ALBUM REVIEW – ASH – AD ASTRA
- Rick E
- Oct 4
- 5 min read
WORDS RICK E
AD ASTRA
ASH
Ash Return with an Intergalactic Inspired album Ad Astra – unfortunately, Brad Pitt was unavailable for this mission.
The trio responsible for anthems like "Girl From Mars," "Kung Fu," and "Shining Light." They have been through lineup changes, label shifts, and the general chaos that comes with surviving in the music industry for thirty years. Yet here they are in 2025, two years after Race The Night – which, let's be honest, was their highest-charting album in two decades – ready to shoot for the stars. Literally, as the album title suggests.
Ad Astra, Latin for "to the stars," arrives via Fierce Panda Records with twelve tracks of what can only be described as a band refusing to grow old gracefully. This isn't some nostalgic trip down memory lane with three chords and a power stance. This is ASH reminding everyone why they have managed to outlast most of their Britpop contemporaries. Tim Wheeler's vocals still cut through with that distinctive urgency, Rick McMurray's drumming remains tight as ever, and Mark Hamilton's bass work provides the foundation for some genuinely interesting sonic experimentation.
The album kicks off with the instrumental piece “Zarathustra,", setting the tone for an album with its cinematic aesthetic. "Which One Do You Want?" follows, and it is here that you start to appreciate the artisanry at play. The production is crisp without being sterile, allowing the raw energy of the performance to breathe whilst maintaining that radio-friendly sheen that has always been part of ASH's appeal. Wheeler's guitars work here channels something reminiscent of Johnny Marr – jangling, melodic, but with enough bite to keep things interesting. It is the kind of track that demonstrates why ASH have always been more than just another Britpop footnote and recently having a suede album this feels like a refreshing slice of nostalgia with long summer days rather than storm army battering my windows.
Then we hit "Fun People," featuring Graham Coxon of Blur, and my word, this is where things get properly exciting. Coxon's involvement is not just a celebrity cameo – this is a proper collaboration that brings out something genuinely mad and punchy from ASH. The interplay between Wheeler and Coxon creates this beautiful chaos, like watching two master craftsmen showing off their skills whilst simultaneously trying to out-do each other. It is one of the most energetic tracks on the album, and reports suggest it's going to be an absolute riot live. I can already picture the festival crowds losing their minds to this one as the chorus is an absolute earworm.
"Hallion" brings us back to classic ASH territory – pure power-pop brilliance with hooks that will be rattling around your skull for days. This is the band doing what they do best, crafting infectious rock songs that sound effortless but are clearly the product of decades of experience. There is a confidence here that only comes from knowing exactly who you are as a band and not feeling the need to prove anything to anyone.
"Deadly Love" shifts gears slightly, offering something with a bit more nuance. It has singalong potential written all over it, the kind of track that will have crowds swaying with pints aloft at the upcoming UK and Ireland tour dates. There is a melancholic undercurrent running through it, but it is wrapped in such an appealing melodic package that you almost don't notice the emotional depth until the third or fourth listen.
"My Favourite Ghost" is pure acoustic elegance, showcasing a softer side of ASH that sometimes gets overlooked in favour of their more bombastic material. The strings float throughout like desire itself, creating this gorgeous atmosphere that proves these lads can do subtle when they want to. It is a beautiful interlude that demonstrates the album's dynamic range, preventing Ad Astra from becoming one-note or exhausting.
Now, let's talk about "Jump in the Line." Yes, that "Jump in the Line" – the Harry Belafonte classic famously featured in Beetlejuice. This take is raucous and utterly joyful, injecting punk energy into Caribbean rhythms in a way that should not work but absolutely does. It's the kind of curveball that keeps an album interesting and shows a band not afraid to have some fun with expectations.
"Keep Dreaming" maintains the momentum, offering more of that signature ASH drive and melody. By this point in the album, you are fully immersed in the world they have created – one where optimism and reality clash but neither completely wins. It is that tension that makes the album compelling, refusing to be either too earnest or too cynical.
