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Wash: ninefivezerofive

It seems incredible that this should be the debut album from Wash, but it has been about seven years in the making! Regulars at the Parachute Festival they began getting frequent airplay on Channel Z with the song Shape in 1998. Who Am I (featuring P-Money on the decks) was another breakthrough radio single for Wash, making the Channel Z best of compilation CD in 2000. At this time, there was a huge buzz surrounding the band coinciding with the nu-metal craze, had they released an album of similar material back then, the band might well have exploded here and internationally after they signed to American label Hydrgen Records in 2002. However, it would appear that particular ship has sailed (and subsequently been scuttled). Wash, it seems to me, realised this and the more recent recordings here such as Walk Away and Like the First Time? hint at a new direction. The rap vocals and generic effect-laden nu-metal riffs become less frequent, and for the most part are replaced by melody. But since ‘ninefivezerofive’ consists largely of recordings made in 2001 or earlier, I don’t feel it is indicative of the sound that Wash had subsequently developed. Since releasing the album (on Cruel Records) the band have decided to throw in the towel,apparently saying they don’t have the drive to push through the upcoming barriers. Shame.

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