Grand Salvo - TheTemporal Wheel

Tue 9th Jan, 2007 in Music Reviews

Everybody has a place that’s special to them. A place to hide, a place to be alone. Wherever it may be, we all find our own little corner, and the moment you choose to share it is when skin turns inside out.

For Melbourne’s singer-songwriter, Paddy Mann (a.k.a Grand Salvo), this is in his music making. He finds the ability to create a whole beautiful atmosphere, with lyrics that tickle the back of your throat and harmonies that tremble through your body.

Grand Salvo, releasing his debut album, 1642-1727, in 2000, followed by the much anticipated River Road, in 2002, has waited a mighty long time to release his third and even more anticipated album, The Temporal Wheel (2005). On its arrival, this album has satisfied a hungry bunch.

The Temporal Wheel is a very simple album, based mainly around acoustic guitar and voice, which is the extent of you would experience if you were to see this man on stage, with the occasional guest vocal appearance. However, this is to no detriment to his songwriting abilities. These songs thrive on simplicity and their storytelling qualities. Throughout the album the simple melodies see the introduction of soft accompaniment, ranging from guitar, cello and even a pocket trumpet, as well as female vocals. Recorded and produced in a home studio on Saddleback Mountain by the amazing Tony Dupe, all sounds, musical and other, can be heard. Yes, that was a real bird in the background. What one can expect from this album can also be seen in Dupe’s work with fellow artists, Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder and his own project, Saddleback.

Beginning with a traditional folk-style song, In The Morning, with a narrative style structure, held tightly together by the tambourine and lovely, prominent vocal harmonies. The song describes the day-to-day and relationships that wander between immaturity and adulthood, including a quick trip up to Paddy’s bedroom. How obscene! This use of lyrical narrative is used and captured all throughout this album, and is reminiscent of artists such as Neil Young, with the simple strumming of chords.

There are many highlights of this album. In my Bones, pitter-patters lightly with soft percussion, singing sweetly about homesickness and the small but thoughtful act of buttering someone else’s toast. Sunset to Sunrise, reminds me very much of Cat Stevens’, Ruby Love, with its playful acoustic guitar. Finally, the achingly beautiful Sour Grapes makes you lose your balance, in less than two minutes, with, “Im glad you left today / I loved you too much anyway / Im glad you went away / I was gonna loose you anyway.

Three Cats Watch is the one track of the album that appears a little excessive, becoming tedious and reminding the listener that this album has the ability to be a slightly dawdling. However, altogether Grand Salvo, I believe, is fantastic and shows what Australian folk is capable of, inside and out.