"Dehumanised" brings some edge back into proceedings. This is ASH addressing the darker aspects of modern existence but doing so with enough musical firepower to prevent it from becoming preachy or depressing. There's anger here, but it is channelled productively, reminding us why rock music remains relevant in articulating frustration with the state of things.
"Ghosting" continues that thread, playing with themes of disconnection and the peculiar loneliness of modern life. The title alone is loaded with contemporary resonance, and ASH handle the subject matter with the right balance of personal and universal. It's not trying to be profound, but it touches on something genuine, nonetheless.
The album closes with its title track, "Ad Astra," featuring Graham Coxon once again. It is a fitting conclusion, looking upward and outward, embracing the cosmic optimism that the album title promises. McMurray has noted that the title comes from the lyric "as I look to the stars," and there is something inherently hopeful about that gesture – turning away from earthbound troubles to contemplate something vast and infinite. It is aspirational without being naive, a perfect encapsulation of what ASH have achieved across these twelve tracks.
These are not songs desperately chasing current trends or trying to recapture past glories. Instead, ASH have crafted an album that exists in its own space, drawing on their experience whilst pushing themselves into fresh territory. The Graham Coxon collaborations add spice without overshadowing the core trio, and the overall sense is of a band genuinely excited about making music together.
In conclusion, Ad Astra is a triumph. It's ASH firing on all cylinders, delivering an album that will please longtime fans whilst potentially winning over new converts. The Graham Coxon collaborations add genuine value, the songwriting is consistently strong, and the production quality is excellent.
3.5/5
AD ASTRA– FULL TRACK LIST
1. Zarathustra
2. Which One Do You Want?
3. Fun People
4. Give Me Back My World
5. Hallion
6. Deadly Love
7. My Favourite Ghost
8. Jump in the Line
9. Keep Dreaming
10. Dehumanised
11. Ghosting
12. Ad Astra
ASH TOUR DATES
OCTOBER
Fri 03 Brighton Resident Records (Instore)
Sat 04 London Rough Trade East Records (Instore)
Sun 05 Leicester 2 Funky Café (Truck Records Outstore)
Tue 07 Nottingham Rough Trade Records (Instore)
Wed 08 Kingston Circuit (Banquet Records Outstore)
Thu 09 Liverpool Baltic Jacaranda Records (Instore)
Fri 10 Edinburgh Liquid Rooms (Assai Records Outstore)
NOVEMBER
Fri 14 Minehead Shiiine On Weekender Festival
Sat 15 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Sun 16 Swansea Sin City
Tue 18 Newcastle Boiler Shop
Wed 19 Manchester New Century Hall
Thu 20 Glasgow SWG3 Galvanizers
Sat 22 Blackpool Bootleg Social
Sun 23 Sheffield The Foundry
Tue 25 Oxford O2 Academy
DECEMBER
Fri 05 Listowell Mike The Pies
Sat 06 Dundalk Spirit Store
Sun 07 Galway Roisin Dubh
Tue 09 Cork Cyprus Avenue
Wed 10 Limerick Dolans Warehouse
Thu 11 Dublin The Academy
Sat 13 Belfast Ulster Hall
FEBRUARY
Tue 03 London Scala
Wed 04 York Crescent
Fri 06 Tunbridge Wells Forum
Sat 07 Cambridge Junction
Sun 08 Milton Keynes Craufurd Arms
Tue 10 Exeter Phoenix
Wed 11 Bristol The Trinity Centre
Fri 13 Liverpool Grand Central Dome
Sat 14 Stoke On Trent Sugarmill
Sun 15 Hull The Welly
Tue 17 Norwich Epic Studios
Wed 18 Southend Chinnerys
Thu 19 Birmingham O2 Academy
FOLLOW THE ASH
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