Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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.
Намешано
At first, I really liked 1977. But it was really long, and sort of stayed in one punky alt-rock lane. Why did albums in the 1990s all have to be an hour long? The exception that proves the rule is Weezer. Those first three albums are just a half-hour of power. All killer, no filler. Ash could have shaved a couple of redundant tracks off of this album and came away with better record, just by virtue of it not overstaying its welcome. I might listen to the first half of the album again someday.
Eine Entdeckung, grosser Stil-Vielfalt ****
Not my cup of tea.
Just imagine if you brought someone back to your room and said "hey you must hear this album before you die" and then you played this album. First, they would probably leave. Then, you would wonder why this album would ever have that status for you or for anyone else. I mean, really. Its not bad , but even if you were Gareth Hutchinson it would be a stretch to put this up against other more significant albums with that "before you die" being the basis for comparison. 3/5
The best Jackie Chan themed song I have ever heard. The entire album sounds ad libbed. The singer uses the word “you” so much that you would die if you did a drinking game everytime he says it. Aggressively mediocre. Add this to the list of “albums not to listen to before you die”. 2/10
2,5
This is like a not as good dinosaur jr. This band would definitely be playing at the Bronze (I just started watching Buffy the vampire slayer so for those who know you know). Very 90's.
A level above the usual Britpop dross of the time, hard rocking and produced by Oasis producer leant some credibility to these gangly teens (at the time). I enjoyed it at the time and I enjoyed it now, but it's not setting the world on fire at any time in its existence.
Ja catchy, opzich wel fun. Idk of t echt in deze lijst hoort maar ik ben geen expert
Buenísimo. Tremenda sorpresa pop-rock-punk. Eso podría no parecer absolutamente genial, pero sí lo fue.
This album was fine, but all the songs sounded the same and blended together. It just isn’t interesting enough to return to.
The energy of the 1st song drew me in. Parts got less intense, but overall, I'm happy to have learned of this band.
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.
"1977" is the debut studio album by Northern Irish rock band Ash. Brit pop, power pop and garage rock were the genres this album was categorized into drawing comparisons to the Buzzcocks, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. Yeah, they sound like some other bands as well. The album was produced By Owen Morris. The band members included TIm Wheeler (guitar, vocals, string arrangements), Mark Hamilton (bass) and Rick McMurray (drums). The album received generally positive reviews with critics liking the "catchy" nature of their songs. Commercially, the album debuted at #1 in the UK. "Lose Control" opens with the the sound of a Star Wars' TIE fighter. Hey, i is named "1977." An escalating guitar and punk driven rhythm section. I would call this music urgent. Soft vocals pleading for a girl to cheat on her boyfriend. The fourth single "Goldfinger" has a more melodic guitar. The music sounds very 1990's alt-indie music. Weezer came to mind. "Girl From Mars" starts with an acoustic guitar and then the band kicks in. A similar punk-pop song as he reminisces about a girl. The first single "Kung Fu" is a tribute to Jackie Chan. A punk-pop open. Has a fast-slow-slow thing goin' on. Very Green Day-ish. They slow it down a bit in "Oh Yeah." Strings are added making it one of two songs I would put in the Brit pop category. The song builds. Very good production. "Angel Interception" combines punk and doo-wop. A nice mesh up. This is a very enjoyable album. I wouldn't say it's totally derivative but you do hear influences of Green Day, Ride, Black Sabbath. Oasis, Sonic Youth and Weezer. It does sound of its 1990's time frame and more like the American alt-indie at the time than Brit pop. I did like the one part of "Innocent Smile" where they went Sonic Youth with guitar distortion. I would have liked to hear more of that. Overall, a decent album.
Neither very good nor bad
🎧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.
Meh. 90s whine-rock.
I want sure if this would get a pass. Reasonable chunky riffs but pretty weedy vocals. Then I reached Let It Flow. That's the most irritatingly nasal vocal I've heard in a long time.
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.
For me this has a Teenage Fanclub vibe at its best, but then also turns a corner quite a bit and goes quite a bit harder (though I'm not sure it serves them well). They don't quite make the heavy angst work for them (which does end up working for bands like the Smashing Pumpkins). Goldfinger and Oh Yeah are the standouts for me.
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.
Never heard of them. And then I knew the second song. Not offensive but nothing special
Nothing interesting here.
Pretty good.
Meh.
I almost like Kung Fu, Oh Yeah
pretty decent generic late 90s rock...
Fairly generic - fine for what it is.
Diverse nummers, met een paar knallers, en een paar matige. Net iets te lang.
It was okay.
Great
This is bullshit. At this point I think this list is just including first 1001 records they picked at random from a music store. Like this record is just... it's just... music? There isn't anything original on here that every human with ears hasn't heard before. Presently, or even back then. I see they are Irish. Is that why? We don't have enough Irish representation or something? I think I'd have more respect for this record if it wasn't musically WORSE. At least then it would stick out. Who the hell wants to hear this when they could listen to Weezer, Oasis, or any other 90s alt pop rock band. This list should include the best representation of every sound. Not the 99th "best record" of this sound. (I'm looking at you Beatles rip off bands too!)
Good songwriting, catchy with great vocals. Talent here, but ultimately kind of forgettable as it's sounds like so many other 90s rock bands.
Sounds like some lost tracks from green album era Weezer, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Ehh
Not for me, too noisy.
Some neat songs, but otherwise, unremarkable.
Another alt-rock album. Not really bad, but utterly mediocre. Why is THIS on the list? 2.5/5
Nice sounding album haven't heard it for a while still refreshed
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.
Pretty good
After knowing several bands from the nineties that sound similar to this one, it's difficult to find anything new or interesting. Maybe if you listen to it a few times. I think that at the time it was released it should have been a great revelation in the alternative scene but today the genre is very saturated. There are good moments like "Girl from Mars". All in all, it's an average album.
Egh....
