#4 Gwyn Ashton’s new album “Prohibition” (Dixiefrog DFGCD 8603) captures this Australian guitarist at his finest rocking blues performance to date. He blends the essences of Mississippi, New Orleans and Texas blues with touches of 60’s surf craze, British 70’s rock and no-holds-barred Australian kick-ass boogie of AC/DC. Every element of the blues is encapsulated here and played with amazing dexterity and power. Old Strats, Telecasters, National Resonators, Fender Twin amps, fuxx boxes and everything else is driven to extreme, guaranteed to satisfy the most discriminating taste in blues rocking guitar sounds.
Gwyn Ashton dives and ducks from the wild frenetic slide guitar featured here in “Secret Agent”, classic Rory Gallagher track to the gentle, graceful and soulful playing in his Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute “Rest In Paradise”. Each of the 12 tracks on “Prohibition” delivers a take-no-prisoners approach, with 11 self-penned titles. His backing band deserve mention too, Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums) and Don Airey (keyboards) are well known British musicians who played with numerous people before and now (Ian Gillan, Michael Schenker Group, Tear Gas, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Rory Gallagher, Deep Purple, Greg Lake Band, Gary Moore, Whitesnake…!). As it is usual with the music of Gwyn Ashton, his latest album is supposed to be played loud, not having to worry about neighbours!
the art is inside
