The first third of Trouble's Door, the latest album from Australian bluesman Ash Grunwald, is the best third. Four tracks which make a down 'n' dirty statement, and channel blues musicians of old, mixed in with a little Ben Harper and The Black Keys.
The arrangements are tastefully sparse - The Demon In Me is guitars, simple drums and Grunwald's evocative voice. Shake That Thing is a rebellious little piece of fun, and the title track is a great blues-rock groover.
The trouble Grunwald faces here though, is that the lyrical material sometimes gets a little overbearing in its political protest, and though he has all the right raw ingredients, these 12 songs don't reach the compelling genius of The Black Keys.
Stars: 3/5
-TimeOut
