Ash Grunwald’s collaboration with TZU DJ, Countbounce, has delivered the musical advance he was looking for. Following like-minded musicians such as R L Burnside, Grunwald began toying with beats on 2004’s I Don’t Believe. The following album, 2007’s Give Signs, earned Grunwald a Best Blues and Roots Album ARIA nomination, and further incorporated his DIY beats to great effect, both on record and on the live stage during the ensuing tour. Then Grunwald was invited to the annual Mushroom Publishing songwriters’ workshop in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges, where he was teamed with Pip Norman, AKA Countbounce. Grunwald quickly fostered a working relationship with the beatsmith that produced Fish Out Of Water, a very contemporary blues album that will undoubtedly engage a wider audience, whilst retaining the better part of his fan-base.
Unfortunately, his collaboration with tour-buddy, New Yorker Megan Hickey, ended on a very mediocre note in Adelaide. Hickey records with a revolving cast of musicians under the name of The Last Town Chorus, but performs live accompanied only by an iPod, which she refers to as her “band”. Anyone who’s worked with musicians will immediately see the benefits of collaborating with an inanimate plastic box. Sure, it’s a somewhat false live experience, like something you’d expect from a low-rent cover act, and as Hickey herself put it, it’s “so not rock and roll”. But an iPod won’t turn up plastered and an hour late, it won’t disappear between sets for a sneaky joint, nor will it pollute the Tarago with its egg-sandwich farts. When a steamed guitarist slips in his own vomit and splits his head on a fold-back, however, the rest of the band can pick up the slack. When an iPod is cactus, it’s cactus. And just a few seconds into Hickey’s first song, her “band” downed tools. After several false starts, and far too much time spent consulting some obliging nerds on the problem, she resigned herself to continuing sans “band”. But, though assured by Hickey that her version of Bowie’s Modern Love would’ve been “fucking legendary,” the audience was lost. Her frustration showed, making her acclaimed siren-like vocals and ethereal lap-steel guitar sound like Martha Wainwright on a Valium binge, and she eventually stormed off stage to a smattering of lukewarm applause.
Ash Grunwald, on the other hand, received a rousing reception. The affable surfing bluesman launched straight into his trademarked rhythmic flurry on his National steel guitar, and a sing-along ensured the crowd was revived. Grunwald demonstrated his awesome finger-picking skills on Serious, before putting down the guitar for Rosie, a workers’ song that is a mainstay of his live sets and that exemplifies the enormous strength of his voice.
Countbounce’s influence was immediately clear on The Devil Called Me A Liar, the first track to be released from Fish Out Of Water, and the most contemporary. Though the liberal use of snare and bass-drum effect pedals on stage could have overly busied his wonderfully organic live sound, their inclusion only enhanced it. The recorded version is Grunwald’s most radio-friendly effort yet, and will undoubtedly garner wider airplay for him.
With the crowd buzzing on the energy of his show, Grunwald digressed into an extended jam with his guest drummer on Money, including an all-too-comprehensive demonstration of the numerous vocal and guitar effects available at his feet. Eventually, he put down his electric guitar and retrieved the National for Give Signs, more guitar noodling and another extended jam. And then closed the set with his party piece, The Dolphin Song – which is a crowd favourite and therefore warranted an extended jam.
The encore performance of Tom Waits’ Going Out West, however, was once again spectacular. Mostly for the dreadlock-twirling ferocity with which Grunwald plays it, but also because it leaves the listener wholly satisfied, not waiting for an interval.
super-fantastich
said on the 16th Sep, 2008