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.
'Ticket's There' - Irish and International Music Blog 
