After a crazy 25 years of making music, Northern Irish band Ash are set to release their ‘Teenage Wildlife’ album. The album will be released on 14th February and acts as a biography showcasing Ash’s journey since they formed at 17. At a whopping 54 tracks, this album is a sensational mix of indie, rock and punk tunes!
The album begins with an old favourite: ‘A Life Less Ordinary’. The steady strums set the song up perfectly before going crashing in to the first verse. Tim Wheeler’s smooth vocals carry the song and give it a slightly grungier rock feel which evolves in the bridge. This section takes on a largely instrumental form and emphasis is placed on the distortion of the guitar, giving this track its memorable flare!
‘Teenage Wildlife’ also includes singles featured in the top 40 such as ‘Girl From Mars’, ‘Goldfinger’, and ‘Oh Yeah’. These tracks bring a nice selection of variations on rock, ‘Girl From Mars’ draws on the more indie side, whereas the other two tracks embrace a more mellow version of classic rock. This was an ideal selectin of singles on Ash’s part because they make for easy listening and they are a great representation of how the band have advanced over the years. These songs are classics for a reason!
The point of this album is to act as a reflection on Ash’s journey so far as a band, and inevitably with that comes an immense feeling of nostalgia. One track that particularly fits with this idea is ‘Shining Light’. To put it simply, this song is an absolute banger! This is the kind of classic light rock anthem that MAKES this album, as does ‘Burn Baby Burn’, it would not be the same without them. If you can’t at least sing along to ‘You are a shining light!’ then where have you been?!
‘Buzzkill’ hails from 2018’s top 20 album, Islands. This track takes on a much punkier feel and is evidence of Ash’s evolution as a band. The intense vocals mirror the ranty style of the lyrics and make for a fun listen. This energy is continued with ‘Jack Names the Planets’, a lively track with catchy lyrics that really get you dancing! But what more would you expect from their exhilarating debut?
Self-titled track, ‘Teenage Wildlife’ is the perfect summer time song, its bursting guitar and pumping drums make it an even more endearing track. Its safe to say, this album has a song for every occasion! Lets not forget the rocking rendition of ‘Teenage Kicks’ which will forever remain an eternal classic in the rock world. This album pulls out all the stops!
On the topic of well executed covers, Ash also performed a version of Buzzcocks’ classic ‘Everybody’s Happy Nowadays’ but put a unique spin on it with vocals from Coldplay’s Chris Martin featuring on the track. The song began with the same familiar bright, brisk intro that we know and love so well, and became yet another incredible addition to ‘Teenage Wildlife’.
Every band has to start somewhere and it is vital that their early days are not forgotten. This album is not another ‘greatest hits’ compilation, it is so much more. It is a compilation of all the songs that make Ash who they are today. This album is simultaneously a salute to the past and a cheers to the future…