Not doing it for me at all
its so meh. it was such a boring listen because of how samey it sounded all throughout the album. i dont think any of the songs except some at the start brought anything to the table. lose control and girl from mars were both ok, but the rest were pretty abominable. even back half track run as just background noise became close to unbearable by angel interceptor. yeah, just not a fan of this one. 2 personal favs: lose control
This is just UK Weezer. I'm from the US so I have to defend my boys in Blue (Album) and say it's worse. Favorites were I'd Give You Anything, Innocent Smile, and Darkside Lightside
I had never heard of this band prior to listening. This album is pretty good. However, it succeeds in reminding me that Robert Dimery must have something against Weezer for this to be present within the list if the blue album or Pinkerton are not present. Favorite songs from here were Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Kung Fu, and Darkside Lightside.
Some very excellent rock and roll here! It’s not an every day set of jams for me, but I’m glad to know it’s there and wouldn’t be upset at all about coming across these guys again in the future. Reminds me of an Irish version of Better Than Ezra, only better.
Meh
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.
A strong collection of pop songs neatly disguised in a cloud of J Masic-esque distorted guitars. A great rock record that is just slightly too long.
This was a surprising find, not gonna lie. We have here a well-done late-90s garage-rock album that takes the good elements of acts like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth with an Irish tint. 1977 is certainly good in the latter third, from the ruckus buildup and breakdown towards the end of "Innocent Smile", to the ending guitar solo of "Angel Interceptor", the surprisingly good ballad "Lost in You", and that bombastic closer "Darkside Lightside". It may be a product of its time, but like with Green Day's Dookie, this album is a good musical representation of that era. Give it a shot.
Kind of action filled listening. Not my type of music normally, but certain occasions may call for something like this.
Smashing Pumpkins by way of the Sex Pistols??? Definably not Britpop. One of the better finds from this list for my style actually. It's hard and complex and dark and catchy as all hell.
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)
Shoegaze going grunge? OR grunge going Shoegaze? Either way it is not very exciting retrospectively
This album likes to skirt the line between punk rock, cutesy pop, and metal/industrial music, and it’s to its detriment. If a song has cool instrumentals, it’ll be accompanied by cutesy “she likes me, she likes me not” type of lyrics. The good parts of the album were when it stayed in its lane and didn’t ruin it with lyrics. It felt mind numbing. Oh Yeah, Kung Fu, and Girl From Mars especially. Some bad songs had cool sounds, but it never redeemed them. Standouts: Goldfinger and Innocent Smile.
And just as I thought I was getting sick of Britpop, here's one that leans way more into garage rock and pop punk (Britpop punk?), and, da,mn, I just think this shit rocks. 50 is a little long, yeah, but I had my fun with this, so I can't complain too much. Or really have much to say other than what I just did. "Girls From Mars" reminded me a lot of Weezer. I'm not the only one, right?
Pretty damn good slice of a bunch of rock genres.
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.
Great album, a real find
Ash have three good songs, and none of them are on this album. If this was a local band when I was a teenager, they’d probably have been one of the best on the scene, but this album cannot compete on any higher level than that. Thinking about it, loads of my friends’ bands were better than this. If we’re all honest with each other Tim Wheeler’s no singer is he. Ah well.
I feel like this bridges a gap between grunge and pop punk in a lot of ways
Bland forgettable.
another really strong 1.
Mid and forgettable. Sounded generic and similar to the rest of the 90s alt rock whatever. Nothing to write home about. Was going to give a 3 for at least being on the list but the next to the last song killed it. Ballad-ish bullshit that doesn’t fit with the rest. Knocked you down to a 2, gents
achei daora
Enjoyable but only one or two hits stuck with me
Fairly generic, apart from one song I recognised the rest blended together into a bit of a blur
This record is majorly nostalgic for me. I happened to find “Goldfinger” on a British magazine cd sampler during a family vacation and liked it enough to go by the record which I found to be a cool and charming mix of fuzzy hard rock and cheekiness, like an Irish Foo Fighters. Unfortunately their subsequent work eschewed the fuzz and what was left over was far less charming or cool. Anyway I enjoyed listening to this one again after so many (at least 20!) years.
Oh Yeah. Excellent at times (who could not love Girl From Mars?!). I think they would be an amazing live experience - punky vibes abound. Kung Fu - I can see myself going bonkers to this 🤣 A few samey sounding tracks loses a star. But, on the whole, a smashing album.
Got to love Ash :) Energy, cool guitars, powerful drums and great tunes. Tim Wheeler wrote 'Girl From Mars' when he was 16, at 18 it was a hit and they were on Top of The Pops. When this album was released he was only 19. The first 3 tracks are fantastic! 'Lose Control' is blistering, what a start to a debut album. Blasting it out makes me feel more alive, young again. It's all good stuff, 'Oh Yeah' is another highlight, but they can't possibly keep the momentum going for nearly an hour. Cut to 40 minutes it could have been a 5 ⭐️ album but it fades a bit towards the end. Good closing track though and a solid 4 stars, how could anyone give less?
After the Star Wars Tie Fighter intro, which gives some extra credit in my books, this was immediately sounding like a hybrid of Muse and Arctic Monkeys instrumentally, so bizarre how it seemed to ebb and flow between the two sounds (whilst also coming before both). Definitely strongest at the beginning though, and steadily tails off after the first few songs. Some songs that have been firmly added to my rotation but definitely wont listen to the album itself over and over. Favourite track: the opener!!
Delightful synthesis of grunge and britpop. Sounds a mix of Oasis, Nirvana and Green Day. Opening with the sound of a Tie fighter is worth the rating alone!
Vocals were a bit bland but the album is easy to listen to and songs are strong.
I wanted to give this a 4 but it doesn't quite reach those heights for me.
extremt bra, en stark fyra. skulle varit en eller två låtar kortare så hade det varit en femma.
Not awful. But nothing special. Just another UK club band taking up space on this project.
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.
It samples Star Wars and references Star Wars so this was always going to be positive. Favourite track: Goldfinger.
I think there are some good songs on this album, but I really dislike the way the pop is melded in. Songs like "Girl from Mars" are just not something I appreciate or want to listen to. I do think the first couple songs have a great energy and vibe, and there are some good guitar sounds throughout, but even though I could imagine finding other albums by this band I might like, this album wouldn't be one.
