Classical music, to be fair, isn’t my strong point, but “Ad Astra” opens with “Zarathustra” – a slice of grandiosity that feels like a take on “Fanfare for the Common Man” (I think).
And even if it isn’t, and is instead some other staple of Radio 3, it hardly matters, because Ash have always had the common touch.
I recently saw something on X that made me do a double take. “Girl From Mars” – their seminal single – is 29 years old. That means two things. First, Ash – gulp – are now a classic rock band. Second, they’re not the same band or people they were back then.
So it is that the album opens with the expansive “Which One Do You Want,” which sounds like it belongs on their most recent records.
Yet they can still push the envelope when they want. Blur are, generally, a bit of a nuisance, but their Graham Coxon appears a couple of times, first on the rock-disco of “Fun People,” which is strangely hypnotic.
These days the trio seem to have a gift for writing anthems, and “Give Me Back My World” is exactly that.
“Hallion” is glorious, the handbrake being released for some trashy, punky fun. But the record as a whole feels reflective – perhaps naturally, as they all approach 50. “Deadly Love” is typical of this mindset, and like the rest, it’s exquisitely done.
Ash’s Tim Wheeler appeared with Coldplay during one of their Wembley shows, and Chris Martin would doubtless have had a huge hit with “My Favourite Ghost.” The strings give it real depth.
When MV saw them in the spring opening for The Darkness, Ash played Harry Belafonte’s “Jump in the Line.” It’s here too, and while my overall view is that rock and these types of covers should be kept apart, this is undeniably fun.
The power pop of “Keep Dreaming” recalls MV faves Fountains of Wayne, and that’s enough to make it a highlight.
Ash are one of those bands that, whatever they do, they have a gift for melody. The harmonies on “Dehumanised” are from the very top drawer, and if there’s such a thing as an understated anthem, then “Ghosting” is it.
Coxon is back on the title track – a slow burner that builds brilliantly as it asks “take me up to the stars, we’ll find out who we are.” As it concludes with a fabulous guitar solo, it leaves the thought: “it’s a beautiful world that we’re leaving behind.” That positive energy captures Ash perfectly.
They’re not the same as they used to be, but they’re exactly what they should be right now. “Ad Astra” underlines that perfectly.
Rating: 8/10
