Rodney DeCroo - Queen Mary Trash (Northern Electric)
Rodney DeCroo’s last album was a doozie. Equally rooted in alternative country and the dark side of the ‘70s singer-songwriter tradition, it was a perfect exercise in melancholy. Never depressing of purposely morose, it moved in the no-man’s land between the desolation of a corn-fed Joy Division and the knowing heartache of David Ackles’ best work. Let’s call it gothic country (Ackles did…), for want of something better, and a host of positive reviewers agreed.

Queen Mary Trash is an altogether different beast. It’s completely engaged with light and shade, together with the bits in-between. The result of this emotional openness is the expansion of DeCroo’s musical palette to include slacker country rock, Petty(esque) roots pop and desperate balladeering. Spread over two full discs (both come in at around 50 minutes) DeCroo has plenty of room to experiment with mood and tempo, and does so displaying a diversity of craft only hinted at on previous outings.

Let’s not beat around the bush, Queen Mary Trash is as good a double album I’ve heard for many a long year, and it has much in common with many other classics of the form. The strength of DeCroo’s songs bring to mind Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde, the frayed groove and liberation hints at the Stones’ Exile On Main Street and the have-a-go approach to new sounds and styles mirrors The Clash’s London Calling.

What’s more, it works beautifully as a double album. I’ve been living with Queen Mary Trash now for ten days or so, and each disc is getting played. Real thought has gone into the sequencing and structure. There’s no trail off and no filler. The band, led by longtime collaborator and producer Jon Wood (of Flophouse Jr. fame – you remember… they once had an Americana album of the month in Mojo…) play it raggedy and loose like they’ve all dropped out of Keith Richards Rock School. I suspect Wood must take special credit for the sound of Queen Mary Trash, and his Al Kooper inspired Hammond runs add considerably to the records depth. Although we mustn’t forget that it’s DeCroo’s songs, whether it’s the chug-a-long Southern groove of “River Boat”, the wasted elegance of “Minotaur” or the muscular, Neil Young inspired storytelling of “Loser and the Tennessee Girl”, that are the stars of the show. If you only buy one double album this decade, make sure it’s this one.
www.myspace.com/wartornman
Rob F.

RODNEY DECROO - QUEEN MARY TRASH

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