Given the revival of "Medicine Fuck Dream," which I wasn't familiar with, I present you with a Greg Ashley album for the #zot2017 showcase, sure that this particular record will only garner your utmost appreciation.

Greg Ashley - Pictures Of Saint Paul (Trouble In Mind Records, June 30, 2017)

The truth is that Greg Ashley has become increasingly angry over the years. Over time, he has fine-tuned his writing, but he has also made it more concrete and has begun to pay more attention to the society around him. His tones have consequently become even more irreverent compared to his early days as a singer-songwriter. At first glance, you wouldn't say he’s a huge fan of Leonard Cohen (he completely covered the album "Death of a Ladies' Man"), yet if you listen to "Jailbirds and Vagabonds," the echo of the giant of Canadian music is all there. But Greg Ashley today is primarily what we might call a punk singer-songwriter focused on social issues, inspired as much by Billy Bragg ("Goodbye Saint Paul Street," "Six A.M. At The Black And White"...) as by the sounds of the always-present 1960s psychedelia and bands like the Kinks ("A Sea Of Suckers") or Syd Barrett ("Two Person One Man Band"), alongside the honky tonk sound of the early Stones ("Self Destruction Derby," "Medication #9," "Pursue The Night Life"). Recorded at his studios in Oakland and published by a fine label like Trouble In Mind Records, "Pictures Of Saint Paul" is one of the best singer-songwriter albums of 2017, and Greg Ashley is clearly a great son of a bitch who sings about those people whose existence is on the margins, walking the razor's edge without being acrobats; for these reasons, I can only recommend that you absolutely listen to this record. If you don’t like it, just go back home to your mom. Five out of five.

#oakland #punk #gregashley

Greg Ashley "Medication #9" (Official Video)