Getting closer to the end of the series and the success machine that is Ash’sA-Z rolls on. Their latest track, Binary is a little slice of dance/pop heaven. Lighter than TT’s preferred Ash sound, the song still retains the perfect pop sensibilities, catchy changes and flat our perfectionism we love about the group.
Any fans of Return of White Rabbit and Space Shot are sure to love this wee one. We miss the guitars but change is always good and let’s face it, Ash always handle change well.
Check out the track @ Ash-Official.com. See ye all in two weeks!
Wow, we’re very, very behind with the Ash reviews. KISS really messed things up for a few weeks and the very sad passing of Ronnie James Dio didn’t exactly help motivate the Tickets There minds. Now we’re determined to get back in full swing and what better way to make our return, but by writing our 42,000 Ash review.
Rather than going the complex or over the top route, Ash have settled on the fairly straight forward pop approach. Insects flows well, the chorus is catchy and the word Insects constantly being repeated will conjure up some images.
Not a song you could write a million words about and not the best thing the band’s ever come out with but a decent effort all the same. Towards the end things really drive home and the guitars are stand out. Some serious finger tabbing or something going on there.
Not bad lads, keep it up.
Check out Ash-Official.com to hear it. Hurry, new track coming on the 24th
God, as soon as oneAsh review goes up there’s another to be done. We were 100% sure single O wasn’t coming till next week but here we are, another two weeks over and another fecking single review to do. Thank god the song in question is damn right savage.
While Single N, Dare To Dream was lacking in the ass kicking department, Mind Control has gone and given the second half of Ash’s incredible A-Z Singles the kick off it needed. It’s got guitars, it’s got solo’s, it’s catchy and there’s swear words, one of Rock’s most beloved and mourned siblings. What the Fuck is going on? Ash are kicking ass left, right and centre, that’s what.
Excellent addition to the series and one that’s gotten Tickets There excited all over again. Thanks to Mind Control, we won’t forget single P’s release date. See ye in two weeks.
Two weeks have passed and as promised, Ash have returned with the second half of their A – Z release. With the Volume 1 singles coming out on two CD’s on the 19th, it’s time for fans to re-focus on the second batch and first single, Dare To Dream seems to be taking things in the right direction.
The song itself is a little drawn out. It’s doesn’t deliver the energetic, rockier side of the groups sound but does stick to the A – Z trademark grandness. It’s constantly develops as you listen but never uncovers any real surprises. Saying that, we prefer it to True Love 1980 (Single A of the series) – so as openers go, this ones ahead.
This series has already given fans more worthwhile material than we could have hoped and with another twelve singles to go, we know they have just as many more quality singles to go. This won’t be a stand out in the long run, but it’s a good sign of things to come.
Single M, War With Me marks the half way point in Ash’s colossal A – Z Single series and what an achievements it’s become. The songs so far have displayed some of Ash’s most lovable traits, some of their finest pop / rock moments and a grandness rarely seen in their previous material. We’re once again delighted to report that today’s release continues this fine line of quality, enjoyment and few frills pop rock.
War With Me is a simple slice of the bands irresistibly catchy gift for pop. Built predominantly around a heavy Piano, the song is a laid back, lighter than most little number. Short, sweet and loveable. Since we’re half way there, why don’t you just check the video below and hear it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
Tickets There is very sorry for the delay getting this review up. We started listening on Sunday but became more fixated on the fact that the previous release, Song of Your Desire is actually way better than we originally thought. Ah well, time to move on.
Ash’s latest release, Dionysian Urge is a hark back to their basics sound. The kind of feel good pop rock that made us fall in love with them in the first place. There’s none of the A – Z trademark piano’s and grandness. Just good old fashioned riffs, beats, heavy guitars and a rattling bass.
Honestly, we’re struggling to write this week so we’ll just say it, we couldn’t love this song anymore. It’s just so hassle free, upbeat and has such lovely changes. The whole thing just works so well it’s not even funny.
Incredible effort from the lads and one that’s truly going to be a treat for all Ash fans, old and new. Head over to Ash-Official to hear it for yourself.
Happy Valentines all. Tickets There was passing no heed of the day until Ash made it extra special by generously releasing single J from the A – Z Series a day Early.
After the highs of Space Shot, Ichiban, Pripyat and Neon, we were half thinking single J would be a disappointment. I mean seriously, how long can any band keep releasing one brilliant single after another for? Well, we can’t answer the last question but fortunately for Ash fans, it still doesn’t look like there’s any stopping them.
