Rodney Crowell
Sex & Gasoline
Stony Plain
Rodney Crowell once had six consecutive Canadian country number ones, and long ago became a staple on the Americana landscape; he has released a series of introspective and refined albums since 2001 that rival if not surpass the bodies of work produced by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, and Steve Earle over the same period of time.
“This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline” sings Rodney Crowell on his thirteenth album in thirty-plus years. Closing in on 60, the album’s cover art depicts which subject is at the fore of Crowell’s thinking but, of course, nothing is so linear in Crowell’s songs.
Producer Joe Henry, who effectively focused Mary Gauthier’s Between Daylight and Dark last year, brings similar acuity to this project. If one is searching for mature, thought-provoking Americana- songs that balance country, folk, and rock elements while maintaining a tempo of folksy shuffles- this disc may be the object of your quest.
The sounds contained within Sex & Gasoline are not terribly different than those on 2005’s The Outsider. In fact, several of the songs- Moving Work of Art and The Rise and Fall of Intelligent Design- would fit very well with that collection of songs, thematically and sonically.
What is significant this time out is that Crowell seems to have rediscovered his sense of whimsy, something that was not always obvious on recent releases. While addressing serious topics and reflecting on his own shortcomings, Crowell is less heavy than at points in the recent past.
Crowwll cuts loose his inner Dylan (I Want You #35), harmonizes with Phil Everly (Truth Decay), examines himself (Who Do You Trust?) and those he loves (Forty Years), and has a little fun (Funky and the Farm-Boy).
All in all, a complete and worthwhile package. Check out the YouTube clips for more.