Sounds like Stephen Malkmus’s little brother fronting Generic 90s Band #3
decent 90s alt-rock. Some of the songs are really solid. First song has some echoes of Sonic Youth. I don't think these guys ever jumped the pond, though, I don't remember them at all.
Would listen again. I liked the radio station it generated after the album best.
I feel like if you looked for royalty free stock alt rock music to put in a movie this is what would come up. Seems pretty generic, doesnt really stand out.
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
Se trata de un buen disco, con buenas canciones. Cierto es que tuvo un moderado éxito, sobre todo por canciones como Goldfinger (estupendo tema), Girl from mars, Kung Fu o Oh Yeah, aunque para mi su mejor canción no está incluida aquí: Shining light, de su estupendo y recomendable 3er albúm Free all angels. En este disco se mueven con acierto entre el Brit-rock (Girl from mars) Grunge (Lose control), el noise (I´d give you anything), el pop en la golosina Gone the dream, Oh yeah y Angel interceptor, el mejor indie (Goldfinger y Kung Fu) así como una mezcla de punk rock y pop con Darkside/lightside como ejemplo de la enorme huella que les dejaron los Pixies. Luego pubicaron otro par de buenos discos y aún siguen en activo, despachando buenos discos y fogonazos. Tal vez no estén el nivel de los mejores Smashing Pumpkins o Weezer pero sí al de Foo Fighters por ejemplo En 1996 se publicaron otros buenos discos: Odelay de beck, Coming up de Suede, Being there de Wilco, Murder balladas de Nick Cave, Black love de Afghan Whigs, Emperor tomato ketchup de Stereolab, Harmacy de Sebadoh, Millions now living will never die de Tortoise, If your´re feeling sinister de Belle and Sebastian, Amazing disgrace de The Posies, Take it from the man! de The brian jonestown massacre, Dust de Screaming Trees ... incluso New adventures in Hi-Fi de REM, el debut de Placebo, Everything must go de Manic Street Preachers, Pre-millenium tension de Tricky, Now I Got Worry de jon Spencer Blues Explosion, High/Low de Nada Surf, First Band on the Moon de The cardigans, How I quite smoking de Lambchop, Walking Wounded de EBTG
Les chansons plus heavy sont vraiment bonnes (Lose Control, Innocent Smile). Compositionnellement elles sont vraiment solides, bien exécutées, bon dosage de mélodie et d'aspect plus hard. Mais tout le reste qui sonne plus "britpop" est vraiment long et ennuyant et malheureusement c'est la majorité de l'album. 4/10
Bien de son temps, avec des accents de Placebo, Oasis, Green Day. Mais j'ai trouvé l'ensemble somme toute assez sage
Felt like playing a Tony Hawk game in the early 2000s
BritPop origins can be traced back to this release. A blend of pop, punk with a strong focus on guitars. An enjoyable listen but overstays its welcome at 62 minutes.
Great album. Still stands up pretty well in my opinion.
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!
Nope. I knew from the first refrain this album isn't for me. There's nothing here new or interesting or superlative; this album has no place on this list.
Some is good.
Good
5 / 10 Brit-pop, con alguna guitarra un poco más rockera. Nada especial.
I believe I had a copy of this album in my music collection on my computer. It’s fine though not really standout. Listens: 1 Fave Track: Girl From Mars Rating: 3
Good solid fun, keeps a good amount of energy throughout which i like. 'Girl From Mars' gave me a big hit of nostalgia when it came on, but doubt i'll return to much else here.
Dug it. Can’t believe this was ‘77. Sounded like a 90s album
fun enough
Megahit Oh Yeah. Me ha soprendido.
It didn't live me anything... it's ok but not the greatest.... 3/5
Remembered something better
Do you reckon anyone ever told them to change it up a little? Same chords, same dynamics, same instrumentation for its whole 50 minutes.
Another reason why I love this project. This is my kind of my music from my day. How have I never heard of these guys? I loved it. I didn’t love the singer. I could do better, but they’ve got some nasty licks. I’ll keep listening.
Started off cool ig
Britpop i like dat
Enjoyed this. The grunge/punk guitar riffs mixed with more sugary vocals is very Weezer. I saw Ash support Weezer once, that combination makes perfect sense now. As a side note, why is The Blue Album not in this list?? Travesty Anyway the singles are good and the other tracks maintain the same energy. Only thing dropping a star is that it's a bit repetitive for a 50 minute album.
This was good. It wasn’t great though. I think this showcases a band with a lot of promise that needs time to flourish.
Good album overall. Last 2 mins at end of album was great.
This album hits somewhere between punk and pop to me, but the music never comes together enough to be memorable, and the lyrics are fairly week.
Some great moments, but mostly okay. 3/5
Pretty decent 90s era alt/Brit/indie-rock with strong pop inclinations.
One hit wonders that i never got into in the 90's
Generic britpop
Here’s a story: One of my favorite movies AND soundtracks of all time is Angus. Such an underrated movie and an almost perfect soundtrack. That’s where my sole knowledge of Ash comes from as their Kung Fu song was a track on that album. I never really thought I would come across what I assumed was a random band’s song on a mid-nineties soundtrack. But I’m so glad I did. This shit was great. I am going to go on an Ash deep dive for sure. 4.5
man, this album kinda holds up still. A couple bangers, a couple recognizable tracks.
This was a great debut of a young rock band looking for their sound. A definite 90's alternative UK rock album, where you hear influences from 90's punkrock (Lose Control) to britpop (Goldfinger), songs that were found in the attic of Iggy & The Stooges (I'd Give You Anything) or could have been covers of Fountains Of Wayne (Girl From Mars). All in all a very enjoyable experiences. But not one of the greats, despite what the British Music Press tried to make us believe in 1996
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
Top Three Songs: 1) Girl From Mars 2) Goldfinger 3) Oh Yeah Bottom Three Songs: 1) Innocent Smile 2) Lost in You 3) Angel Intercepter
For a band that hates being categorized with Britpop bands because they’re Irish, I ask this: “If not Britpop, why Britpop shaped?”
wow. very, very Replacements-y. Which i like - but nothing groundbreaking by 1996.
Not my jam.