Command, the eleventh release of the series, is awesome. No dance beats, no grand piano melodies and no holding back. This is possibly the closest thing to their old sound they’ve released in years. The guitars are loud, heavy and unstoppable. The bass thunders through the track with an incredible crunchiness and Tim’s voice is back to its hard edged style. The chorus, as always, is as catchy as they come and the boys just cut loose on some good old fashioned alt/pop rock.
It may not have the mass appeal of Space Shot but fans will love this one. It’s heavy, fast and hard as nails. It’s very different from any of the other songs in the series and goes back to basics and the lads certainly haven’t lost their talent for writing a rockin’ number when they choose. Tickets There loves this band and every two weeks they’re reminding everyone why we love them so much.
Last week, the band announced they were in the studio recording the second half of the singles for release and the first set (A – M) will be released on CD this April.
See Ash-Official.com for more news and to hear Command (plus all the other tracks released so far)
For all you Ash head’s who haven’t subscribed to the vinyl / digital single series fear not, Ash are releasing the A – Z Series on CD and Volume 1 (A – M) will be coming your way on April 19th. In addition to this, the album will also be available in a limited edition CD/DVD format, featuring A-Z Tour diary that the band filmed last autumn.
For anyone unfamiliar with the A – Z Series, please Click Here to read more.
The track listing can be viewed below. Unfortunately, they’re still not giving future titles away L
µ. Return of White Rabbit A. True Love 1980 B. Joy Kicks Darkness
C. Arcadia
D. Tracers
E. The Dead Disciples
F. Pripyat
G. Ichiban
H. Space Shot
I. Neon J. Command
K. tba
L. tba
M. tba
Downpatrick pop/grunge rock legends Ash, have just announced a spring tour set to begin in Southampton on the 10th of April. Tickets for all shows are priced £15.00 except London which is £16.50. They go on sale next Tuesday, 12th January.
Ash have recently finished a gigantic tour of the U.K. in support of their latest and greatest campaign, The A – Z Single Series. Click Here to Read More
Obviously, Tickets There hugely begrudges the English Ash fans for getting another chance to see the boys in action but all will be well WHEN an Irish date is penned. Check Tickets There for more info….when we have it. Safer to check every hour on the hour jut in case you miss it 😉
Full set of dates are below, Click Here to visit Ash’s official site.
19/04/10 Southampton – University Buy Tickets
20/04/10 Cambridge – Junction Buy Tickets
21/04/10 Norwich – Waterfront Buy Tickets
23/04/10 Birmingham – Irish Centre Buy Tickets
24/04/10 Leeds – Metropolitan University Buy Tickets
Happy New Year (once again) all. Now that Tickets There has returned and laid the ground work, the lads over in Ash feel comfortable enough to release the `seventh single of their A – Z series, Ichiban. Of course the pressures and strains of releasing a new single and video every two weeks would be much, much worse on them if Tickets There wasn’t here fighting on the frontiers, getting the words warm and typing randomly without any planning or heed for what we’re saying.
This one will catch you of guard a little. It starts with the grandest intro yet. I’m afraid my knowledge of classical music isn’t something to boast about so I won’t pretend to know if this is something I’ve heard a million times before during Sky Sports soccer coverage or if’s it’s an original composition written by the band that just sounds familiar. Anyways, enough about the intro, it’s brilliant.
After thirty seconds of grandness, magnificence, mandolins, drums and the hopes of a thousand nations, the songs does a complete U-turn and swaps the strings for a choppy rhythm riff and a style that sounds like Ash competing with modern indie groups. Obviously today’s style is rubbing of a little on the Co. Down boys but not so much that they don’t retain their own unique sound and freshness. Rather than full on heaviness, re-hashed grunge efforts or disco beats, Ichiban is wall to wall punk and classic rock!
Many of the singles in this release have sounded very serious, very far reaching but Ichiban is alot more relaxed and there isn’t one bell to be heard. It’s simple, it’s classic and its jam packed with fast guitars, heavy solo’s, harmonies and classic rock n roll swagger worthy of Jagger himself.
Tickets There has listened a few times and we’re more than happy to give it nine thumbs up. It’s far more interesting and addictive than Pripyat and definitely on par with the next single, Space Shot, which Tickets There was full sure would be the best we’d be hearing from the lads for a month or so. Everything’s coming up Millhouse and TT doesn’t want to waste any more Simpson references this early in the year. Go to ASH-OFFICIAL.COM and hear it for yourself. You’ll love it, trust us.
For those of you who live for consistency, order and symmetry, please do not read on. For the rest of you, Tickets There is jumping the gun. Space Shot isn’t due to be released in the A – Z Series until the end of January but TT decided if the video’s out, the review should be out to. Lot of blogs, E-Zines, indie press heads and publications, like Hotpress and AU trying to steal Tickets There’s title as Irelands sexiest music blog, so we must stay on top J (PUN).
