New albums from Ash and Lake Street Dive, music on telly and this week's top gigs
Ash
Islands
Infectious
Downpatrick trio Ash are back at their summery and guitary best on this terrific new album
The signs are certainly good for Ash’s first album since 2015’s Kablammo! They’re back on Infectious Records, the label that released the Downpatrick trio’s cracking debut all of 22 years ago and they’ve also reunited with their old manager.
Most importantly of all, there’s even a Star Wars reference on the album cover in the shape of a (black and white and upside-down) picture of Skellig Michael. Happily, the music is also back firing on the same pop punk cylinders as their earlier, more immediate work. Even at a ridiculously youthful 41, lyricist and front man and guitarist Tim Wheeler still knows how to dash off timeless teen anthems eulogising mythical summers of yore, lovelorn ballads (I Don’t Need Your Love is a gem), and glowing, mid-paced minor glories like Somersault.
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Recent single Annabel is a classic, short, sharp burst of melody and bummer in the summer freak-out Buzzkill (featuring Damien O’Neill and Mickey Bradley of The Undertones) rejoices in possibly the most f*** bombs since Johnny Rotten snarled his way through Bodies. It’s a Trap (another Star Wars reference) is a slow build weepy that shows off Wheeler’s songwriting suss ("a blade of moonlight in a cave") while Did Your Love Burn Out? and Silver Suit are brilliant exemplars of controlled guitar melody and attack that would gladden the heart of Scott Gorham.
Another fine album that sounds like The Beach Boys and The Ramones jamming with The Undertones down among the dunes, Islands is a fizzy sugar bomb of great tunes primed for an endless summer.
Lake Street Dive
Free Yourself Up
Nonesuch
On their most recent visit to Ireland in 2016, Boston-based act Lake Street Dive sold out gigs in Cork and Dublin, appeared on the Late Late Show, and became mates with Hozier. They’re likely to make more friends with this melting pot of an eighth album on which they cook up a gumbo of gospel, soul and pop on songs that burst with freshness and ideas.
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They also take in Broadway show tunes and blues and they’re as funky as feck when they wanna be. Having drafted in their touring keyboardist Akie Bermiss to take part in the recording sessions, the sheer musicality is also expanded; Berniss’ playful keys really shine on album stand-out Hang On. Dude rocks out as it plays around with relationship clichés and ends in a climax of brass and churning guitar.
When barnstorming Tennessee vocalist Rachael Price sings "an old man has got his hand on the button" on Baby Don't Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts you won’t be wondering what she means. LSD remain the classic Saturday night bar band - one shot giddy abandon and two shots tears in your beer at closing time - but they’ve added something new to the heady mix. ***
Gigs of the week
Friday, May 18
BBC Biggest Weekend Fringe 2018, An Culturlann Theatre, Belfast
Paul Alwright, The Workman’s Club, Dublin
Snow Patrol, Leisureland, Galway
Saturday, May 19
Simone Felice, The Workman’s Club, Dublin
Sunday, May 20
Snow Patrol, Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Simone Felice, Coughlan’s Cork
Monday, May 21
The xx, Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Wednesday, May 23
Beck and The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, 3Arena, Dublin
Wednesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 24
The xx, Tivoli Theatre, Dublin
Friday, May 25
Ash, HMV Records, Belfast
Music on TV
Friday, May 18
David Bowie and The Story of Ziggy Stardust, BBC Four, 9.20pm
The Genius of David Bowie, BBC Four, 10.20pm
Bob Dylan; No Direction Home, Sky Arts, 11.00pm
Saturday, May 19
The Rolling Stones: Sweet Summer Sun - Hyde Park Live, Sky Arts, 4.00pm
BB King on The Road, Sky Arts, 9.00pm
Beat, Beat, Beat: The Kinks, Sky Arts, 2.15pm
Monday, May 20
Sidemen; Long Road to Glory, Sky Arts, 11.00pm
Tuesday, May 21
Later Live . . . with Jools Holland, BBC Two, 11.15pm
Friday, May 25
The Biggest Weekend, BBC Four, 7.00pm to 11.15pm
Live coverage of John Misty, Courtney Barnett, Manic Street Preachers, The Breeders, Beck and Orbital
NEW: Hip Hop Evolution, Sky Arts, 9.00pm
Agnetha, Abba and After, BBC four, 11.15pm
Ireland’s Top 10 albums
1 (last week) 1 (this week) Divide - Ed Sheeran Asylum (Warner Music)
New 2 Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino - Arctic Monkeys (Domino Recordings)
2 3 Beerbongs & Bentleys - Post Malone (Republic Records Universal Music)
3 4 The Greatest Showman - Motion Picture Cast Recording (Atlantic Warner Music)
4 5 Speak Your Mind - Anne-Marie Asylum (Warner Music)
5 6 x - Ed Sheeran (Asylum/Warner Music)
13 7 Flicker - Niall Horan (Capitol Universal Music)
7 8 Staying At Tamara's - George Ezra (Columbia/Sony Music)
6 9 + - Ed Sheeran (Asylum Warner Music)
9 10 Picture This - Picture This (Warner Music Ireland)
Ireland’s Top 10 singles
1 (last week) 1 (this week) One Kiss - Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa (Columbia/Warner Bros/Sony Music3/Warner Music)
15 2 This Is America - Childish Gambino (Columbia/Sony Music)
4 3 2002 - Anne-Marie (Asylum/Warner Music)
3 4 Nice For What - Drake – (Cash Money/Republic Records/Universal Music)
2 5 No Tears Left To Cry - Ariana Grande (Republic Records (Universal Music)
5 6 Better Now - Post Malone (Republic Records/Universal Music)
6 7 Friends - Marshmello & Anne-Marie (Asylum/Atlantic/Warner Music)
7 8 Freaky Friday - Lil Dicky Ft Chris Brown (BMG/Commission/BMG)
8 9 Paradise - George Ezra (Columbia Sony Music)
10 10 Lullaby - Sigala & Paloma Faith (Ministry Of Sound/Sony Music)
Chart courtesy of IRMA
Alan Corr @corralan
