Customer Reviews

Sex & Gasoline

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rodney Crowell started off as a country music traditionalist; remember all those hits from DIAMONDS & DIRT? But somewhere in the 90's, he found a new calling: that of the country/folk troubadour. Beginning with THE HOUSTON KID, then onto FATE'S RIGHT HAND and THE OUTSIDER, he crafted some of the best socially aware, rockin' folk music out there--which happened to be rooted firmly in country music. SEX AND GASOLINE follows strongly in that vein, and gives FATE'S RIGHT HAND a run for its money as his best record.

Crowell's lyrics, as on the past few albums, range from the scathing to the tender. The emphasis here is upon social concerns, definitely; the opener argues that the world (and your mama's world) runs on the two titular items. The groovin' "Who Do You Trust" combines sarcastic lyrics with choir vocals. "The Rise and Fall of Intelligent Design" is a rather tongue-in-cheek look at the world today (and features some of the album's few directly-political lyrics, with Crowell lamenting about the flooding of New Orleans, and what it would be like to be the first female president). Later on in the album, he tackles Hollywood and celebrities ("Honey, screw the money!" he demands), as well as political correctness (and lack thereof; both are ripe for parody). The closing autobiographical "Closer to Heaven" will make you laugh...until you realize he is talking about YOU as well as himself.

Then there's the lover ("First comes love like it always did/Or we wouldn't be talkin' 'bout the Houston Kid" he once sang). "The Night's Just Right" sounds like it could have been on Kristofferson's THIS OLD ROAD album; it is a truly beautiful, touching tune about growing old gracefully, and about true love; "Forty Winters" follows in a similar vein. "I've Done Everything I Can" is beautiful (it's a shame lyrics aren't included with the album; many of these songs would read as beautifully as they sound). Two other tracks, "Moving Work of Art" and "Truth Decay," beautifully combine the two sides of Crowell featured on this album, providing anchors from one movement to the next.

Rodney Crowell is easily one of the best singer/songwriters working the scene today. His latest record, SEX AND GASOLINE, definitely leans more towards folk/rock than the country he is traditionally classified with (there's a lot of Dylan and Kristofferson on this album), but it doesn't matter what genre you attempt to classify it under; it is a beautiful, evocative record that will get you thinking. It is intimate and engaging, beautiful, and proof that Rodney Crowell is destined to go down in history as one of music's best (and surely most underrated, at least commercially) songwriters.

As of this writing, there have only been two reviews of this CD. Does this mean that the CD is not selling well? Or does it mean that the buyers do not care to write a review?

I hope the latter. This is a great CD. A little more "acoustic" than his previous two releases, but still some great songwriting and musicianship. It doesn't get much better than Doyle Bramhall II playing lead guitar.

Rodney Crowell's music is neither country or rock, but is better than anything you will hear on either country or rock radio. I hope he continues to make music that appeals to himself rather than the commercial audience.

If you are a fan of Americana or just great songwriting and musicianship, pick this one up. You'll not be sorry.

