Ash are a difficult band to love.
They are clearly able to write some awesome songs (see "Orpheus")
that stick in your head like a particularly vicious ear
infection. Unfortunately, after forsaking any attempts
at innovation or invention after 1998's Nu-clear
Sounds fell ungracefully on its arse, those songs
which aren't so great tend to stop Ash from approaching
the much sought after mantle of being a
"truly great band". As 2001's Free All
Angles demonstrated
perfectly, Ash albums can go from George Orwell to George
Bush and back again within the space
of three songs.
So then, after three years and with only the frankly shite "Envy" single
rearing its head in the meantime, has anything changed?
The
initial signs were good - two fairly different singles,
one with a monster riff (that'd be "Clones")
and one with a monster chorus ("Orpheus" of course)
- and I thought that maybe Ash might deliver the masterclass
in pop-rock
song-writing that they'd promised ever since I was 12
and heard "Kung Fu" round my friend Chris's
house! Also, the good ol' rock
press were touting this as the Ash Metal Album! How clammy
my hands were when I rushed my copy home!
Imagine my disappointment when the album starts and Ash reel
off a one note wonder of a title track that chugs aimlessly
along for three minutes. "Arse",
I thought, immediately followed by "but hey ho, tis "Orpheus" next".
Again my hopes were raised. Maybe the first song was a blip,
meant to ease one into the album.
After bouncing merrily along to the mighty "Orpheus" I
am once more bored to tears by yet another aimless chugger. "Evil
Eye" is possibly the worst
song...
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