and some seriously kick-ass hooks and solos included as well. Definitely recommend and I'd definitely listen again Notable Tracks: - I'd Give You Anything - Kung Fu - Oh Yeah - Let It Flow - Innocent Smile - Darkside Lightside 7.5/10

This album is not a big deal up front, but somehow it should be. First playthrough is a lot of the usual sounds coming out of the 90s, with Star Wars sounds throughout being the outstanding addition as well as tracking with the album's 1977 title. Second playthrough, the listener may start to realize that the album is not making them mad. Casual catches of the ear with interjected Star Wars noises start to become a game of how many can be noticed during a listen. Third playthrough, the listener might start needing to think of something clever to review this album with, but they better listen to the album one more time. Fourth play, it is time to move on from this, but this is a great listening album. Rhythms and melodies are catchy, and the lyrics and overall sound are definitely an appeal to every listener, whether fully invested or just needing something cool to listen to.

Super fun pop punk, with a surprising amount of range (at times sounds like weeper at times sounds like GBV).

This album takes me back in time. Great on the first listen. Will be added to my library for sure.

When I was 15 I remember hearing the cool kids talking about a band called Ash. I was not a cool kid so I dismissed them as something I wouldn’t like And yet, slowly but surely those songs became ubiquitous ear worms. Goldfinger and Girl From Mars in particular. Does it still hold up all these years later? You bet it does. Maybe those cool kids were right after all

very long…. very long. but good ! absolutely gnarly guitar work highlights: lose control, goldfinger, girl from mars (sep 16 2024)

Hitherto unknown to me, this album has a lot of good tracks on it. Don't know how to characterize the sound but it does have elements of garage punk grunge that I enjoyed. And the lads are Irish, so plus 1.

A little Weezer vibes. Gotta love the tie fighter intro

I loved this album, though never having heard of it or the band. I wish there was a little more to distinguish the songs from each other, although, all in all, a great start to my morning. 4/5

This might be one of the most 90s records out there but I hadn't heard of it before and enjoyed it more than expected

Lose control, Goldfinger and girl from Mars is such a strong start to an album and is the sound of my youth. This is a great album with catchy songs covering punk, indie and grunge. the Album has variety and substance. They were 19 when they wrote this album which is incredible. Favourite song: Goldfinger and girl from Mars Least favourite: All good Album artwork: Great cover

Damn! For a band I've never heard of, I'm impressed. This opens up with a rager; Lose Control. Reminiscent of heavier Dinosaur Jr. material. Takes a more approachable melodic turn in Goldfinger. I can see why this was the "hit". Almost brit-pop melodies but still thick in the guitar fuzz dept. Rest of the album seems to follow this same formula, but not to a point of making it feel stale. Solid head bopper here. I'd listen to this again.

Eine Entdeckung, grosser Stil-Vielfalt ****

As of writing, I’m high as shit and this album rocked for the whole hour. I’ll see if im still feeling it tomorrow morning. My thoughts the next day are that I was expecting some lame mid 90s pop rock album but as soon as Goldfinger and girl from mars came on I was sold. They’re both still super 90s but they’re the type of dated hits that are still good in spite of their cultural age. The rest is fun and still has a couple standouts like kung fu but nothing as good as the two main hits.

🎧Pleasantly surprised by this one. They’re not all gems, but some real nice pop/rock songs in here. Grungey at times, power-poppy at others. Shades of Teenage Fanclub and Weezer. Will definitely revisit.

New punk rock! Really enjoy Girl from Mars. Although someone said that women are from venus and men are from mars? Oh well. It's a good energetic album. A few catchy songs.

A difficult album to properly rate. It's a quite fun alternative rock music, it has some kick to it, but in the end has no special 'something'. Just a fine rock record, that made appearance on this list for some reason. This is a perfect opportunity to give an album a 3,5 stars, but as always, let's give it a benefit of the doubt.

Great

Pretty good

Egh....

Still the only album from Ash that I've ever listened to, but what an album! A well-crafted blend of some of my favourite genres - just slightly overstaying its' welcome.