Grey Will Fade is the debut studio album by English musician Charlotte Hatherley, the guitarist for Ash, released by Double Dragon Music on 16 August 2004.

Spurred on by the positive response to "Grey Will Fade", which appeared as a B-side to Ash's single "There's a Star" (2001), Hatherley set about recording her solo album.

[1] Around this time, Ash frontman Tim Wheeler was interested in bringing in another guitarist after witnessing the interplay between Weezer members Rivers Cuomo and Brian Bell.

[1][5][6] "There's a Star", the fifth single from Free All Angels, featured Hatherley's "Grey Will Fade" as a B-side, which received a positive reaction from their fanbase.

[1][7] Spurred on by this response, Hatherley set about making a solo album; she wanted to create "XTC-style music with B-52's vocals".

Feldman had attached his CV, which listed previous artists he worked with, such as Captain Beefheart, Frank Black and PJ Harvey.

She added that as Meltdown was "definitely more heavy metal", she made "something which was more the kind of music I love," citing David Bowie, Kate Bush, and XTC.

[7] "Paragon" is reminiscent of Ash's earlier material; "Summer", which features handclaps and Jools Holland-esque piano work, sees the narrator wishing for their situation to improve.

[31] It was released in Japan in May 2005 in two editions: a CD with "3 Minutes" and "I Am a Kamera" as extra tracks, the other adding a bonus DVD with the music videos for "Summer" and "Bastardo".

[32][33] Edgar Wright directed both videos; "Summer"'s incorporated animation, while "Bastardo"'s featured appearances from Simon Pegg, Lucy Davis, and David Walliams.

Rock Hard writer Michael Rensen said Hatherley offered "creamy, surprisingly multi-layered songwriting that goes well beyond the catchy tune" of Ash.

[41] The Irish Times' Anna Carey wrote the majority of the album "doesn't quite live up" to "Kim Wilde", however, "it's still an excellent collection of choppy, poppy songs," full of "honey-sweet harmonies and buzzy guitars".

[42] The staff at the Manchester Evening News saw the album as "[g]reat summer guitar pop with enthisastic [sic], infectious lyrics and a charming, cheeky approach that suggests Hatherley can add yet another string to her ever-growing bow".

[18] AllMusic reviewer Alan Severa wrote that the record "sometimes trips up through a kind of over-enthusiasm, this album is indeed the debut of a rather maverick talent".

[36] The Guardian music correspondent Caroline Sullivan wrote that the album "delves further into fluttery pop than the power-rocking Ash would deem acceptable".

[37] BBC Music writer Jack Smith said that the album was "firmly traditional and far from groundbreaking ... nothing here has the punch and sheer momentum of Ash's 'Burn Baby Burn'".