Going skiing on Saturday, away for a week. Not like it'd make a difference.
Going skiing on Saturday, away for a week. Not like it'd make a difference.
Member since:27.05.2002
Reviews:24
Members who trust:16
Ash are a relatively recent discovery for me. After seeing them for the first time nearly a year ago now, I became a bit obsessed, and was extremely pleased when it turned out I could see them at the two festivals I was going to over the summer. For Ash are a blinding band live. It's not just the songs that everyone knows. It's not just Tim looking sweet at the front of the stage. It's not just Rick's silly haircut. It's not just Charlotte looking hot. It's not just the frickin brilliant music they make. It's the spirit of Ash, which is captured on their first release, Trailer. Bouncy, a bit silly, loud.
This is earlier, less commercial Ash, but for most of the tracks you wouldn't know it. They sound as good as the slightly later stuff, and you wouldn’t think these kids were only 17 when this was released. Trailer-era Ash consisted of Tim (guitar, vocals), Rick (drums) and Mark (bass).
Trailer roars off with Season, the main riff of which should have 'copyright Ash' stamped on it. It's insistent and dark, which is appropriate for the subject matter, news of a friend's suicide. It's sad, but you almost don't have time for it until you hear Tim's vocal coming through the guitar at the end, and it nearly breaks your heart.
Between Season and Jack Names The Planets is a bizarre interlude with people doing silly Dutch accents, which never fails to make me laugh. Jack Names The Planets is probably one of the best known songs from Trailer. It was certainly the only one I knew this time last year, and even then just the chorus. Which is ridiculously singable in its nonsensity. Naming planets? Preposterous, they've already got names. But Ash wish to sing about naming planets in a catchy manner. Actually, it's not that much about planets. Just the Ash staple of teenage love, the complexities and joys of.
Intense Thing follows with some slightly painful feedback bits, bangy guitars and drums and a bit of shouting. Not up to the standard of the rest of the album, I feel, but no matter. It's still quite good when it gets to the middle - "she looks so lovely, standing on her own". Uncle Pat is a more laidback song, about a walk of reminiscence, with lovely images of countryside. It's got a very melodic intro, which clashes with the crazy tempo of Get Out.
"Hi, you guys rock my world". Another brief interlude which goes straight into Get Out. Just over 100 seconds, less time than it takes to pull a pint of Guinness, and Ash have finished with their speed-punk ode to capitalism.
The penultimate song on this fantastic debut is Petrol. One of my favourite Ash songs ever. Gah ... indescribable. Absolutely gorgeous imagery - "the house is drenched in light", making you think of sunset in summer. It's a great great song. And finally is Obscure Thing, an appropriate title, as I always forget about it, skipping back to hear Petrol again. It has a great intro, and is actually quite good. From the same mould as Season, it's mostly driving guitar and some 'obscure' yelling that you can't understand.
Trailer lives up to its name, being a definite (if brief) promise of things to come (and that did come) in the Ash future. May there be many more like it.
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Nov 5th, 2002
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