"1997" just seems like bunch of kids (Wheeler and Hamilton were 18 or 19 when it came out) fucking about and coming up with something rather exceptional without really trying and having a great laugh while doing it. This album shits all over most of the Britpop from the time.
― Nick H (Nick H), Saturday, 31 January 2004 16:06 (twenty years ago) link
And, yes, I was talking about "Shining Light". One of the best choruses ever.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 31 January 2004 18:00 (twenty years ago) link
good hooky pop sensibilities on 'goldfinger' and the like
― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 14:44 (sixteen years ago) link
What was Passantino thinking about saying?
― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 14:53 (sixteen years ago) link
oh yeah. i noticed his comment upthread and sort of wondered vaguely
― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 15:06 (sixteen years ago) link
It sounds fantastic except for Tim Wheeler's rubbish voice, which is always rubbish.
As boring power pop bands with okayish songcrafting skills go I could just about take Ash, if it weren't for the afforementioned rubbish voice which just drains the spark out of everything they do.
― chap, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 15:18 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh these guys are tons of fun.
― filthy dylan, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 21:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Lost In You cropped up on my iPod while shuffling a few weeks ago and sounded fantastic. I love that song.
― Chris in Belfast, Thursday, 27 March 2008 09:54 (sixteen years ago) link
ultimate in "lol nineties" record sleeves vv
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/29/Angel_Inteceptor.jpg
― banriquit, Thursday, 27 March 2008 12:07 (sixteen years ago) link
dug this out for a road trip after having not listened to it for 15 years. Most of it was mediocre, but "Angel Interceptor" sounded great! Well, except for that shitty middle part which has always been crap.
― Poliopolice, Monday, 13 May 2013 19:50 (ten years ago) link
I'm more amazed they're still going
― Mark G, Monday, 13 May 2013 20:20 (ten years ago) link
no kidding.
― Poliopolice, Monday, 13 May 2013 21:27 (ten years ago) link
They played to a crowd of 17 of us in 2006 and were great
― i gave ten pounds and all i got was a lousy * (darraghmac), Monday, 13 May 2013 21:34 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnmYH4op5N0
― Philip Nunez, Monday, 13 May 2013 21:36 (ten years ago) link
out of nowhere I had the desire to listen to 1977 for the first time in ten years or so, find myself enjoying the first minute or so of a lot of the songs but not really feeling the need to listen beyond one verse and one chorus. So my answer to WBS's question of "were they any good in the first place?" is "dunno". It may be the fault of Tim Wheeler's singing, I like a dull limp singer here and there but he's on a special plane all of his own.
― Clyde One DJ Diane “Knoxy” Knox-Campbell (Merdeyeux), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 03:00 (ten years ago) link
i was wayyy into "nu clear sounds", super trashy americanized heavy alt rock.
― ( (brimstead), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 04:17 (ten years ago) link
I like Nu Clear Sounds, too, especially "Burn Out" and Hatherley-sung b-side "Taken Out."
― Simon H., Tuesday, 20 August 2013 06:46 (ten years ago) link
There's some decent songs here but I've never been a fan of the Owen Morris production treatment on this record. The drums sound as though they were recorded in a fucking wind tunnel, for a start.
― I wanna live like C'MOWN! people (Turrican), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 06:51 (ten years ago) link
i love love love the first two songs ('lose control' and 'goldfinger') and will listen to the whole record if I'm in a good mood. it ain't bad but i agree with others who've said that Wheeler can't really sing.
― sikeclops, Monday, 21 April 2014 23:20 (ten years ago) link
can't sing in comparison to... Rob Zombie?
― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 22 April 2014 00:23 (ten years ago) link
His voice is just a ...nothing. its totally characterless.
― Master of Treacle, Tuesday, 22 April 2014 00:46 (ten years ago) link
You mean like plain hummus? I don't know if Ash would go well with garlic hummus or sundried tomato hummus.
― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 22 April 2014 01:06 (ten years ago) link
There's some good stuff on Nu-Clear Sounds, I think. 'Folk Song' and 'I'm Gonna Fall' are two of my favourite ballads Wheeler has ever written. 'Death Trip 21' still does it for me, too!
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:15 (seven years ago) link