Well Tickets There has been uplifted today. After the disappointing sixth release in the series, Pripyat, we’re delighted to inform you that Ash’s good run hasn’t come to an end. In fact single H – Space Shot, has the potential to be as big as any song they’ve released before. We first heard it at the bands recent show in the Button factory and actually made the mistake of thinking it must have been on some album we never listened too much. We got a cheerful little surprise when the video appeared online a few days ago and, well…we don’t have much to say. It’s not Pink Floyd, its Ash. Just listen and enjoy the perfect pop melodies, the constant uplifting sounds and appreciate that this is just one of hundreds of brilliant pop songs the band have composed over the years.
As we saw on True Love 1980 and Return of White Rabbit, Ash need no guitars to make their blend of catchy, hooky rock…two words I’m really starting to despise when writing these singles. I’ll try and expand the auld vo-cab. as this series goes on. Space Shot is based more around synths, effects and an amazingly catchy chorus. It’s got all the hallmarks of a classic but with a fresher sound.
Ash, with this Space Shot you are truly spoiling us. 10/10, Nine Thumbs Up, Love It!
These A – Z singles are becoming very comforting. So far we’ve haven’t had any duds and tracks like Return of White Rabbit and Arcadia have already become firm fan favorites and earned permanent positions on the bands future set-lists. As well as them, we’ve had the excellent Tracers, The Dead Disciples, Joy Kicks Darkness (one of TT’s fav’s) and True Love 1980. All great, catchy, hooky repeat phrase, repeat phrase tracks that stand up well against anything Ash have done before.
Now, we’re moving along nicely into F and a wee track called Pripyat which they’ve released a few days after a big push for their H single, Space Shot so Tickets There is thinking they’re going to start focusing the video’s and marketing for key singles along the way rather than give each one the same attention. In all fairness, Pripat’s a little dull in comparison to Space Shot so Tickets There’s hopes for the next single, G aren’t riding high.
The track has the same grandness that we saw on Joy Kicks Darkens and Tracers but it’s lacking that little push that makes Ash tracks great. There is an overall flow and style used across pretty much every single we’ve heard so far in this series but while the others have all shared common traits, they’ve still managed to maintain a uniqueness that makes them stand out as legitimate singles. Unfortunately for Pripyat, it just seems to go with the motions and settle in the background. If this was a traditional album release, Pripyat would be a B-side at best.
Despite our words, Tickets There has heard Space Shot (as can you at www.ash-official.com) and believe us, there’s more good stuff coming from the lads. Stand by for the review.
God, I can’t believe how quickly these fortnights are going by. It seems like only yesterday Tracers came out and all of a sudden we’ve got another one! The fifth single of Ash’sA – Z series, The Dead Disciples is now available and it’s definitely worth making the trip to ASH-OFFICIAL.COM to hear it.
Opening with a nice gritty guitar, the song bursts forth with a tight mixture of electro-rock styled guitars grinding out some sweet ‘in your face whiteboy’ riffs. The song is one of those heavier, grunge styled Ash moments. The verse is stripped back with a tasty dirty bass line and some naughty little pulls from the guitar and Tim’s punk rock style vocals. Unfortunately the chorus, while still catchy and belting, is a bit over harmonized for the verse which stops it from competing with past grunge glories like A Life Less Ordinary and Innocent Smile, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the catchiest singles of the series.
Overall all it’s another winner. Tickets There can say happily that we prefer it to Tracers and would currently rank it second overall behind Arcadia. Now, that’s enough from me, go check it out and see what you think. Until next time, (F), have a pleasant two weeks.
Fourth in Ash’s A – Z series which they’re currently on tour promoting. The guys are set to release 26 singles over the next year and the first three, Joy Kicks Darkness, Arcadia and True Love 1980 have all been strong additions to the Co. Down boys repertoire and for those impatient people out there, Tracers is just as strong.
Tim and the lads have a god given knack for writing semi-down toned borderline grunge anthems and combining that sound with the most perfect pop sensibilities known to man and the hard rock guitar ability needs to pull it all off. On Trackers we find the bands shinning talent for catchy song writing as well as their ability to use different styles to deliver their famous ballads.
Unlike Arcadia, the song is a little more relaxed and restrained which adds the difference every band needs in their writing. Muted guitars, regular changes and the lack of a full on guitar driven chorus explosion leave the song one of the best they’ve release so far. It’s heavy though. The whole song bursts with overtones of the eminent peak getting closer and then they cut loose with a galaxy of other instruments to drive the point home rather than relying on age old tactics and formulated standards.
