Ash

Issued as a bonus disc with Intergalactic Sonic 7"s, the 2001 compilation of Ash singles released between 1994 and 2001, Cosmic Debris collects the Northern Ireland alternative pop band's finest B-sides. With over 60 to choose from -- reflecting just how prolific the group had been through the years -- fans helped weed these flip sides down via an online poll to the ultimate track listing. It's no big secret that Ash, an already adventurous band compared to everyone from Oasis to Weezer to Supergrass, have long utilized B-sides as an outlet for their more experimental leanings. On this must-have for devotees, Tim Wheeler-penned tracks like "Where Is Our Love Going?" and "No Place to Hide" are as immediate as the band's material gets, while oddball inclusions like "Astral Conversations With Toulouse Lautrec" and "The Sweetness of Death By the Obsidian Knife" are probably only critically important for devotees. Either way, Cosmic Debris will never be pegged as a false advertisement, even if it isn't likely to sustain passive listeners or curiosity seekers. ~ John D. Luerssen, All Music Guide