John Butler Trio 'Grand National' album

“GRAND NATIONAL.” On a simple, playful level, it might mean "excellent guitar". Nobody who's ever heard John Butler breathe life into his grandfather's vintage National dobro resophonic slide guitar would deny it. But there's also a larger connotation to the title, a wider perspective, an all-encompassing vision of human experience. "It's moving more towards a universal kind of music," says the US-born, Australia-raised singer-songwriter. "The whole thing, the way I look at the world, the way I see myself, the way I see the band, it's all becoming a bit more worldly and encompassing rather than being too specific."

"After the last ten or twelve years of doing what I do, my outlook is more open, so the palette opens as well, stylistically speaking, sound-wise, songwriting-wise. That's the direction I see the band going. More open. Always."

The pigeonholes that exist have long been a bad fit for John Butler anyway. Roots band, protest band, jam band, groove band . . . these labels may or may not have applied in the past, but the John Butler Trio of 2007 has come too far and seen too much to sit in anybody else's niche.

“GRAND NATIONAL” is more about love than injustice, more about ass-shaking than finger-pointing, and more about maintaining the funk than any particular hairstyle. It's an album of sharp focus and wide variety that matches and surpasses monumental expectations.

“SUNRISE OVER SEA,” John's last album of 2003, was nothing short of a phenomenon. It sold five times platinum to become that year's fifth highest selling album in Australia. Out of seven Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) nominations, it won Best Independent Release and Best Blues & Roots Album and John also received the Best Male Artist award, while "Zebra" was named Song of the Year by the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA).

More importantly, the Trio's subsequent world travels brought John, bassist Shannon Birchall and percussionist Michael Barker to a new peak of musical fitness and understanding.

"After three years of touring ‘SUNRISE OVER SEA,’ it was great to come into the studio with those guys and have the synergy all ready to go," John says. "There's a kind of respect between the three of us, personally and musically. Shannon and Michael are astounding musicians to me, breathtakingly inspirational people to play with."
The fourth wheel to the project was more surprising. Fortuitously seated next to Jack Johnson on a long flight in 2005, John heard about Jack's recent studio experience with the legendary Mario Caldato, Jr. (Beastie Boys, Beck, G Love). So came the glue that would secure the swing of “GRAND NATIONAL.”

"I always really respected Mario's work from Ill Communication and Check Your Head, that’s what really did it for me," John says. "I knew if he could work with Jack and G Love, he could work with a trio and get that kinda funk happening.

"Mario was a real vibe guy. He was about keeping the tension down and he reminded me not to be too precious. I can get pretty intense in the studio. Man on a mission," he laughs. "He kept it mellow."

The mellow shows in the laid-back amble of the lead track, "Better Than,” in the pure, sweet reggae of "Groovin' Slowly,” the solo acoustic prayer that is "Losing You,” and in the rambling funk groove of "Used To Get High.”

Things get more angry and intense in "Devil Running,” heartbreakingly sad between Shannon's strings arrangement for "Caroline,” and sexy as hell in "Daniella,” and "Funky Tonight".

"More and more I'm convinced by the power of love and less and less by the power of hate," John says. "The journey of love! It's nice to be able to sing about love, get cheeky with it. "

It's far from the whole story. "Good Excuse" is one of several songs that are wake-up calls to our self-obsessed consumerist society. "Nowhere Man" is his own personal song of place in the world, while "Fire in the Sky" considers the idea of peace in a post -9/11 climate.

Then there's "Gov Did Nothing,” a song that "really just says what everybody else was thinking" about the human disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. The JBT was on tour in America at the time, but its panorama of instrumental colours was assembled back in Melbourne, with help from jazz pianist Jex Saarelaht, soul singers Vika and Linda Bull and trad jazz band the Hoodangers in the climax.

Other guests on the album include Mario's colleague Money Mark Nishita on keys, percussionists Ray Pereira and Nicky Bomba, and on backing vocals, some crucial family support from John's wife, Danielle Caruana, and his cousins Stacia and Jessie Goninon.

Taken together, these 13 songs comprise a vast new canvas for John Butler, one that offers surprising new points of entry for newcomers, as well as inviting his legion of established fans deeper into his worldly vision.

"I know a lot of people are waiting for this album but I never assume what the reaction will be," he says. "I'm not complacent about that, never take for granted that people are gonna embrace it like the last time. And that's OK. I'm happy with the album. From an artistic point of view. to me, it's a success."

Track by Track & Album Title Explanation

GRAND NATIONAL:
The world as one. one big nation. We can no longer see our selves as separate to our neighbours or the rest of the world. This album is our grand offering to this one grand nation of humanity.

1. BETTER THAN.
Being in the moment. Being happy with what one has rather than always being consumed with what one does not have. Enjoying and being grateful for the gifts we have now.

2. DANIELLA.
My love for the lovely. Kinda a song about when my wife and I met and were courting each other.

3. FUNKY TONIGHT.
Wanting to love rather than fight with your lover.

4. CAROLINE.
A story that we have all heard. About a young lady abused as a
child, who leaves home, finds drugs and prostitution in her search for love and her life ending far too soon.

5. GOOD EXCUSE.
Basically a wake up call for all those in our western society who think there's a lot to complain about in our very cushy existence.

6. USED TO GET HIGH.
All the ways people escape and why. Not just through drugs, but food, information, self hate, ignorance. Strangely enough it is a song that empowers while still talking about things most of us would rather not talk about.

7. GOV DID NOTHIN'.
Commentary on Hurricane Katrina & the Bush administration’s inadequate response.

8. GROOVIN’ SLOWLY.
Going out and enjoying one of life’s simple pleasures; dancing with ones partner.

9. DEVIL RUNNING.
About the post 9/11 climate of this world, the rise of hatred and fear, and those fanatical leaders and followers on both sides of the political and religious spectrum that ruin it for us all.

10. LOSING YOU.
The one thing I can't live without, my partners love.

11. NOWHERE MAN.
About living in two worlds but not belonging fully to either. Finding a happy ground finally in my own place.

12. FIRE IN THE SKY.
Considers the idea of peace in a post 9/11 climate.

13. GONNA TAKE IT.
When one feels down and with the advice of a loved one, decides to take control of the
emotion and present moment. The realization that every moment is a new beginning.

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John Butler Trio - Grand National