Album Review: Ash ‘Ad Astra’

Irish rock band Ash have returned with ‘Ad Astra’, a colourful and energetic record featuring a mix of indie rock, power pop, and electronic synth that comes together to create a very solid album perfect for fans of the 90s rock sound. 

The album kicks off with ‘Zarathustra’, an instrumental that mixes the original theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey with an exciting indie guitar riff. It sets the tone for the album well: punchy rock bangers with a theme of space and stars tucked in between the staves. 

Whilst ‘Zarathustra’ and ‘Which One Do You Want?’ are solid opening tracks, I believe the true opener of this album is ‘Fun People’ - a power-pop earworm with the unmistakable charm of 90s Britpop present on every note. Backed by a screaming guitar melody, Tim Wheeler’s and Graham Coxon’s vocals work simultaneously to create chaotic and explosive energy. 

The album continues this energy on ‘Hallion’, which features a hilarious opening skit that nods to the band’s Irish heritage against a guitar build up that would translate amazingly to a live performance. Whilst ‘Hallion’ has playful lyricism and more 90s-inspired production, I felt like I’d heard it before – another indie song about an elusive, wild woman that some hapless man can’t keep up with. It’s a formula that I feel is worn thin in the genre. 

A unexpected addition to this album was a cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’, a song which surprisingly translates well to indie rock. I’ll always get behind a cover that flips a song on its head. ‘Ad Astra’ weaves these energetic moments together with slower acoustic moments such as ‘My Favourite Ghost’ which didn’t hit the mark and were sadly overshadowed by the songs that made more noise.

Whilst tonal shifts are welcome on any album, this wasn’t always achieved and ultimately stalled the album’s momentum. The album’s space motif becomes most prevalent on the 5-minute-long title track ‘Ad Astra’ through electronic synths and themed lyricism. ‘Ad Astra’ is a solid closing track featuring a great use of alternating vocals and a shredding guitar riff. 

Ash’s ‘Ad Astra’ is a fascinating mix of guitar ballads and electrifying rock tunes that leans heavily into the band’s strengths featured in their older work. My standout track is ‘Fun People’, with its sharp, catchy lyricism, energetic vocals, and guitar work.

Whilst some tracks fell flat with their uninspired subject matter or dull acoustic production, I can see this album being loved by fans of 90s power pop and alt rock. You can catch this album live on the ‘Ad Astra’ tour starting in November, with a stop at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on November 18^th.

Article By Emilie Shaw