Gargantua

After rocking the shit out of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ with two-thirds of The Living End and gaining some commercial radio air time, it seems Ash Grunwald couldn’t get the idea of creating a full-length album with drummer Andy Strachan and bassist Scott Owen out of his head.

During six straight days of recording, the band reworked five Grunwald songs, recorded two originals and found time to cover Howlin’ Wolf And Chain.

The three covers on Gargantua have been given a hard rock overhaul. Grunwald produces some shredding solos and the rhythm section powerhouse duo of Owen and Strachan are super tight. The lads must have had some fun rocking out on these tracks but, creatively, not much is added to the originals.

Grunwald classic ‘Skywriter’ is arguably the best reworking on the album, showcasing Strachan’s virtuosity on the drum kit and ability to build excitement and anticipation. What is even more incredible about the track is that Strachan only needed one take to get it right even though he had never heard the song before.

The two originals on Gargantua are both prime examples of the pent-up rock demon inside Grunwald. The Last Stand’s driving guitar riff opens the album, serving as the folkster’s big ‘fuck you’ to the Coal Seam Gas industry’s destruction of the South Western Queensland landscape.

A few tracks later we get ‘Acting Cool’, a stoner rock jam with a half-time change that could even get Andrew Bolt’s headbanging.

Grunwald has opened his music up to an entirely new audience with the commercial success of ‘Crazy’ and although Gargantua isn’t the most creatively compelling record, it succeeds in providing some fist-pumping rock and giving new energy to his contemporary classics.

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