Recorded in sunny California, under the sonic supervision of Nick ‘Foo Fighters’ Raskulinecz, Ash’s fourth studio album is one big-sounding, drums-pounding, amps-to-eleven, NOISY MOTHERFUCKER of a record (as the irate neighbour said to the policeman).
An educational year touring the vast rock heartland of America, and hanging with everyone from Dave Grohl to Josh Homme, has obviously had a serious effect on the Northern Irish band. Having both salvaged their career and proved that they can do more-than-proficient pop with Free All Angels, Ash have now decided to burn off in another direction entirely and free all their devils instead. Meltdown is like 1977 all over again – only much, much better (and ever so slightly louder). They’ve lost none of their teenage exuberance but, musically, they’ve matured like good whiskey. Oh, and added Charlotte, obviously.
It opens with the title track – an angry, punky, protest song, inspired by Tim Wheeler’s participation in the London peace march in February 2003. “The witch doctors and the politicians /they rule by fear and try to keep us down/but they can see that these condition /will spark a fury of the underground.”
Current single ‘Orpheus’‚ is next – a soaring rockstomper of a song with Chili Peppers-style rhythms and a gloriously melodic “Sunshine in the morning” chorus. Evil Eye’‚ starts softly enough, but pretty soon they’re doing a smashing Smashing Pumpkins imitation. Then onto ‘Clones’ – the first single cut from the album and just about the heaviest thing Ash have ever done.
‘Starcrossed’‚ slows it down, for a while at least, and demonstrates that Wheeler has lost none of his gift for lyrics and melody – and also that, despite the ferocity of his guitar, he’s actually a big softie at heart (“I’ll remain in your hold/Body, mind, heart and soul/As long as I breathe/Though consequence takes its toll”).
Beyond that it’s mostly noise, glorious noise, with angry drumming, spiky guitar riffs and strong measures of lyrical rage aplenty (“How’s it feel to be alone/ set apart from all the clones?” he sings on the wonderfully titled ‘Renegade Cavalcade’). However, while there’s lots of darkness, they can rarely resist letting in a little light (blame California!). Hiding behind the great wall of noise, there are some potentially great acoustic songs here. More than any other Ash album, I’d love to hear this one unplugged.
Ash may have a masterpiece in them. This isn’t it, but it is a great record by a great band, headed in the right direction.