Nothing really stood out
Meh, again what is the relevance of this album
I can see why some people might like this, but I am not one of them. Whiny vocals with generic rock backing. 4/10 (2/5)
3 decent album but not a huge fan of the vocals
Okay
Pretty mediocre but overall listenable. Millenial white men would enjoy this (Kyle, host of WUSA trivia). Favourites: girl from mars, let it flow, and innocent smile instrumental solo. 3/5
The opening was p good I liked the guitar except then he started singing and i almost shit myself. honestly not bad overall, not my type of rock tho. i think the instrumentals were pretty sex, some of the songs dragged on a little but still good. didn't really like the singing tho. no favourites, nothing really stood out to me. 3/5
This was so aggressively average to be honest. Like it's normal rock music, nothing super amazing and groundbreaking, but also nothing super abhorrent or unlistenable. Lots of the songs sound like something Kyle the WUSA trivia host would put in his "Guess the Song" questions because they're so white and generic sounding. That being said I rock with it heavy on some occasions - Girl From Mars, Oh Yeah, and Let It Flow are certified bangers. High 3, I'm cool with it
Probably would have loved this in Jr. High or Highschool. Interesting mix of soft vocals and hard guitars. Feels like a smattering of different styles of early 90's rock-pop.
This probably a 4.5. Such a freight train of an album, and a few superb singles. So much fun.
of its time
Fine Britpop. Nothing exceptional.
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”.
Nothing to grab onto here
first listen such a great 90s vibe, fun guitar tone
This is actually pretty solid, nothing stands out as jaw droppingly great but nothing is truly terrible either, I enjoyed listening to it, wouldn't be offended if it was put back on
I would term this as radio music. I knew most of the words and recognised most of the tunes but never owning an Ash album or ever seeking them out. Girl from Mars is a radio staple. They’re not spectacular, or innovative or groundbreaking in any way. But easy to listen to, and if I heard them on the radio It would be pleasant enough.
They remind me a bit of The Lemonheads. Garage rock with catchy tunes, it was an easy listen, but nothing really stuck in my mind at the end.
I've been in a groove with a lot of the recent offerings from this list. I'm rounding up, I guess, but I really liked the songwriting and vibe and sound of this band — another I don't believe I'd ever heard before. There was something familiar about them, and maybe that's because I heard a host of other bands right on the surface — Nirvana, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, Local H, I was literally making a list as the record played. And that might typically not be sign of praise, but I was really enjoying these guys, in many cases more than I dig the bands I listed above. So, Ash. Pretty cool.
A whole lotta meh. I'd never heard this—or even heard of it—before, which is surprising because this is exactly the kind of music I was listening to back in the 90s. And listening to it today, I dug the sound, but it failed to really move me beyond just a general sort of nostalgic appreciation. The songwriting is kind of lacking and the vocals were kinda mid. This is really more of a 2.5, but I'll round up just 'cause.
I listened to this but am left with little to say about it. Even while I was playing it, I just wasn't moved in any direction. All this is to say that I don't think it's worthy of the list.
Completely fine and completely unremarkable.
01) Lose Control - 8,0 02) Goldfinger - 7,5 03) Girl from Mars - 7,5 04) I'd Give You Anything - 8,0 05) Gone the Dream - 7,5 06) Kung Fu - 8,5 07) Oh Yeah - 8,5 08) Let It Flow - 7,5 09) Innocent Smile - 7,0 10) Angel Interceptor - 7,5 11) Lost in You - 7,0 12) Darkside Lightside - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,67 (77/100) I've heard of Ash, I know "Shining Light" and "There's a Star" and that's about it. I don't know this album or singles from it. It's a nice pop-rock album from a bunch of teenagers. Wish I had a band like this when I was 18. Kudos to them. There's nothing wrong with songs, they are good enough but the problem is I won't remember any of them after I finish listening to the album. Will add "Kung Fu" to my 1001 albums playlist. It's a 3,5 stars album that will receive 4 stars from generous me :-)
I'm biased by very fond memories of the beautiful 90s.
Day60 - this is the most 90’s generic rock. silverchair or the toadies would have been a better pick.
7/10
Good in places, not good enough throughout to really resonate, but I like the heavier stuff in the first half of the album; Lose Control, Goldfinger, I'd Give You Anything (my favourite track) are all right up my street. Girl From Mars is memorable as their big hit off the record, but I don't think the last 3-4 songs are very good and that leaves you ending on a disappointing note. Probably a high 2 or a low 3.
I remember Girl From Mars and Oh Yeah from this (but curiously have no recollection of the other singles, even though they were seemingly more popular than Oh Yeah at least). It's not brilliant really, it's a precursor to the load of bands that did this stuff better in the early 2000s. Was it influential? Not sure, but it's not really good enough in its own right to make the list. Also, the singer can't really sing outside a narrow range, which is fine when you've got the loud guitars driving the songs, but there are a couple of ballads on here which are a really tough listen. 2/5, singles aren't good enough to elevate it.
90s rock!
The sweet spot between Nirvana and the Jonas Brothers.
Enjoyable listen but probably something I'll forget about by tomorrow
Some scratchy guitar noises and solos sounded good. The rest of the album is bad. Not one song is catchy enough to overcome the basic drumming. How do people think this is good?
I undoubtedly would have loved this album if I’d heard it when it came out. Kind of death knell 90s alt-rock, kind of pop-punk… but nearly 30 years later I’ve heard a million things like it and at least half of them did some of it better. It’s fine.
I liked it a lot. A lot of varying styles in the songs. Sounded really nice!
Hard rock/ punk not really my style
I am missing the appeal …
Alt rock with an edge. Not bad.
ensimmäinen impressio on tärkeä, ja tässä se on hyvä. ensimmäinen biisi rautaa, mutt kaikki muut ovat roskaa. pidin toivoa yllä pitkään, että kyllä se paranee koska tykkäsin alusta niin paljon. mutta pettymys pettymyksen jälkeen, 90-taletti radiorokki ei koskaan parantunut. lose control
Kings of cool distorted guitar! Definitely some filler tracks, but the highlights set a massive ceiling
Very surprised! Pretty darn good. I would listen to more of this band.
