Review Summary: Pop rock newcomers show up like veterans in one of the year's best releases.
One thing I've always been susceptible to believing is that those who have been around the longest and those with name recognition are far more likely to succeed in their respective professions than those who are just emerging for the first time. Hillary Clinton's failed presidential bid last year essentially put that notion to rest for good. You don't need name recognition or experience to succeed or churn out a quality product. That reigns true in the recording industry and it certainly does with the release of
Wildfire, the debut album from Illinois based pop rock band Ashland.
Ashland is a two piece pop rock group; at least, that's how they're advertised. Uncredited personnel on drums and rhythm guitar contribute to this record and the two official members of this group are lead singer Asia Woodward and guitarist Aaron Wood. Released via InVogue Records,
Wildfire is the group's debut effort and they show up like veterans with an incredible, riveting pop rock masterpiece that will send shockwaves through the alternative scene in the immediate future.
While, highly accessible and even radio friendly,
Wildfire is an authentic, concrete work of art in which instruments are not only audible, but put to heavy use. But the MVP of this effort is by far Asia Woodward. Woodward has a beautiful voice and she seizes every opportunity to let her voice shine on this record. "Lights Out" opens the album with eerie synths, tantalizing basslines and the gracefully crooned vocals of Asia Woodward. The song's amiable opening verse segues into an eclectic chorus fueled by perpetual energy. Aaron Wood provides a lot of lead guitar on the choruses and the high production value gives the group's nameless instrumentalists a chance to shine as well.
"For You" tunes down the guitars for a bubbly cut where Woodward's elegant voice perfectly complements the track's poppier, mid-tempo composition. The drums are traded for catchy basslines, but the execution cannot be argued with, especially when the drums are bought back for an even catchier chorus as Woodward sings of giving love to someone in the hopes of getting it in return. "No Good" is another poppy tune, but the instruments refuse to drown in the track's production value. Wood's riffage is especially audible from the second verse onward. "No Trouble" sees Woodward ooh and vocalize her way through a down tempo pop ballad as she sings of looking ahead and putting past transgressions behind her.
Promo single release "Always Something" is a should be, could be radio hit. Playing perfectly to the format without bending its knee to the temptation of being full out pop. The instrumentals take a backseat as the track rests almost entirely on Woodward's vocals alone. But, as Ashland shows repeatedly through this record, they're not afraid to put their instruments to use. "Turn it Up" is an absolute banger, bordering on pop punk territory. Woodward conjures up some comparisons to Paramore ala
Riot! and
Brand New Eyes, but the best thing about Woodward's voice is that it's still distinguishable from genre favorites. She has a voice all her own and it even shows on a track that almost intentionally pays homage to bands like Paramore and PVRIS.
"Closer" is another instrument-heavy hard hitter, featuring more graceful vocals, plenty of high octane drumming and catchy lead guitar. The record opts to slow back down with "Got Love" as Woodward treats the listener to a resonant story of how luxuries and material items are meaningless. "If you don't got love, you don't got much," Woodward sings as the plunky acoustic guitar and poppy composition compliment the rather simplistic yet accessible lyrical content. Another one of the album's strongest traits is that, even for a debut album, it's mature and self aware.
Woodward's other worldly voice proves this on "Keep Moving" as she sings of holding off the wave of adversity headed her way and she does so again on album closer "Why." This haunting, riveting ballad sees Woodward completely vulnerable as she asks why the world won't slow down and sings of growing up. "Every time the wind blows, I go up in flames," Woodward gracefully croons. Thankfully enough, Ashland is as grown up as it gets and for an unknown band, it's refreshing to see this level of maturity and self awareness be injected into both the lyrics and the music itself.
Wildfire is nothing short of staggering. A pop rock masterpiece that takes the two genres and fuses them together in a way that's both accessible and polished but also well rounded and just too God damn fun to not enjoy. The album perfectly blends poppy ballads and slow jams with amped up bangers in equal measure, never letting either side take too much precedence. What's even better is this isn't a sign of any lack of identity for Ashland. They know exactly who they are. They're making music that works perfectly to their strengths and this is a benchmark for them to become potential genre stars in the future.
