February 20, 2007 9:26

Ash change things around on new album

The band let slip secrets of record to NME.COM

Ash have revealed their new album will be musically poppier than 2004’s ‘Meltdown’ – but lyrically much darker.

The band will release their as-yet untitled fifth studio album, in July, preceded by a single, ‘You Can’t Have It All’.

And drummer Rick McMurray revealed that a bad time in frontman Tim Wheeler’s "personal life" have inspired his lyrics on the new record.

He told NME.COM: “Compared to ‘Meltdown’, it’s a lot more pop. Musically, it might not be as heavy, but lyrically it is. Given the experiences Tim’s had over the last couple of years, there’s a lot of love and loss going on.”

McMurray also admitted the band were apprehensive about reverting to three-piece after the departure of guitarist Charlotte Hatherley last year.

He confessed: “It’s almost ten years since we were a three-piece, so we were all a wee bit worried how it would work out, but we wanted to go back and simplify. There were a lot of nerves, but after a few days we realised it was working so well we would keep going at it.”

And McMurray said that having their own studio on New York affected the group’s approach towards making the record.

He stated: “It feels more natural, rather than being in this massive studio where they have certain ways of doing things. It was more relaxed – when something wasn’t working we’d just scrap it and start again.”

Asked about summer festival appearances, including a rumoured Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds festivals slot, McMurray said: “I think we’ll be doing a few…though I’m not sure if anything’s finalised yet.

“There are rumours about Reading and Leeds, it’s definitely the festival that we always look forward to. Some of our best gigs have been there, especially in the tent in 1995 and 2001.”