Haven't heard that for years.
Gott, fíla þetta.
This album is like if an AI were to analyse my music taste and create an album that is a textbook example of what I would listen to. And I must say, I don't like it. Like I said it is very typical of the sound I usually go out of my way to listen to, but it's just a very generic watered down version of that. There is very little that makes this album even remotely interesting. Just generic 90s rock that sounds good in the moment due to it being very typical of that sound, but when you analyse the music in this album to even the smallest level of depth, you start to realise how uninteresting it actually is.
I love Ash, they're genuinely one of my top 10 bands - and yet there's so many albums I haven't listened to all the way through. They're one of those bands that I've mostly only listened to on compilation albums. Maybe it's because their music is more about an overall feeling, and delivering a particular kind of hit. They're kind of specialists in that nostalgic, teenage fantasy realm, where it's always summer and there's possibility everywhere. When I want to feel good and rock out a bit I'll stick some Ash on and they'll always deliver. I don't need to go beyond the big hits and compilation songs, because they all rock and do exactly what they need to do. Anyway it's a stupid reason. This is a really good album, and I definitely enjoyed it. I'm so happy Ash made it onto this 1001 list, as I've always thought they were a bit underrated and should have been bigger. I've seen them a bunch of times live and they've always delivered big. I remember seeing them play a tent at Reading festival, and some 'cool kids' at the back were sneering at me for jumping up and down when Kung Fu came on. Come on man, it's Kung Fu, it's an absolute jam! I went straight down the front, jumped about with those lot and had the time of my life. Lots of brilliant songs on here. Some great melodies, choruses and riffs. Bits of the album fall off a little bit but overall it's another feel good treat.
Nothing special
This rating is brought to you by me not remembering the album I listened to two week ago. What does it say about it?
I think that there is not much to talk about when it comes to that album. It isn't one of the 1001 best albums ever for sure. It wouldn't also be one of the 1001 worst albums ever.
Öppnar ganska bra, energifyllt. Nice med Star Wars referens i början 😄 Men sångaren är som så ofta i denna typ av punk väldigt subpar. Trött. Och en bit in i albumet blir musiken också just det, trött. Absolut lyssningsbart, en solid 3a.
This could have been a passable album.. if the vocalist was actually able to sing.
Generic 90s alt/grunge rock. There was nothing unique, important, or interesting about the music
Some tracks reminded me of Nirvana, and "I'd Give You Anything" has what sounds like a classic Black Sabbath riff. Musical styles are all over the place, but not bad for a debut album.
Meh
A few catchy riffs, but not very good or memorable otherwise. Unfortunately generic
Where has this album been all my life?
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
Vocals are too low in the mix. Other than that this is a solid if unremarkable version of this style of music. Other bands did it better.
It's pretty good, but it sounds like everything in the 90s combined into one album.
love every track from start to finish
Don't you think your guitars are a bit much?
Everything about this album is so 90s haha. The cover art, the guitar, the lyrics. Also it's 50 minutes long so clearly from the CD era. It's fun though and captures a lot of what I enjoy about that era, but doesn't really seem push it in any new or original directions either.
good stuff albeit i'll probably never listen to this again
Muy enérgico y con un par de temas muy pegadizos. 3/5.
Not unique. All the songs sounded the same with vocals washed out by the instrumental. Some good songs, but not enough to make me a fan.
Not bad, some good songs Standout songs: Id give you anything Innocent Smile Darkside lightside
Really fits into that era's Zeitgeist and I can totally hear the Teenage Fanclub comparisons. Also, I'll always root for the Irish! I'd say the album is a bit front loaded, but really still enjoyed it.
Almost had a pop punk feel, but also kinda garage rocky? Like weezer or oasis kinda. Fun listen
1977 my ass! This is pure 90s! You just know these guys love the blue album.
It was okay
Fine. Completely inoffensive, really. Hard to get on board with the idea that this is one of the 1001 most important albums of all time. It’s like blander early Weezer. Thinking of some of the artists and albums I already know aren’t on this list, compared to…This? I listened to it once, I didn’t hate myself, I’ll probably never listen to it again.
Not bad but not great and no 👍 but would listen to. Rounding up.
Just no...
Blast from the past! I owned this album and listened to it a fair amount when I was young. Still, I don’t see why it’s on the list. 3 stars, and that’s with a bit of a nostalgia bump.
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 actively disliked these folks at the time, but a couple of decades of broadening my musical horizons (exploring noise rock and power pop, specifically) has given me enough context to appreciate what they're doing. "Girl From Mars" still irritates, however. Fave tracks - "Lose Control" is a great opener, and I woulda welcomed more noisier tracks like that. "Oh Yeah" is the best of the singles.
What did I just listen to? 90s takes on 70s I guess. Having trouble believing this actually existed. Going to have to read about why this was on the list of good records.
Just fine
Meh indie meh
Kung fu is the funnest, I was definitely moving around with it. 1970s pop meets metal for sure. I like that they have the voice high in the mix with good chord changes. Great drummer. Teenage angst for the win!
Brilliant brilliant LP - Oh yeah! Brilliant music
Nur nebenbei gehört. Stand aber nichts raus und ist so vor sich hin gedümpelt
Kannte ich nicht. Keine Überraschungen, nichts super Innovatives, aber solider 90s Rock. Kann man mal anhören. Wird gegen Ende des Albums leider schwächer. 2,6.
