1977

On its 1996 debut, the Irish trio Ash offers up an immediately engaging set of energetic punk-pop. Given Green Day's rise to fame in the preceding years, Ash often received comparisons to that American band, but the young group, led by charismatic frontman Tim Wheeler, was more directly influenced by common older sources (as the album title would imply) such as the Buzzcocks and the Ramones. Largely due to the presence of producer Owen Morris (the Verve, Oasis), Ash also benefited from a Britpop connection, a trait magnified by its playful demeanor (see the fun, martial arts-themed "Kung Fu"), which echoed precursors such as Blur and Supergrass. While the hard-charging, highly melodic single "Girl from Mars" garnered attention on both sides of the pond, it would prove to be Ash's peak of popularity in the U.S., though the U.K. would go on to embrace the ensemble's later, more adventurous sound, which reached full fruition on FREE ALL ANGELS.|