I still remember the fuss when Charlotte Hatherley joined boyish Irish indie-popsters Ash. “What’s that girly doing up there playing guitar?” whined all the indie-boys. “Ooh, wish that was me” said all the indie-girls. “Couldn’t give a shit, me, as long as she can play guitar like a mean funky devil” said I. And lo, upon seeing Ash at the Reading Festival, it was pretty bleedin’ obvious that she could. Watching her lay into the riff from “Walking Barefoot” was wonderful; one of modern rock’s great riffs, if flows and twists, all melody and yearning. The fact that she channelled the insouciance of prime Chrissie Hynde as a 19-year old was pretty damn cool too.
So it’s nice to see her continuing her solo career with great songs like “White” and “Alexander”. The former is a slice of Wire-y, Elastica-y, Blondie-y post-punk goodness with added slinky chorus for good measure. Great video too:
And new single “Alexander” is what The Sundays would have sounded like if they’d actually got round to having sex:
Now, Charlotte has gone on record to complain about file-sharers and the like, so I’d like to give something back by saying, please go and see her live at one of the following shows:
17 Nov 2009 The Masque Liverpool
18 Nov 2009 Frog and Nightingale Chester
19 Nov 2009 The Brudenell Social Club Leeds
20 Nov 2009 Twisterella Blackburn
21 Nov 2009 Lennons Southampton
22 Nov 2009 The Railway Inn Winchester
And buy her record too, please. It’s the least she deserves.
MP3: White by Charlotte Hatherley
Buy Charlotte Hatherley’s “New Worlds” (CD/MP3)
Buy Ash’s “Intergalactic Sonic 7” (CD/MP3)
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Loft And Lost 
Bob
/ November 9, 2009Any comparisons to Chrissie Hynde are (IMHO) sadly mistaken. More of the caliber of an Ashley Simpson or Avril Lavigne, i.e. not very original and pretty boring.