Numbskull

When I first started showing a real interest in music, and buying 7'' singles every week in Downpatrick's 'Sounds' for my 99p pocket money, videos weren't as available. You could be guaranteed that you'd hear 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' by The Police many times before you ever saw a video. Therefore you had a opportunity to decide what the song meant to you, and make up your own little visuals to the tune; the video ended up being a bonus.

Now, with the introduction of CD Roms, the Internet and many other avenues for the distribution of music videos, effectively we are told, 'Here's the song, this is what you think of when you hear it'.

Sometimes this doesn't work. Sometimes we are not dictated to by the video and our own impressions of the music and feelings for the track sublimely override the visuals that are being fed to us.

Sadly, this has not happened with Numbskull! I cannot listen to the opening, title track of this EP without seeing Tim Wheeler up to devilment in a sordid hotel room. Whether that's a good thing or not, you'll have to judge for ourself. One thing's for certain, though: this limited edition 6 track CD (just 5,000 copies are being made available), leaves behind any bubblegum sounds which may have lurked in the band's past.

It's only when I reach the fourth track, a live version of 'Jesus Says' from last year's London Forum shows, that I catch a brief glimpse of the Ash that we're all familiar with and love. Even the live version of 'Girl From Mars' is a raucous and hyper-speeded-up offering. The EP also features a classic rendition of Mudhoney's, 'Who You Drivin' Now?' and their own inimitable version of Nirvana's 'Blew'.

Listen to it at your peril - but do listen.