The Northern Alliance

The atmosphere at Ash’s annual Christmas homecoming show last year was hardly what you would call festive. Coming to the end of the promotional slog for the resolutely downbeat Nu:clear Sounds, and with the pristine, springtime glories of Free All Angels still but a twinkle in the band’s eye, Belfast’s Limelight was barely three quarters full. More worryingly, the karaoke night being staged in the pub next door seemed to be drawing an awful lot of trade from stragglers at the back of the crowd. Asked to choose between ‘Jesus Says’, and some piss-head’s version of ‘Sweet Caroline’, lots of punters were voting with their feet. The brightest stars in the Northern firmament sure looked to be losing their lustre.

Twelve months on, though, and Ash will be tucking into their turkey straight after two sold out gigs at The Ulster Hall. It seems that a pair of terrific singles and a number one album were just what the doctor ordered. Now they’re in the best shape of their career and maybe even standing alone amongst the old Britpop posse in writing songs every bit as good (if not better) as those of their mid 90’s vintage. Put it this way, once they play ‘Burn Baby Burn’ at this year’s Xmas do, it’s doubtful that Neil Diamond himself could tempt the kids away. Good on them, because everyone loves a comeback.

Which is something Neil Hannon should bear in mind. November saw The Divine Comedy split up, waving goodbye to us all at an unexpectedly moving gig at The Mandela Hall. Contrary to the end, the band refused to use their last show to reheat their greatest hits. Instead they indulged themselves with some of the darker tracks from Regeneration, while also dipping liberally into Promenade and Liberation. Which was a relief because it acted to remind everyone just how odd and literate and quietly precious The Divine Comedy could be when they weren’t kissing Frog Princesses and leering at arses the size of… well, you know. It isn’t every band from Fermanagh, after all, who sing songs about Scott Fitzgerald short stories and falling in love with French actresses. During the last encore, when they ran through the lovely ‘Don’t Look Down’ and ‘Tonight We Fly’, though, it was worth wondering if the Top Of The Pops-type success that followed Casanova was really for the best. After that – and the endorsement of Chris Evans – it seemed Neil stopped wanting to be Marcel Proust and instead turned into Leslie Phillips. This year, as a last hurrah Regeneration – a brave and adventurous record – almost delivered what it promised on the tin, but by the time of its release the band seemed to have gone as far as it could in its current guise, and Neil’s decision to go solo appeared both sad and inevitable. He’ll be back, though, anyone who can write tunes as unarguably great as ‘Songs Of Love’ and ‘Bad Ambassador’ is bound to.

This ‘good record – shit turn of events’ business also struck poor old Snow Patrol. They ‘parted company’ with Jeepster a matter of months after releasing the utterly outstanding When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up – a development which, frankly, suggests that the much-lauded Scottish label is in possession of more buttons on its duffle coats than braincells. The Bangor trio’s second album is a slow burner that only really reveals itself after you’ve spent some time in its company. Emotional frank, lyrically grown-up and at turns both brutally noisy and delicately melodic, it’s actually difficult to think of a band of their level from the British Isles who have released a record this year that’s as intimate and ambitious. Thankfully a new deal should be finalised sometime before spring, which means that next year, hopefully, Snow Patrol can start plotting their all-important next manoeuvres.

Not that lead singer Gary Lightbody has been sitting at home twiddling his thumbs. Not content with moonlighting on Mogwai’s Rock Action, 2001 saw him form The Reindeer Section with a group of Scottish drinking chums (most of whom happened to be in high-to-mid ranking indie bands) and go on to write and record an album in the space of a few weeks. You All Get Scared Now Y’Hear was released on Belfast label Bright Star, and a follow-up is planned for sometime next year. The same label hopes to have a record out by Martin Corrigan, while, at long, long last, the Desert Hearts’ debut album is ready to go. Rough Trade subsidiary Tugboat are looking after that particular gem.

2002 also promises an album from Olympic Lifts, new material from Jupiter Ace and Crash Daddy, and a step-up in pace from Kidd Dynamo. Add to the mix potentially spectacular developments in the career of Phil Kieran and things are looking surprisingly good. Here’s hoping, because we have enough karaoke nights.