I'll sell my POLL, what is it worth? the Ash singles poll

I own almost all of these

it's malpractice that "Clones" was a single but not "Evil Eye" or "Won't be Saved"

Numbskull

For me, this is between 'A Life Less Ordinary' and 'Sometimes' ... 'Evil Eye' definitely should have been a single.

I kinda lost interest in this band after Charlotte left, but I thought their last two albums were decent.

Twilight of the Innocents is better than Meltdown, probbaly because Wheeler felt he had to prove himself after Hatherley's departure. I haven't listened to anything that came after.

"Burn Baby Burn" was my intro and I'm tempted to give it the nod

Voted "Goldfinger" because I was absolutely obsessed with the song (and frustrated I couldn't seem to convince anyone else I knew of its brilliance) - nowadays I think I enjoy hearing "Jack Names the Planets" and "Girl from Mars" more if I'm honest. Haven't heard anything past "Candy"

Twilight of the Innocents is better than Meltdown, probbaly because Wheeler felt he had to prove himself after Hatherley's departure. I haven't listened to anything that came after.

I spun it a couple of times when it first came out, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me and it ended up getting filed away. To be fair, though, a lot of great stuff was released in 2007 and maybe it was just the case that I was more focused on other albums. I should give it another go, really.

1977 and the singles from it were my introduction to the band, and I still like the songs, but the production is really horrible. I thought it sounded ropey even back then, but it sounds glaringly atrocious to me now. I'd love to hear a new mix of it which takes off all the reverbs. Owen Morris really fucked this record up, but having said that, Nu-Clear Sounds isn't really much better.

Most of this stuff didn't make it to North America, or if it did I didn't hear it. "Kung Fu" was in the end credits for some Jackie Chan movie I saw in the mid 90s (Supercop)?), and "Shining Light" has been covered several times that I've heard--blandly by Annie Lennox, and beautifully by Emm Gryner (for the handful of people who listen to her). "Girl From Mars" made its way to me via (I think) one of those Q magazine samplers, and it remains a classic--basically, the Undertones reborn in the 1990s.

I'm fine with the sound of 1977, NCS' production is laughably awful, though, an attempt to sound "raw" that just obscures the tunes; too bad since it has a few of my faves. (also, the Charlotte-sung b-side "Taken Out" is a bruiser.) it's hilarious in retrospect that NCS was when the label really gave them a US push, since FAA ended up being so much more chart-friendly.

I for one enjoy the production on NCS and am glad it doesn’t sound like Blink 182 or whatever “good” production would mean

NCS' production is laughably awful, though, an attempt to sound "raw" that just obscures the tunes; too bad since it has a few of my faves.

Yeah, I like a lot of the songs on that record as well. 'Folk Song' in particular is one of my favourite ballads of theirs.

xp I mean I kind of admire how uncommercial it sounds, it's just a bizarre choice for such an otherwise accessible band. I do like of like "Numbskull" for how ballsy and wrong and against their strengths it is. the scratching!!!

I remember the video to 'Numbskull' raising a few eyebrows at the time!

Voted without hesitation for Petrol, but second choice would be Burn Baby Burn

I just looked up the "Numbskull" video; starts out typically late-90s edgy (boobs! a razor! coke!) and then....takes it a little further than anyone needed, least of all their poor label

i went to play some Ash on streaming services today, so i can pick my song. they are not on, how weird as i thought they got sort of big

so when i said i own just about all these i'm looking...i have the CD singles from "Petrol" to the 2CD set of "There's A Star" or 23 of these bad boys. i even own 2CD set of the Metdown, which i'm unsure if i even played. lol

from memory then..."Petrol."

Must be a rights thing - everything by Ash on Spotify here (Netherlands), including the new '94-'04 Singles compilation. This doesn't work? https://open.spotify.com/album/1FWpoIInryCkeXYR1MldlO?si=NDfmoGjFSWysghja0TkJug

hey that worked, thanks! i just searched "Ash" and nothing would come up, then i did a "1977" search and that album didn't come up on search either.

Ah, tricky Spotify search. Leaving a space after a short search term like “ash” may also help.

"Petrol" def one if the best songs written/performed by high schoolers

ooh cool, thanks for starting this poll!

Most of this stuff didn't make it to North America, or if it did I didn't hear it.

"Jack Names the Planets" and "Kung Fu" were on the Angus soundtrack, which I absolutely had, 'cause Green Day and Weezer. Though I already knew of Ash, as my sister had taped "Petrol" and "Uncle Pat" from the radio or something.

Those songs are all contenders here. I also love the ones that constitute the first third of Free All Angels.

I can't choose between Goldfinger or Angel Interceptor, each so perfect in its own way

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Had to go with Goldfinger but 2/3 of this list is just perfect.

Petrol

Petrol (which is presumably going to win by a mile?).

'Petrol' rocks so hard

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

lmao ok who voted for "Numbskull"

It says, upthread.

Nobody voted "Oh Yeah"?

Oh No, more like

I voted for numbskull!!!

"Jesus Says" deserved a vote but other than that I am pleased with the participation and results.

Also glad with two votes for Burn Baby Burn, which is just delightful.