Gwyn Ashton – Mojosoul
Fab Tone Records
10 songs 38 minutes
Born in Wales, Gwyn Ashton grew up in South Australia, learning to play guitar at a young age. In the ensuing decades, he has traveled extensively, finally settling in the U.K. He has played in a variety of electric bands, including touring with Band of Friends, a Rory Gallagher tribute group. For his latest release, the 10th under his name, Ashton utilizes a variety of guitars in addition to playing a number of percussive instruments, as he does his best to offer a modern, personal take on the acoustic Mississippi blues traditions.
The opening track, “By Your Side,” is a love song with a gospel-tinge sound that gives way to Ashton picking out some hard-bitten licks on a Harmony electric guitar with a fuzz tone. “No More” features his work on a 12 string guitar while singing about the woes of the modern age over a booming drum beat. Co-written with Garry Allen, “Take Your Medication” finds the guitarist on his 1930 era National steel guitar, his tightly drawn slide playing impressing more than the generic, repetitive lyrics.
Things pick up on “Vanish Into Thin Air,” with the guitar spinning a driving, hypnotic groove as Ashton laments his perplexion over a lost love. He then delivers a tale of additional woe on “Allergic To Love,” finding himself unable to make a meaningful connection despite a self-help course with a book, video, and Blu-Ray DVD. The song’s rocking intensity and humorous viewpoint make it a standout track. “The Ballad Of Gwyn Ashton” is a talking blues that relates the details of his life over an easy-rolling five minutes, name-dropping some of his influences, finishing with the statement, “ ..the thrill ain’t never gone.”
Another highlight is “12,000 Miles From Home,” a track that channels a bit of Johnny Winter’s slide style on an acoustic guitar. It is a true blues saga about a 2019 Australian tour during which Ashton found himself fleeing a rash of bush fires, escaping only to run head-on into the nationwide Covid lockdown, stranding him indefinitely. The gentle ballad “Yesterday’s Me (Cool, Cool Water)” is another co-write with Allen, featuring some of Ashton’s best guitar work.
The guitarist gives his National a workout on “The Blues Should Take A Holiday,” making a valiant attempt to drive the blues from his door. He finishes the album with a solemn performance of “The Perfect Day To Sing The Blues,” complete with a haunting vocal and delicate slide picking. It is fitting conclusion to a record that showcases the various aspects of Ashton’s music, developed over decades of traveling the blues highway.
