Ash Grunwald gets a bit dangerous on his new album, writes Jesse Kuch.

With track titles like Demon In Me, Telling Lies and of course, the album’s title, Trouble’s Door, Ash Grunwald’s latest work is a bit of a departure from the carefree Hot Mumma Vibes.

While it’s definitely not War and Peace, Trouble’s Door definitely has a bit more of a serious slant than his previous works, something the Victorian-born, Byron Bay-based musician and surfer puts down to a couple of reasons – being more settled in his new home of Byron Bay with his wife and daughter, and participating in a few shows that opened his eyes to some things happening in Australia right now.

“When I sat down and started writing the album, I’d just been playing at protest gigs against coal seem gas mining,” he tells timeOUT this week ahead of his show at Tanks on Friday.

“It kind of spurred something in me, the country is bleeding and in need of some love. There are so many positives to our capitalist society, it breeds a lot of innovation and I don’t begrudge anyone making a living. But we also need to be responsible for the ills in our society too. It’s getting a bit out of control.”

It doesn’t all follow this more sombre tone, however.

The album’s lead single Longtime is very much a surfer’s anthem and the recently shot film clip features a who’s who of Australian surfing musicians including Pete Murray, Xavier Rudd, Kram from Spiderbait, Scotty Owen from the Living End, Bob McTavish and Fingers Malone.

“It was remarkably easy to do,” Ash laughs.

“I’m buddies with all those guys and they were all up for it. It was really good. Xavier Rudd was really shy on the lip-syncing, but we got there in the end. We all do surf together a fair bit anyway, so it was just fun times. It’s amazing how many musos live right near each other, it’s kinda beyond a joke. You almost can’t go for a surf at Byron without seeing another musician.”

>> Ash Grunwald hits Tanks Arts Centre on Saturday from 7.30pm. Tickets are $30/$25, available now from ticketlink.com.au or 1300 855 835.

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