Twilight of the Innocents
by Ash

Album details

US: IMPORT ONLY
UK: 2 July 2007 on Infectious

Down to a trio after the departure of Charlotte Hatherley, Northern Irish rockers Ash have announced that this fifth studio LP will be their final album release. (They intend to continue as a band, but will only release singles from here on out.) It follows 2004’s ‘Meltdown.’ Tim Wheeler produced.

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The critical consensus

"Just another great record" concludes the BBC, who were the most effusive in their praise of Ash’s final record. Drowned In Sound had low expectations going in, but were pleasantly surprised that the record was "good" (although "not excellent"): "The tunes are fresh and consistent, breaking out of slightly more complex song structures than we’re used to rather than drenching us in saccharine pop." DiS also found that the album falters toward the end, and Hot Press agrees, although they feel that "for the most part, this is a welcome return to form." Gigwise finds their sound a little harder and dirtier than in their early days operating as a trio, noting that "there’s grit and sophistication behind those cheeky riffs." Mojo didn’t hear the grit, but they did find "gum-tingling power-pop" that "burns with radio-friendly hooks and blistering guitar solos." And Stylus notes a "refreshing maturity and breadth" to the album.

MusicOMH felt that the all-singles, no-albums approach might be a good thing, based on the evidence of this record. They enjoyed Twilight’s singles, but found other tracks to have "a flimsy and slightly anonymous feel to them." The Guardian also finds some weak album tracks, but thinks the album holds together as a whole, thanks to its "cohesiveness in mood, diversity in sound." Dotmusic calls the album "middling" thanks to a "lack of derring-do," and Q complains that frontman Tim Wheeler "still sings, and writes, like a teenager." Only Gigwise completely disapproved, saying that listeners are "left wanting something more."

Twilight… sounds rich, like a band re-inspired.

-Drowned In Sound

Review roundup

Tracklisting and media

1. I Started A Fire
2. You Can’t Have It All
   
   
3. Blacklisted
4. Polaris
   
   
5. Palace Of Excess
6. End Of The World
7. Ritual
8. Shadows
9. Princess Six
10. Dark And Stormy
11. Shattered Glass
12. Twilight Of The Innocents

Also on the web

• Official Artist Site
• Ash @ MySpace