Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash
by Ash
  • Record Label: Echo
  • Release Date: Feb 14, 2020
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
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  1. PopMatters
    Mar 12, 2020
    70
    Generally, the tunes on this compilation are uptempo, memorable, indie-disco classics.
  2. Under The Radar
    Feb 20, 2020
    85
    Throughout Teenage Wildlife, Ash's top tunes from every era intermingle. The point about their creative consistency is made, though the swing in production values can on occasion be a little jarring.
  3. Uncut
    Feb 13, 2020
    70
    The album isn't presented in chronological order, which makes it harder to discern changes in style and lineup, but does demonstrate the consistency of Wheeler's writing over a long period of time. [Mar 2020, p.43]
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  5. Clash Music
    Feb 13, 2020
    80
    More than two decades on, the group’s era-defining work projects the same spellbinding urgency, continually taking guitar music to new places with imagination, force and creativity.
  6. Classic Rock Magazine
    Feb 13, 2020
    70
    Long may they stay young. [Mar 2020, p.92]
  7. Mojo
    Feb 13, 2020
    80
    Ash's cover of Teenage Kicks itself is on the limited-edition 3-CD version, alongside the likes of a cover of Buzzcocks' Everybody's Happy Nowadays, making this the best buy. [Mar 2020, p.101]
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  8. Q Magazine
    Feb 13, 2020
    80
    They stand up to modern scrutiny. [Apr 2020, p.118]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. Ricko
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Ash are one of the greatest acts to ever come from the island of Ireland. Their albums "1977" and "Free All Angles" bookmarked my own teenageAsh are one of the greatest acts to ever come from the island of Ireland. Their albums "1977" and "Free All Angles" bookmarked my own teenage years. Eternally youthful sounding, always maintaining a high quality level of output over the course of a 25 year career, they are a band that while enjoying a level of success, deserved to be held in a much higher standing. They absolutely exploded onto the scene as teenagers with debut "1977", at 21 were sharing a stage with U2 campaigning for the historic Good Friday Agreement. At 23 they had produced the most mature album of their career in "Nuclear Sounds" but it had all gone up in flames and they were burned out before resurrecting themselves in the their mid 20's with 00's surf pop classic "Free All Angels". They retired from the album as they hit their 30's and released 26 singles in a calendar year (albeit with mixed results). They later reconsciled with the long player format and released the well received "Kablammo" in 2015 before putting out what was my favourite Ash album in 15 years with 2018's "Islands". Some career. And so comes "Teenage Wildlife", an attempt to put it all together in a retrospective. They have made a terrific attempt at an impossible job and it is a comprehensive and excellent introduction to the band. For long time fans who love the band, the inclusion of "Cosmic Debris Vol 2" in the lenticular edition is a clincher. Arguing over the tracklisting of a Best of /Greatest Hits is both a pointless and endless exercise. I'm still going to do it though. The focus has been completely on the up tempo, high energy material they are best known for. I can understand this I guess for pacing reasons but some of the best stuff on "Nuclear Sounds" was the slower down beat material. I would have added "Numbskull" and "Folksong" from Nuclear Sounds, "Polaris" from TOTI, "Let's Ride" from Kablammo plus "Won't Be Saved" and "Evil Eye" from Meltdown. Replacing "Coming Around Again" and "Dare to Dream". All in all this is a fantastic collection and I am splitting hairs. Go get it.… Full Review »
  2. BrendaCrudeli2
    Feb 14, 2020
    10
    It's an amazing album and marks the return of Justin to R&B his vocals sound amazing and the lyrics are deep and beautiful.
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