This seems like it might've been an important album as I can hear similar sound in many bands since this came out (1996). The trio of "Innocent Smile," "Angel Interceptor," and "Lost In You"" make for a very enjoyable 15 minutes. Second, instrumental half of "Darkside Lightside" is excellent. Overall sound reminds me of Lit, Blink, and Weezer for no good, discernable reason. This album doesn't really seem worth ⭐⭐⭐⭐, but because I added five of the songs to my Spotify Liked Songs playlist, I'm giving it that rating. ____________________________ 🎧 Number of albums reviewed: 11 🎧 Number of albums left to review: 990 🎧 Number of albums that I found relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 3 🎧 Number of albums that I *might* include in mine later on: 6 🎧 Number of albums that I will certainly *not* include in mine: 2
- This is perfect - Love the garagy, yet clean vibes - Oh Yeah, and Lose Control were great songs - Would for sure go back to this
- really enjoy the heavy guitars - big garage rock sound - some of it sounds like Weezer
cool
Enjoyed
lose control- music make me lose control. um i dont know really. like a 5??? i dont know i kinda like it ummm meow. sorry. i think its a good opener goldfinger- not my favorite. 4. its not bad though its like ummmm.... it would play at the bronx in buffy do you get me. girl from mars- its nice its kinda cute and i can see it playing in a movie. not my thing though? i feel like an element was missing. i think this track soulda been sung by a girl i hate this mans voice. 5 id give you anything- i like the driving guitars. 6. gone the dream- um its kinda boring. 4 kung fu- i think its kinda fun. 6 oh yeah- kinda boring too just sounds like every other song. 5 let it flow- let it grow let it grow. boring. 3 innocent smile- this ones kinda nice um 6 ig. angel inceptor- car ride song. 6. lost in you- huh. whatever. 3 darkside light side- it reminds me of sonic. 5 or 6. its ok. i um ,.... ?????
Never really goes beyond it's influences but the nosier stuff here rules, some echoes of early Nirvana/grungy Sonic Youth at times. Boo to Britpop but this is better than I anticipated
Here’s the thing. This sound was totally played out by the time this came out. It was tired already. The only people listening still were frat boys. It was top 40 junk. There’s no soul in this music. It’s empty. Sounds like Pavement and I wouldn’t put them on a list like this either.
War nicht meins, n paar Perlen aber hauptsächlich Lärm
Better than the first ten seconds suggested. We enjoyed this.
Full of great tunes. Really like Ash
An intriguing album from a genre I already know I enjoy. Unfortunately I was in another world while I was listening today and I don’t remember most of the album. It kind of faded in the background, which I need sometimes when I listen to music, so I can focus.
also December 29th, 2023 HL: "Lose Control", "Girl From Mars", "Gone the Dream", "Kung Fu", "Innocent Smile" The overblown guitars and strings are a match made in heaven and I'm not sure why At least good enough to make me forget about my water boiling for my instant noods
I enjoyed this one. Reminds me a lot of a less polished Weezer without the radio hits. Didn't come away after a listen with any particular song stuck in my head. Would definitely listen to more of this one in the future of I ever remember to think about it
Started strong, first song kinda sounded like machine head but felt like it lost steam. 2.5 but rounding up to 3 because I am a benevolent reviewer
Decent grungy rock album. Great fuzz sounds. Just started same-y after the first couple songs. Still good, though, after 9 songs.
I can't believe how excited I am to see this album on this list. I'm familiar with the group only through the soundtrack to Angus, but they're input on that is fantastic. Also, it's nice to see something in this vein represented on the list. If Ash is here, why isn't Weezer?
5/10 - Decent workout album - Wouldnt pick it over something else Heavier Alternative rock album Some grunge influence Some grunge influence
Not bad. Not great either. Any album with a song like “Kung Fu” is going to get knocked down a star.
This was rad
Favorite Tracks: Girl From Mars Goldfinger Kung Fu
Surprisingly catchy. Wish there were some more aggressive songs like the first one.
Catchy!
Sounds like the soundtrack of a fun early oughts video game
Album 249 of 1001 ash - 1977 Rating : 3 / 5 Nice listen. Nothing too remarkable but some decent tunes. Think Buzzcocks, Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth.. ---------------------------------- 1977 is the debut studio album by Northern Irish rock band Ash. It was released on 6 May 1996
I flip back and forth between liking the energetic riffs and harder rock, and disliking the vocals. First track drops like a bomb but as soon as the lyrics come in the energy disappears it seems, and I find myself disinterested. That continues throughout most of the album. Girl From Mars is kind of nice Kung Fu is fun, and I'm pretty sure it was used in a Jackie Chan movie during the credits/bloopers, so it gets a bonus nostalgia bump. Overall not a terrible album, but not sure I'd put it on my 1001 must listens.
Loud. Boisterous. Says little.
Interesting album, largely enjoyable but nothing incredibly interesting. Muffled production and unremarkable vocals, yet no real bad songs per se. Girl from mars got saved, kung fu will hopefully be forgotten.
Ça casse pas 10 briques à un canard
Alt-rock that was better than what I expected. Cool.
Boring slice of late 90s alt-rock, not much to recommend a second listen here.
I had never heard of Ash before this. I'm pleasantly surprised. I didn't know non-grunge heavy rock, complete with guitar solos, was still being made in the mid-90s. At least it didn't sound like grunge to me. I definitely heard a stolen riff from Black Sabbath's N.I.B. in the song I'd Give You Anything. Hope I'm not the only one who noticed it. Still enjoyed it. Favorite track: Probably Kung Fu - it's so catchy. Less fond of the lighter stuff on this album, but still 4/5 - might listen again.
#41. I'd never heard the name of this band or any of their songs before. When I saw it was more britpop I thought "Ah shit, here we go again." I think a lot of these British guitar pop bands are so highly rated on here because of the nostalgia factor more so than actual quality because some dj forced them upon you dozens of times a day, but it's hard to be nostalgic for something you don't know. Anyway let's give it a listen anyway. Aaaaaaand... I was wrong. Immediately I already know the first song. I definitely did listen to this dozens of times a day, but not because of some radio asshole, no- but because of an even bigger asshole: me. Even though I was technically correct in saying that I didn't know the name of this band or any of their songs, Lose Control was on the first Gran Turismo, and I've surely heard this song thousands of times because of it. [Which reminds me, I was supposed to acquire a 618 hp mid engined Del Sol once I became an adult, let me go put that on the checklist] While I'm not entirely sure I would call this britpop (when I think britpop, I think Oasis. And no offense or whatever, but Oasis is bad, and you should feel bad for liking it), I'm not entirely sure what I would call it. I'm not sure they'd know either though to be honest. Every song on this album sounds quite a bit different, like they were trying to emulate other bands almost. Like Black Sabbath for example with the song I'd Give You Anything. Guy heard N.I.B. and was like "Yoink- that's OUR riff now, comerade." Dude must have went to the Dave Grohl School of Blatant Riff Thiefage or something. Anyway, despite the all-over-the-placeness of this album, I'd definitely say it's pretty decent. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Lose Control I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Ash were never among my absolute favourite bands in the 90's but they were/are a lot of fun and can write a nice melancholy indie love sing too. A very enjoyable album that brings back lots of nice 90's memories.
