Meltdown Not Burnt-out (Meltdown - Ash)

Member Name: utero

Product:	Meltdown - Ash
Date:	22/06/04 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No Filler Tracks, Ltd Edt Live Cd, Some great anthems

Disadvantages: Nothing really

Back in the day when Britpop was all the rage, there were a bunch of young upstarts who released a record called Kung Fu. It was popular on radio and soon Ash were starting to get some notices. The debut album 1977 was full of punky pop anthems such as Oh Yeah and Goldfinger, needless to say the album was a huge success. The second album Nu-Clear Sounds represented a more heavier experimental sound and with it came disappointing sales. 2001?s Free All Angels marked a blend of the previous two albums with some punky hard-edged anthems such as Burn Baby Burn coupled with refined song writing on Shining Light. 2004 sees the release of Ash?s fourth studio album entitled Meltdown and if you?ve liked their previous stuff then I?m glad to say that it doesn?t disappoint.

The record opens with ?Meltdown?. It?s a good indication of what to expect, this is going to be the record where ash turn up the amps to 11 and rock. All the familiar sounds are here from rumbling bass and drums, angst and a wailing guitar solo. Great stuff but by no means the best track on the album,

?Orpheus? is the second single which starts with a thundering drum roll before descending into heavy guitars. Just when you think it?s going to be another heavy rock track, it changes into a bouncy rock tune where Tim Wheeler declares ?I need the sunshine in the morning, heading for the open road?. It?s a well-constructed tune, I don?t know if it was a great choice as a second single as I think there are better tracks on the album.

?Evil Eye? will perhaps be a future single, I certainly think it has the potential for it. It starts off fairly quiet before erupting into heavy guitar riffs and great lyrics. This is classic Ash as Wheeler seems to have the knack for writing great pop rock tunes.

?Clones? was the first single from the album and gives a major indication into the sound of the record. It starts off with distorted guitar before going into a dirty guitar riff. With ly
rics such as ?Forced in a mould, processed and sold? and ? You fell from grace, leaving no trace, you?ve been replaced, your name erased? I?d like to think it?s about the manufactured acts that have sprung from the likes of Pop Idol. I?m probably completely wrong but this is a great track once you?ve had a couple of listens.

?Starcrossed? is the forthcoming single with a video currently playing on MTV. It?s this albums ?Shining Light?. It?s another well-written rock song and certainly one that should be a decent hit on radio and in the charts. Hopefully it?ll be the sing that makes the sales of this album pick up again. The chorus is great and will certainly have people singing along in the car. Personally it?s not my favourite but then I like the heavier stuff.

?Out Of The Blue? is another great punky anthem, light verses give way to a catchy chorus and some great guitar. It?s classic Ash, what more can I say?

?Renegade Cavalcade? is a track that takes a while to really get going. I would describe it as a light version of Nirvana?s Lithium in style. It?s got slow verses followed by a roaring chorus. It?s not one of me favourite tracks on the album was it?s slowly warming to my ears.

?Detonator? is one of my favourite tracks on the album. It starts well with some squelching guitar and distorted vocals. Then there?s a slow tempo verse before a thundering chorus that you can sing along with.

?On A Wave? is for me the best track on the album, some may say different. Personally this is a great rock track that starts well with a great intro that really builds it. Then the guitars hit with some great riffs, the vocals are also mixed in a distorted way that makes it stand out from the rest of the album. There?s a great chorus and the whole thing just thunders along at a great pace.

?Won?t Be Saved? is another contender for a future single. It?s got the light guitars that will appeal to the normal listener as a well as t
he simple but effective chorus that will keep it?s place in peoples ears. It?s a good track but again it?s not a patch on the heavy stuff that can be found on the album.

?Vampire Love? is the final track on the album, it starts with a creepy piece of guitar and as you?d expect with a title that, there?s a few dark lyrics and a generally heavy tone. It?s a great way to end the album as it?s got that grungy tone but also manages to have an anthemic quality.

For me this may be the best Ash album yet, the majority of it is a return to the sound of 1977 but Wheeler and Co have added in the harmony?s of the previous records. This is certainly a more stripped down and heavier sound but it really succeeds, as there?s not really a track on the album that I can call weak. If you liked 1977 then this is definitely worth a purchase. It?s also worth noting that some copies are available with an extra cd that contains live tracks with the majority of he album included. If you look around you should be able to pick it up for a tenner if still available. I?d recommend getting this version as it gives you great value.

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