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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Written and recorded while a teenage Tim Wheeler was doing his A-levels, 1977 (named after the year Star Wars was released) made Ash bona-fide indie starlets overnight, largely thanks to the quality of the singles it contains. Their timing couldn't have been better: the summer of 1996 belonged to the Union Jack guitar, and Ash were free to ride the wildsurf of the Britpop tsunami, electrifying everyone with the quirky ("Girl From Mars"), the funny (the Jackie Chan comedy of "Kung Fu") and the best Christmas song ever written by a guitar band--the heartwarming mixture love and science that was "Angel Interceptor".
It is unfortunately hindered by the trademark duvet production of Oasis man Owen Morris, which muffles Rick McMurrey's thunderous drums and does nothing for Wheeler's uniquely flat voice (one of the album's major shortcomings in itself). It also suffers from a monotony produced by its constant full-on nature which a couple of acoustic (or even slower) numbers would have fixed and balanced the album better. If these had replaced some of the more forgettable album tracks here ("Lost In You" and the needlessly bombastic "I'd Give You Any Thing"), then so much the better. Come to reminisce not just for the pubescent memories it evokes within the songs, but also the memories of the time it was released. Or, as Wheeler laments on the teenage love anthem "Oh Yeah", "I sometimes wish it was that summer again". --Ben Johncock
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply brilliant,
By A Customer
This review is from: 1977 (East West Release) (Audio CD)
Without doubt Ash's best album, and possibly one of the very best of the 90's. There simply isn't one bad track on this album, and the singles are all class. "Girl from Mars" and "Kung Fu" are their finest songs, although everything else here isn't far off this quality. There's no opportunity for the album to become too samey, as ballad often follows punk-esque thrash, regulating the pace, and improving the overall sound structure. And if you happen to be up for a laugh, wait until the very end of "Darkside Lightside" for what is described on the inlay card as "Sick Party". Overall, this album comes pretty damn close to perfection, and if you've only heard the latest singles, this is the best album to start you off. Sheer brilliance.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
young irish kickstarts bring it,
By
This review is from: 1977 (East West Release) (Audio CD)
ash,when this was released were a young punky band with an ear for a single,this album was packed with top 40 singles such was their ability to get into the head of the average person,this is their debut album and isnt as scuzzy as their debut ep,but still has a nice rock feel to it,tim wheelers voice never screamed and for that i suppose lay the key to the albums success.It certainly seems like yesterday since i bought this but in fact it was ten years ago,and although the sound of this album may have suffered slightly over the years its still a landmark album for the group who have released single after single since,and while some of their albums since havent delivered,this is still the benchmark that they need to revisit.
The albums title is a reference to the year that two members of the band were born and the release of star wars,and its no surprise that the album has a few star wars references,not that im a fan of the star wars series but hey it pays to know a thing or two. Like i said the album is packed with feel good ,sing a long moments such as the classic kung fu,goldfinger(what a song),girl from mars,gone the dream,oh yeah,lost in you,darkside,lightside.Its an album that is easy to take too as its simplistic poppy rock with good hooks,the album has one poor song if im to be a fair reviewer, and thats innocent smile which is pretty poor and i usually skip it if the truth be told,but all in all this isnt an album that challenges the bounaries of music but its an album of sheer enjoyment.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ash - 1977,
This review is from: 1977 (East West Release) (Audio CD)
Buzzing with youthful energy, Ash burst out of the traps at the height of Britpop with this debut. Named after the year Star Wars was released, 1977 begins with the sounds of an X-wing fighter plane soaring off into space. What follows is a variable collection of pop songs packed with oceans of guitar and blurred production. Tracks like Kung Fu, with it's aimless ramblings on the subjects of Jackie Chan and Fu Man Chu, betray the occasionally banal side of singer/lyricist Tim Wheeler's muse. Others, such as I'd Give You Anything and Lose Control, contain great rock riffs and creatively disorganised guitar solos, but little in the way of lyrical enlightenment. However, these minor imperfections are overshadowed by some of the murky brilliance this record contains. Take the wonderfully innocent Girls From Mars, for example; a warming tale of summer love, featuring the amusing choral couplet "We'd stay up late playing cards/Henri Winterman cigars". At first these observations seem ridiculous, but after repeat listening they acquire a certain charm. Oh Yeah is almost the in the same vein, yet far more hormonal, far less mysterious, and even better. Completed by evocative female backing vocals, Wheeler's teenage love anthem is the best thing on the album. Other delights include the riff-laden rock of Goldfinger and even a Christmas song, Angel Interceptor. An intriguing beginning for the Irish band.Rating: 8
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