Video: Ash and We Are Scientists - 'Only in Dreams'

This is pretty cool. Ash and We Are Scientists with a version of Weezer's 'Only in Dreams'. And yes, that's Bloc Party's Russell Lissack, who's touring with Ash as an extra guitarist.

Irish Albums of the Decade: 1 - Ash - Free All Angels (2001)

When Ash followed up their wildly successful debut 1977 with the dreary dirges and second-rate Stooges imitations of Nu-Clear Sounds, many feared that the young Downpatrick band had burned out too soon. Main songwriter Tim Wheeler went to ground for a while as he tried to get back in touch with his inner mojo, and the band brought it all back home by deciding to write and record in the same garage where they had made their first steps.

The result was the triumphant Free All Angels, which recaptured the wide-eyed punk-pop vibe (see the bittersweet summertime homage of ‘Walking Barefoot’ or the irrepressible‘Burn Baby Burn’) that first marked them out, while adding a vital dose of maturity (the sublime ‘Sometimes’ perfectly captures the sadness of a break-up with minimum self-pity) and world-weariness (the Spectoresque ‘Someday’) along with some pleasing curveballs (‘Candy’ samples The Walker Brothers to superb effect). ‘Shining Light’ landed Wheeler an Ivor Novello award, and was later covered by Canadian artist Emm Gryner, who threw the song’s classic pop melody into even sharper relief. The album went straight in at number 1, dislodging Janet Jackson: it prompted drummer Rick McMurray to ring her record label and leave his own version of Outkast’s ‘I’m sorry Miss Jackson’ on their answering machine. Good times.

Irish Tunes of the Decade

I'd forgotten just how much great Irish music has been released these last ten years until I started looking back. Again, one song per artist, list in no order, not a definitive list etc...

So Cow - 'Shackleton'

Waiting Room - 'Return My Rabbits'

The Chalets - 'No Style'

The Frank and Walters - 'You Asked Me'

Snow Patrol - 'An Olive Grove Facing The Sea'

Republic of Loose - 'Comeback Girl'

David Kitt - 'Song From Hope St (Brooklyn, NY)

Damien Dempsey - 'It's All Good'

Codes - 'Magnetic North'

The Immediate - 'Fashion or Faith'

JJ72 - 'Always and Forever'

Ham Sandwich - 'St. Christopher'

The Thrills - 'Big Sur'

U2 - 'Kite'

Gemma Hayes - 'Back of My Hand'

Ten Speed Racer - 'Overcast'

Fight Like Apes - 'Do You Karate'

Simple Kid - 'The Commuter'

Joe Chester - 'Safe Place To Hide'

Fionn Regan - 'Be Good or Be Gone'

The Frames - 'Fighting On The Stairs'

Roisin Murphy - 'You Know Me Better'

Cathy Davey - 'Sugar'

Ash - 'Sometimes'

Jape - 'Floating'

Damien Rice - 'Cannonball'

Bell x1 - 'Next To You'

And So I Watch You From Afar - 'Clench Fists, Grit Teeth...Go!'

Duke Special - 'This Could Be My Last Day'

Ann Scott - 'Start'

Nick Kelly - 'New Star'

David Geraghty - 'El Nino'

Si Schroeder - 'A Little More'

Autamata - 'Postscript'

Future Kings of Spain - 'One Look'

Giveamanakick - 'Hatch 77'

Emmet Tinley - 'Come To Life'

10 Classic Irish Albums (4)

ASH - Free All Angels (2001)

When Ash followed up their wildly successful debut 1977 with the dreary dirges and second-rate Stooges imitations of Nu-Clear Sounds, many feared that the young Downpatrick band had burned out too soon. Main songwriter Tim Wheeler went to ground for a while as he tried to get back in touch with his inner mojo, and the band brought it all back home by deciding to write and record in the same garage where they had made their first steps.

The result was the triumphant Free All Angels, which recaptured the wide-eyed punk-pop vibe (see the bittersweet summertime homage of ‘Walking Barefoot’ or the irrepressible‘Burn Baby Burn’) that first marked them out, while adding a vital dose of maturity (the sublime ‘Sometimes’ perfectly captures the sadness of a break-up with minimum self-pity) and world-weariness (the Spectoresque ‘Someday’) along with some pleasing curveballs (‘Candy’ samples The Walker Brothers to superb effect). ‘Shining Light’ landed Wheeler an Ivor Novello award, and was later covered by Canadian artist Emm Gryner, who threw the song’s classic pop melody into even sharper relief. The album went straight in at number 1, dislodging Janet Jackson: it prompted drummer Rick McMurray to ring her record label and leave his own version of Outkast’s ‘I’m sorry Miss Jackson’ on their answering machine. Good times.

Standout Tracks: Sometimes, Candy, Burn Baby Burn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdisCk31Z_s