Now legally old enough to swig Guinness with champion drinkers/rockers in Oasis and the Verve, the members of Northern Ireland's prodigy rock group Ash would rather jam than slam shots these days. |

Fresh out of a recording studio in Rockfield, Wales, the wide-eyed quartet has cooled its fiery party ethic and blasted headfirst into its music with unclouded vision, thus the title of their forthcoming album, Nu-Clear Sounds. Since adding a level female head to their raucous trio last year and experimenting with techno bites, Ash has broadened their sound and finally grown into their oversized rock 'n' roll boots, the band's manager told JAMTV last week.

"Jesus Says," the first single from the 11-track Nu-Clear Sounds, will air on U.K. radio stations beginning Sept. 14 -- less than one month before the album debuts and Ash launches their do-or-die European tour. Brit rock enthusiasts in the States who spurned the band's 1996 major label debut will have to wait a bit longer to hear this latest effort, which was created with producer Chris Kinsey (10 Years After) and engineer Owen Morris (Oasis, Verve).

"I'm not allowed to use the 'M' word -- which is "mature" -- but there's a lot more depth on this album," the band spokesman said. "They took a year off because they were so burned out and [lead singer Tim Wheeler] wanted to take more time with this record. I think it shows because he changed things time and time again on this album. There's more room to breathe."

This "room" may be attributed to 19-year-old guitarist Charlotte Hatherley and DJ Dick Kurtane, both of whom added to the Ash sound on Nu-Clear Sounds. Newcomers to the Ash family, those musicians will only make brief appearances in the band documentary, which has been in the making for half a dozen years. Charting the rise of a young, exuberant rock band, the film is one and one-half hours long with no outlook for commercial distribution at this time, the manager said.

"The film documents everything from Tim in his school uniform playing a xylophone to the band playing to huge crowds with Elastica," he said. "It shows the madness, the drunkenness, the warts and all. It shows the horrible touring side of rock 'n' roll that the kids don't get to see."

The band has kept possession of the documentary despite numerous generous offers from Polygram's film division, but wants to wait for an opportune time to release the footage. In the meantime, Ash will climb back on the horse on Aug. 1, when they will play numerous festivals, including England's Reading Festival, alongside such artists as the Beastie Boys, Garbage, New Order, Prodigy, Foo Fighters, Crystal Method and Page & Plant. In November Ash will ramble across every inch of England for a 17-date U.K. tour before heading to Japan and Australia, then possibly the U.S. (Anni Layne)