Some interesting ideas on this album, but I felt it never really came together. It seemed inspired to be more interesting than a melodic alt-pop record, but never seemed to achieve either. Girl from Mars is a bop, and I think the right mix of what they were going for between melody, pop, and more interesting instrumentality.
I see what they did there. Starts with the sound of a tie fighter from star wars whizzing by, which debuted in, you guessed it 1977. I do think this is the most consistently worthwhile week of listens we've had since I joined. Had never heard these guys but I was immediately down. This is the first album I've added to "liked" before I finished it in a while. It just feels like something that fully understands what it is. The tracks all lead into each other really well, and there are some lush textures. Will need to revisit to evaluate the lyrics, the only one my brain latched on to for some reason was Kung Fu where they were encouraging Jackie Chan which seems fun. I guess in comparison to Dinosaur Jr or Sonic Youth you could say Ash maybe veers more into catchy hooks and poppier major chord structures with tracks like Angel Interceptor but tbh I prefer accessibility over dissonance in this context even if it's a bit saccharine at times.
Liked this more than some other britpop we’ve had, although maybe that’s because they’re not actually British and the style is more varied than britpop really enjoyed Girl From Mars. Let It Flow sounded exactly like Weezer. Light 4.
Never heard of them but honestly a solid listen.
Another band I haven't heard of. They sound like a mash up of Green Day meets Oasis. Since I like both of those bands, I enjoyed this. Good power pop punk. Melodic and noisy at the same time. I'd listen again.
Never heard of this band let alone this album. Reminds me of a mashup of Nirvana,, Black Sabbath and Green Day. Vocals were a little too low in the mix but I think the drums and crunchy guitar sounded great. I’d give you anything was a highlight for me. That guitar solo was awesome.
Fun, energetic album that's a little ramshackle in execution, but it rocks harder than expected. The album also has some great melodic moments that are reminiscent of Big Star or Teenage Fanclub. More than a little rough around the edges, but there's a lot to like here. Fave Songs: Angel Interceptor, Gone the Dream, I'd Give You Anything, Girl from Mars, Oh Yeah, Let It Flow
Ok
3/5 It's alright. Best track: Lost In You
Pretty good actually
Lovely, simple power pop - I hadn’t come across Ash in decades I think - criminal. This record is packed to the brim with punchy memorable songs and didn’t get tedious even after repeated listens.
Hadn't heard of this band or heard any of their music before. It's fine, just doesn't really stand out for me because it's so similar to my ears to so many bands from that era.
Pop punky, alt/indie 90s rock Good vibes. It wasn’t super remarkable but I liked it. Sounds like music my mom would like. Some of these songs remind of a little of music she played when I was young 3 or 3.5
Very 90s.
I'm familiar with all the singles off this album but I never listened to the whole album before. "Girl From Mars" is the obvious standout - a great track full of youthful exuberance. The rest of the album is not so exciting though, at least to my 2023 ears; I think I would have liked it more in 1996. It's also let down a bit by Tim Wheeler's weak vocals.
Odd that I have NEVER heard this before. . . It is mediocre Brit-pop and a little too dated. . . This is an odd inclusion in a finite list of albums. . .
This was the first album I fully did not like listening to. Bland and uninspired rock sound, terrible vocals, and annoyingly repetitive melodies. Walmart Weezer.
Eh, no thanks. Seemed a bit samey. Also wasn't my vibe entirely. Do impressive that it was made by 17yrs.
This is definitely an alt pop album from the 90s. The songs about random pop culture, songs about women, fast songs with catchy lyrics. This is what made the 90s so easy to like. Times were good and people just listened to whatever. This album is pretty decent and also dated in some parts. But it was different from some other 90s bands so it was new to me and I liked a good bit of it. 6.3/10
Luke told me they were the biggest one hit wonders ever and I get it. Girl from Mars is a top banger and the rest of the album felt confused... I felt like they were trying to be Nirvana at times and then so twee and brit pop and a bit cringe at others. But overall was a fun listen
Honestly, I can't believe Luke said they are one hit wonders, that guy is an IDIOT HOLE. Jokes aside, this was boring.
Sounds off key.
Not significant or important or even good enough for this list. Also, without Spotify, impossible to find online. Who cares, Ash?
Was actually really cool
Standout Track- Angel Interceptor
I'm just not that into hard rock these days, but I appreciated some of the songs a few were interesting to listen to. will have to try again in the right mood
Rocktastic
Poppy alternative rock. Oasis, Jesus and Mary Chain (90s), etc. I don't see anything essential here, nor would I revisit the album. This was probably dated when it came out.
Good Alt band
Kinda same same
Fairly underwhelming but not without its moments. Very of its era. Fav track: Let it flow 2.5/5
Weird mix of butt rock, brit-pop and grunge... didn't hate it? Some songs had a sorta rudimentary charm that I was quite into. Others were bad! Two and a half. Fave track: I'd Give You Anything
Kind of expected to hate this, ready to write up a scathing review, but there are a couple songs that for sure got a couple repeat listens. Starts off pretty strong, then there are some stragglers in there too, and honestly not a lot of depth all round with this record. But I gotta say, there are some tracks that are pretty damn fun, and it certainly fits in well with the punk-pop resurgence that really is the flavour going round lately with contemporary music, and I'm enjoying quite a lot. Yeah, it's generic and mostly forgettable, but I can't write this one off. I might have on another day reduced this to a record that I didn't need to hear before I died, but I'm actually glad I have. It's just like Bandwangonesque, only not as good. Fave track: Goldfinger
Britisk, poppunk, rocket, lidt grunge, melodisk
Kicking off an album with TIE fighter sounds is a sure way to get me to like an album. Especially that song. A punk album that almost felt alternative which is good since we haven't gotten a lot of those, especially from an album in the 90's
A punk-ish act I've never heard of, what a surprise? Apple Music actually says "pop," which I don't quite agree with, but these guys veer into different corners of pop-punk/rock styles so I'll allow it. I was expecting this to be one that just wafted by me with little impact but, hey, they got quite a few tracks on here that caught my ear. Truly, don't know anything about this artist but I enjoyed this one. Favorite tracks: Girl from Mars, I'd Give You Anything, Let It Flow, Angel Interceptor. Album art: Some strange mirrored image of a street, and the curb dividing the image gives it a quadrant effect, kind of cool. Other than that, a little boring. Years as album titles is always a bit confusing to me, especially when they don't match. 1977 (1996), 1999 (1982) 2001 (1999), 1989 (2015), see what I'm getting at? 3.5/5
Pretty sweet riffage
A Britpop band that I hadn't heard much of before...definitely on the harder side of britpop. Decent enough overall.
