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Ashes Ashes

Aries (2008)
self-released

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Jelone
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 27th 2008

Ashes Ashes are the emo equivalent of water: tasteless. Vaguely angsty, vaguely Christian, vaguely rocking, vaguely ambient. The group’s sound never pushes or pulls the listener in any one direction, making for a safe, unchallenging record. You could just as easily listen to nothing for 37 minutes. It’s about as involved, and probably more evocative.

The group’s 2008 full-length debut, Aries, is inoffensive and unremarkable in every conceivable way. The cover art is all simple blues and blacks, the back cover boasts five indistinctly “emo” kids. Even the titles will fade from one’s memory within minutes. “Castles”? “Airplane”? They could all be called “Vanilla.”

Bad album design can be forgiven to an extent, though. Aries was self-released. The music’s what really matters, and, at best, Ashes Ashes can be described as a Drive-Thru Records act post-Geffen pillage. If you think Houston Calls or Socratic are, like, totally awesome, then maybe Ashes Ashes might appeal to you. Me though, I can’t get behind this record at all. The 10 tracks blend into a formless, effects pedal-laden blob. The hooks are barely there, revealing a band still very much in its beginning phases. Same goes for the lyrics; they’re not Secondhand Serenade-terrible, but they certainly are cookie cutter (“Searching in the wrong direction when all you had to was look me in the eye, and she said…” from “White Lights” comes to mind, but just barely). Even the vocal hiccups are bland. How do you do that? Are you doing that on purpose? Knock it off!

I’m not trying to harsh on Ashes Ashes’ mellow. The dudes and dudette in the band just need to go out, get more life experience and maybe find some pre-2005 influences. Ya’ll heard of them that thar Promise Rings? Howsabout them Discounts?

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standupandscream (March 23, 2011)

First of all, although the CD may not be the best you've ever heard, you should keep in mind that this is a small, local band made up of teenagers doing what they loved to do. It may not be what YOU like to hear, but if you're going to be a critic, be an open-minded, unbiased one.
Second, try to realize that these are real people with just as much ambition than anyone else.
Lastly, being as stereotypical as using "emo" and "tasteless" really don't make a good review, especially if you bash the images of the actual members. It's one thing to bash the music, but bashing the artists is just plain low.
And I don't mean to "harsh" on you, but maybe YOU should get off of your computer and do something a little more intelligent than crush the dreams of other people's hard work (maybe take a few English courses).

Icapped2pac (June 30, 2008)

I just re-discovered The Promise Ring this weekend after not listening to them for a good 5 years and somehow neglecting to put anything of theirs on my Ipod when I bought it 3 years ago. They were the first "emo" band I ever saw live (with Shiner opening for them at the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee circa spring of '98), so I'm completely baffled how I ever forgot about their music. Score's for "Red & Blue Jeans" (and your whitey night things).

Scruffy (June 29, 2008)

How did you even hear about this record?

See the little thing under Jelone's name that says "STAFF"? PN gets albums sent to them by bands and labels, ya know.

holy_balls (June 29, 2008)

"How did you even hear about this record?"

This is punknews. They hate it before anyone has heard of it.

sugarfull (June 27, 2008)

"Vaguely angsty, vaguely Christian, vaguely rocking, vaguely ambient."

The funny thing is that water can be all of these things as well.

courteousjerk (June 27, 2008)

How did you even hear about this record?

inagreendase (June 27, 2008)

Good review.