1977 - Ash > Reviews > Best album they have done - Updated

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Their best album
Disadvantages:	It's not all great songs

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ash arrived on the music scene in the middle of the 90’s during the Brit Pop boom and they’re music reflects this. They’re very much rooted in the indy-rock style which was so very ‘OK’ to like. Think of it as punk crossed with the standard Brit Pop influences, Velvet Underground etc.

Happily, unlike a lot of the material that was released under the hype of Brit Pop, 1977 (Named so because that’s when the first Star Wars film came out and they’re big fans) isn’t all that bad. True, it’s not ground breaking rock music. Compare it to the likes of Faith No More, later Metallica and the Foo Fighters and it starts looking slightly tired and a touch clichéd. But it doesn’t look that tired most of the time and it’s not that clichéd all of the time, that job is left to Ash’s debut, Trailer Park, which is Ash’s debut album, not 1977. Luckily they turned themselves round for this album. Let’s take a quick look through some of the more interesting tracks.

The opening track, Loose Control, is one of my favourites, starting with the sound of a Star Wars Tie Fighter flying past – great stuff before breaking into a fast strumfest of a song. Goldfinger, a song of contrast. A rocky thumping chorus and a verse that alternates between delicate strumming and chorus style thumping. Girl from Mars, a track you must have heard if you have any interest in Ash. It really shouldn’t need any explanation from me, but just in case it’s one of Ash’s more poppy songs and one of the lighter moments on the album. The above tracks are the first three tracks on the album and get the album off to a great start, though the album does have a bit of a rest after this until it gets to Kung Fu. An insane track with an introduction consisting of helium martial art antics. Something that wouldn’t have been overly out of place on the first Mr. Bungle album.

1977 is without a doubt Ash’s best album, it’s listenable unlike its predecessor but not so polished you can’t hear the songs like on Nu-Clear sounds. For a long time I have regarded this album as Ash’s finest hour, but having heard a mere B-Side from the new album it appears they may be back on form.