Album Review: Ash Grunwald - Now

17 September 2015 | 3:32 pm | Dylan Stewart

"A mature record that embraces his position as a revered blues figure as opposed to the dreadlocked folk musician he once was."

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The opening ten seconds of River, the first track from iconic bluesman Ash Grunwald's eighth record, sounds like the Doctor Who theme.

But as soon as that distinctive guitar line pokes its ugly head into your ears, there's no second-guessing who's responsible. Now is fun, fast-paced and delivered with passion, Grunwald — alongside producer Nick Didia — throwing groovy riffs, driving rhythms and distorted vocals into a blender and letting the splatter hit the wall. The result is a mature record that embraces his position as a revered blues figure as opposed to the dreadlocked folk musician he once was.