East Ash – Ellie

East Ash is a band with a sound, a band that was all about a moment in the lives of a few people, a chemistry experiment that worked perfectly just one time, a reaction that could never occur again. If any band earned the title of local heroes in the late 1980s in Columbia, it was East Ash. The band formed in 1985 and, by the end of the decade, had gained a large local following with their atmospheric, melodic art rock with live shows involving anything from props to a Tom Jones impersonator, the music still seemed the main focus both live and on the band's two albums, "Crushing A Flood" and "Ellie". It was widely believed in local music circles that East Ash was the band from Columbia that would make it on some level. Unfortunately, even though they managed to draw healthy crowds to The Blue Note, a reluctance to do major touring and interband tensions got in the way of their potential. Helicopter guitars, awash in reverb, cough out lines that range from purely percussive to soaring and melodic. Singer Jeff Rogers accompanies himself on an evil-sounding fretless bass, and sings in an anguished wolf-howl. The band has many moods, all of them bleak...at slow tempo they are incredibly sinister. Up-tempo, they're downright scary, careening along behind Don Cizek's obsessive, manic drumming and the wild guitar extrapolations. Unfortunately this album doesn't hang together like "Crushing A Flood". Find that one first for the undiluted version.

East Ash - Crushing A Flood

East Ash was an intense four piece band that formed in 1986 in Columbia, with (despite the bands protestations to the contrary) a decidedly European flavour. Their first album, 1990’s “Crushing A Flood” on C’est le Mort Records made it onto the US college music charts. Without trying to hard the band works through a nine song set of strong post punk influenced tracks. Each track is built upon the distinctive Vocal and Bass talents of Jeff Rogers, who sounds like he’s been strangling way too many cats. The twin guitar attack of Robert Durando and Bob Brass bring the funk in a Gang Of Four style that is backed up by the disco drums of Donald Cizek. The production is a little thin in places but that doesn’t spoil the overall listening pleasure with standout track A Flood benefiting from the space between the individual instruments allowing them to breathe. There are some strong similarities to The Edge in the guitar, possibly even some nods towards Bono in the vocals (it’s very U2 in places) but don’t let that put you off. The production values ensure that “Crushing A Flood” doesn’t become overbearing. There’s a whole host of band names that I could use to give you a sense of where these guys are coming from…but if I did it would remove their individuality and make you expect something that they’re trying to expand upon.