What would we have done differently? We would have started a band and cried because we’re not as good as Ash. Keep up the great works lads.
*Legal Disclaimer: By ‘E’, Tickets There, here forth to be referred to as TT, did not mean to endorse, promote, or encourage the notion that they were referring to the illegal substance, Ecstasy. If you referrer to Appendix Z 1.7 of the Ash: A – Z series article, located Here, TT has outlined details that each single from the A – Z series will have a different letter assigned. These releases and their letters will correspond to the English Alphabet (A, B, C,.. to Z. Please refer to Collins English Dictionary for a more detailed explanation of the Alphabet). By writing ‘E’, TT simply meant the fifth single from this A – Z series, rather than the drug known as Ecstasy. TT does not wish for starved, gawky eyed ravers’ to appear at official Tickets There Headquarters looking for handouts. ‘E’ simply co-exists with the number 5 position in the alphabet.
Single number one of the A-Z Series of singles Ash will be releasing fortnightly for the…well, the next 52 weeks. True Love 1980 is a totally different vibe from the disco styling’s of Return of White Rabbit. It’s more along the lines of New Order but a little more upbeat. They’ve still managed to keep that traditional Ash poppy feel and only added some classic eighties era drums, keyboards and even the vocals in places. Despite the hark back to the retro style, the band pull it off quite well. It’s no Angle Interceptor but then again, it’s not meant to be.
On First listen Tickets There wasn’t overly impressed but after a few goes it really starts to sink in. Similar to Walking Barefoot or Candy, this is just a nice song. Take it for what it is.
…and yes this review is short. Only so much you can say about a band when you know you have another 26 more things to write about them over the next year (26th is the gig review ;))
Tickets There is on a major ASH buzz of a late. We’re resisting the extreme temptation of making them our favorite Irish act because we feel the position should go to one of the lesser known bands we love. In reality, ASH are our favorite Irish act currently on the go and their ability to write some of the catchiest and most perfect pop rock / alt-rock / grungy tracks in the history of the country never seems to diminish with the years.
Last year the band announced they would no longer use the traditional album format to release music and instead, were only going to release singles. Now they’re living up to their promise and have just released the second single from their A – Z Series of singles. Every fortnight for roughly the next year, a new single will be released on limited 7” and for download.
Tickets There has decided to turn our attentions to this so we’ll be updating this post every two weeks when a new single is released. Please click on the song names below to read each review.
Ash’s A – Z tour kicked off last night in Aldershot (no idea, somewhere in England…look up Google Maps if you care so much). According to the official site a good night was had by all so folks, Dublin calling!!
Remember Ash are playing the Button factory on November 25th!!! Tickets are on sale now and you’re guaranteed a night of full frontal, explicit, naughty and damn right savage Irish rock n roll baby!!!!
The lads are in the middle of releasing 1 song, every week for a year (26 in total) and there’s a handful of them in the set including Arcadia and Return of White Rabbit (ROWR is not one of the 26, that was just an advance kid n of warm up – Ed.)
A few more tracks like Uncle Pat, Angle Interceptor, Jack Names the Planets and we’re sailing. TT hopes to see you all there. Ash are probably Irelands leading rock group at the moment. Their back catalogue is over crammed with hard hitting belters and by all accounts they’re incredible live. Be there or be somewhere sad, pathetic and lonely….or a strip club. But, if you’re going to a strip club, why not head along to the gig first?
Arcadia
A Life Less Ordinary
Meltdown
Shining Light
Joy Kicks Darkness
True Love 1980
Kung Fu
Wild Surf
You Can’t Have It All
Oh Yeah
Space Shot Jack Names the Planets Sometimes
Goldfinger Walking Barefoot
Orpheus
Girl From Mars
Return of White Rabbit
– – – –
Lose Control
Twilight of the Innocents
Burn Baby Burn
Not a real MySpace Review but instead a look at Ash’s new single. Have some of their albums but have never had the pleasure of seeing them live.
Well, for anyone thinking the loss of Charlotte Hatherley would hurt Ash you’re about to get a serious wake up call. Return of White Rabbit is basically the promotional single for their novel A-Z Single series which will see the band release 26 singles every two weeks starting this September. The song sees the band return to their perfect pop foundations as they mix unbelievably crunchy bass riffs and samples with one hell of a catchy chorus. If this isn’t a dance floor favourite in the next week then there’s something seriously wrong with people.
I think I may be too hungry to describe this song properly so I’m just going to say this, download it! Download it now and be happy on this sunny Saturday.
'Ticket's There' - Irish and International Music Blog 