Mom can we stop on the way home for some Pinkerton? We have Pinkerton at home Pinkerton at home: Meandering and mostly unmemorable songs. late 90s dorm room rock without the hook that the genre is known for (not for lack of trying). The snare sound is an absolute gunshot and objectively well produced yet sticks out like a sore thumb in some songs and pulls me out of the music. Vocals are mixed generously underneath everything, which I understand is a stylistic choice but I believe to be the wrong one for this type of music. Decent enough vocals but just very plain and again, unmemorable. The lead guitarist sounds desperate to be in a hair metal band but is a prisoner of the decade he was born into. The lead guitar however is the saving grace for alot of these songs, great solos and added textures give bland song writing a dash of interesting. The album starts out promising with a promising Hot Snakes type of energy but devolves into a half attempt at the charming, artistic, frat boy style that Weezer has perfected. A couple songs capture this and breathe life into the album but they are too few to keep it from flatlining. A run of three songs near the end of the album are great but tough to get all the way through to. Starts to sound more like a flaming lips record near the end with more complex production elements that lend themselves greatly with the type of quick switch songwriting deployed Standout tracks: Innocent Smile Angel interceptor Lost in You
Molt poques bandes (potser cap altra) han barrejat d'una forma tan meravellosa el so cru i abrassiu de guitarres amb unes melodies tan addictives. '1977' va aparèixer després de 'Trailer', però va ser el treball que ens els va donar a conèixer i va enriquir (encara més!) els nostres '90s
Very well crafted
Nostalgia strong with this one, an album of such promise and excitement being, as I was, the same age as the band, born too in 1977 - the year Star Wars was released and hence the references throughout this album. So many rock solid hits - the singles are absolutely terrific - Goldfinger an incredible lovelorn tune with pulsating drive, into Girl From Mars - fast paced and bouncy - with Kung Fu, Oh Yeah, Angel Interceptor - they just keep coming. Album tracks are usually goofy extended rock jams with a few decent licks but nothing particularly exciting. I know metal heads who hate Ash for biting the style of others but I disagree - the accomplishment of such a young band - this their DEBUT - is really something. As an example of 90s BritPop / AltRock this is a fine example. It’s place on this list? My heart says five but my head says four.
Unexpectedly enjoyed. Never heard this album before.
I dont know - 90's garage rock or something? It's fine. I dont like it.
Since I'm not going to have a lot to say here, I'll use the space to make a note to myself about how I'm choosing to rate these, for future reference: 5-I love it and I'm gonna listen to it a lot 4-its very good and I'll listen again 3-its decent/average. I'll listen if it's on 2-I don't like it, but I get why people do 1-terrible music. Indefensible. That out of the way, this is a fun record. I'd never heard of the band before, but once I got to Kung Fu, I realized I'd heard it before from the credits of Rumble In The Bronx. They're Irish Weezer with a bit more of a pop-punk element. I like it, but it's not groundbreaking. This is better than Teenage Fanclub, but not by a lot, so it's gonna get the same rating.
Poptacular.
Not a fan
Ash reminds me a little of Weezer. They write tight, punchy songs that put the melody and lyrical hooks front and center ("Goldfinger," "Girl From Mars"). And like early Weezer, they're able to take that bright pop songwriting and play it in a much harder style. "I'd Give You Anything" starts with an awesome heavy metal riff and features a sick, messy guitar solo. Overall this is a pretty good album. The vocals were lacking though. Not enough oomph or personality. And they’re often buried in the mix. I guess that’s fair since the rest of the band is rocking out pretty hard but it feels a little unbalanced. Oof some of these vocals actually aren’t good (“Lost In You”) but I still find the songwriting and music just charming enough to rate it a 3, meaning “I like it.” But a 2.5 is more what I’m feeling. Not a band I’ll listen to again.
"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.
Thought this was another pick from the depths of hell that nobody has ever heard before, but I actually recognized like 3 songs on here. British Weezer. Pretty fun.
They had their heart in the right place, and they were in the right place, but luck sometimes is the only way to survive. Nowadays, it is only an outdated 90s band.
Grunge/garage band-ish. It was pretty good.
I actually quite enjoyed this. It did go downhill towards the end of the album but it came out of the gate swinging and at least tried to keep the momentum going. Way better than expected from a brit-rock album in the 90s. I mean, it has its moments of pure 90s cheese which cost it a star but, even with that, there's very little to complain about here.
There was a lot that I liked here with this one. Just huge walls of sound, great guitar tones, catchy melodies, and this feels like the exact album you'd think about with 90s UK alternative rock. Love that they had some britpop influences in there as well, which did make sense given this was the golden era for the genre. The first half in particular was a highlight, like Lose Control, Girl from Mars, and I'd Give You Anything. Only problem with this is it sort of blended together a little too much near the end, and there was little variation even with the specific genres used on the record itself. But its also immensely impressive given Hamilton and Wheeler were only 17 years old!
A brilliant piece of 1990s alternative. Catchy with noisy almost shoegazey riffs. This Northern Irish trio has something going for them and it is well worth your time.
Strong 3-light 4
4/5