After the massive success of his 2008 album Fish Out of Water comes Ash Grunwald’s Live At the Fly By Night, a nice little compilation recorded, funnily enough, live at the Fly By Night in Fremantle.  Replacing the old with the new, Grunwald has recorded this full length offering with his two new band mates - a guy who plays a door with a hammer and an African percussionist - giving this album a real raw, rustic feel.  

 Like a kid in a candy shop, getting my hands on this album was like getting my mouth around an old fashioned toffee apple lollipop at Movie World. I could swallow it whole! 

Being a huge supporter of Aussie music, not to mention having a little 26 year old crush on Ash, I convinced myself to toss aside my bias attitude and listen to the album for the tenth time.  Even by the end of the last track, my heart was still thumping to the bass, ready to sink itself further and further into my chest.

In true, cool Grunwald style, the guitar, baseline, percussion and door and hammer dominate this album and resonate throughout each track causing my head to bobble so much I think I’ve pulled a muscle. Being live, the voice distortion is still amazingly clear, the lyrics completely audible.

The first track, appropriately titled ‘Intro’, is a nice little taste before the drumming starts and merges nicely into the snare, jamming us into Can’t Find A Way.

The girls swoon and carry-on in the background with Rosie, enjoying the lyrics (‘I’ll be your man, if you’ll be my woman’), which are repeated, with the growl of his voice emphasising the masculinity behind the words.

Ash’s undeniable love for the ocean protrudes from within Fish Out of Water and he brings the funk with Mojo, the guitar solo emerging beautifully. A favourite of mine, Breakout, is cleverly merged with Money, which has you bopping away for almost a heavenly 14 minutes.

The focus throughout the album is clearly on rhythm. The drumming, which is a little looser, feels fresh amongst the repetitive melodies. The tempo changes constantly, adding and keeping interest, with his vocal line oozing heart and soul.

If your already an Ash Grunwald fan, you’ll love the compilation and rawness of this album. If your new to this ruggedly handsome being, than this is the perfect platform to get acquainted. The songs are soulful, recorded well and clear as a whistle for a live album. In fact, putting it bluntly, Ash Grunwald is the epitome of cool. He’s raw, refreshing and sings the blues like its alive on the inside. This is definitely one album you must listen to. It’s…well… so friggin cool!

Review Score: 8.5/10