Is this the end of a lie, my friend?

Ash - Return of the White Rabbit - Free Download & Ltd edition 7" vinyl

After the release of Twilight of the Innocents in 2007 Ash announced it was to be their last long player release and Return of the White Rabbit sets the tone for how they will now be putting their music out.
Renowned as a singles band Ash have decided to embrace the tag and from now on will only release singles. Maybe hard-working should be added to the title though as from September they plan to put out a new single every two weeks in the twin formats (free download / ltd ed 7").
The 26 releases will come together to form the A-Z Series of Singles (that's right, first release will begin with A and run right through to one beginning with Z) and Return of the White Rabbit, written by Mark Hamilton, is the taster to start the fever.
It's got all the markings of a classic Ash single: pop enough to dance to, catchy enough to sing along to it will sound just as at home on the dance floor as on your play list. They say only recording singles allows them more freedom, so each single could be radically different from the last. This prequel manages to sound both fresh and exactly like the Ash who've hit the spot so many times since raging into our hearts with Girl From Mars in 1995.
There's a nice funky drop kick of a bass line, an instantly memorable chorus and a nice fusion of disco and guitar in the background. A great summer song but do beware the bunny, it has the potential to get stuck on repeat on your internal jukebox. Despite this, it will still make you smile.
This new way of releasing is interesting in itself. If it works it could set the benchmark for other bands and have an impact on the future of recorded music, formats and record stores. It could put the excitement back into buying music. And if it can sound good while seeing what it means to the industry then I'll await each fortnightly drop of new sounds with baited breath.

Return of the White Rabbit is available to download now on the official Ash website. You can also place a pre-order for the ltd ed 7" (or why not visit your local record store on 8 June and do it all the old fashioned way?)