Greg Ashley – Painted Garden (Birdman, 2007)
(This originally appeared in the Spring ‘07 issue of Skyscraper)
Let us begin this with the understanding that live, The Gris-Gris are one of the most dynamic and captivating bands roaming the country’s shitty little bars. Their front man, Greg Ashley who is also a member of The Mirrors, has released his second “solo” album. I hesitate to call it that solely based upon the fact that there are a good 15 to 20 people performing on the ten tracks that make up this work. Layered and echo drenched, “Songs from Limestone Country” begins the album with a quiet, disturbing array of found sounds before Ashley launches into dreamy, child-like lyrics. Very frequently, Ashley is referred to in the same breath as Mayo Thompson and Roky Erickson, which is not unwarranted, however, Van Morrison too has a hold on this man. “Pretty Belladonna” finds Ashley consorting with Morrison style vocals (a bit less Motown though) and an organ that easily recalls “The Story of Them, Pt. 1 & 2”. A number of tracks on Panted Garden do specifically sound as if they fell off of a Gris-Gris album. “Amnesia”, with the slowly stroked guitar, and production noises, adds a saxophone to achieve great affect. Probably, this all won’t catapult Ashley to fame, but serves to further expand a strong song writers cannon.