Over the course of his last couple of releases, starting with 2003's FATE'S RIGHT HAND and continuing with 2005's THE OUTSIDER, Rodney Crowell has moved further and further away from the country stylings that made him one of the most acclaimed songwriters of the last 30 years. In it's place, he's increasingly embraced the darker, more probing aspects of the all-encompassing genre now known as Americana. Said switch peaks here with the brooding, beautiful SEX & GASOLINE. Things start on a strong note with the disc's excellent title track. Everything just comes together here, from Jay Bellrose's brilliant cymbal work and Patrick Warren's lovely piano fills to David Piltch's throbbing undercurrent of a bassline. Add a seductive lead vocal and biting lyrics ("You're over forty/That's it for you/I'm pretty sure there's nothing else that we can do/Perhaps the convent/Perhaps the knife/You woulda coulda shoulda been a rich man's wife") and you have a great album opener. "Moving Work Of Art" could prove to be Crowell's "You're So Vain".....is he talking about ex-wife Rosanne Cash here? True, Cash isn't "turning heads out there in Tinsel Town", but her career has sort of eclipsed Crowell's over the last few years, what with the critical one/two punch of 2003's RULES OF TRAVEL and 2006's stunning BLACK CADILLAC. Whatever the case, this cut is haunting in it's honesty and observational skills. There's a slow, sensual shuffle to "The Rise And Fall Of Intelligent Design" that's captivating. The percolating arrangement wraps itself around lyrics that are both thoughtful ("If I could have just one wish/Maybe for an hour/I'd want to be a woman/And feel that phantom power") and stinging ("It's no excuse to be brutal/It's no excuse to be vile/It's no excuse to die for religion/Or harm an innocent child"). One of S&G's best cuts! There's an atmospheric vibe to "Truth Decay" that gets under your skin and stays there. Anchored by some gorgeous finger picking, Crowell's lead vocal is assured, unadorned and real, just like the lyrics ("I can't love you with my hands tied/It's like walking barefoot down a landslide"). Another winner! "I Want You #35" is one of SEX & GASOLINE's two weakest tracks. The lyrics seem forced and calculated ~ a rarity for Crowell ~ while the lead vocal comes across as anemic and uninspired. The only thing that really saves the cut is the instrumentation, particularly Bellrose's whip-smart percussion (it's almost garage band-esque!) and Warren's full-bodied piano flourishes. All in all, though, a track that screams "filler." Far better is the haunting "I've Done Everything I Can." While I would have preferred a female duet partner in place of Joe Henry's raspy co-lead, there's no denying the heartache, urgency and frustration (not to mention love) that permeates this song. A parent wants to make it all alright....but that can only happen for so long. A wonderfully touching, nakedly raw composition. Then there's the swamp funk of "Who Do You Trust." There is SUCH an easy-going groove to this cut that it's utterly irresistable. The band is really just jammin', but they are so, so tight! And Crowell's lead vocal? Sexy, relaxed, smooth and loose. Yet another winner! (On a side note, I could SO see Bonnie Raitt covering this song!). From it's powerful opening lines ~ "I don't mind the thought of growing old/But I don't want to lose my sense of humor" ~ it's clear that "The Night's Just Right" is something special. This lovely acoustic ballad is blessed with a sparse (but mesmerizing) arrangement and delicate lead vocal, as well as lyrics that border on the poetic ("If somewhere down the line/The wheels come off/You may find me broke down by the highway/I'm alright/As long as I can walk"). One of S&G's top tracks! "Funky And The Farm Boy" is SEX & GASOLINE's other weak(er) track. Oh, sure, there are some fun moments in the song, but usually when you're TRYING to be funky.....you're not! Unlike the organic vibe of "Who Do You Trust", this cut comes across as forced, phony and a real throw away. Crowell is SO much better than this song. And then there's the flip side of the coin. Much like his ex-wife, Crowell can be counted on to write great songs 99% of the time, but every once in a while, much like Cash, he comes up with something that goes beyond that, that transcends into "gorgeous" and "classic." That's the case with "Forty Winters." Cushioned by some simple orchestration and stunning acoustic guitar, Crowell's hushed, emotional lead vocal wraps around vivid lyrics ("Orange blossoms, Sandalwood, Oak Moss and Musk/Fragrant the senses from daylight to dusk"), letting us know that true love really does endure. Things wrap up with the relaxed, optimistic "Closer To Heaven." A smooth, swaying arrangement is matched with a sincere lead vocal, as Crowell takes us thru a list of some of the things he likes ("I love my friends/I love my wife/Four little babies are the light of my life")....and some he doesn't ("Chirpy news anchors alter my mood/I'm offended by buzzwords like "awesome" and "dude"). Love it! So....where does SEX & GASOLINE fall in the Big Picture of Rodney Crowell's career? Right smack dab in the middle! Yes, it's a little bit deeper and darker, but all the heart, thoughtfulness and feeling that we've come to expect from Crowell is here. And nowadays, in these troubled times of rising fuel and trashy, gratuitous tabloids, as those positive traits rear their heads less and less, that is all we can really ask for. (As with all my reviews, I'm docking the disc half a star for not including the lyrics, something a WRITER of Crowell's stature and calibre should NEVER do!).

Great songs! Intelligent lyrics, excellent musicianship, and maybe most of all, great hooks. Memorable songs that make me look forward to taking my friends to see Rodney and his group put on a great live show. Over the years, each new Rodney Crowell record has upped the ante. Not this time. Since 'The Outsider", I've been eagerly awaiting his next effort and tour, but I'm disappointed this time out. While it is worth adding to my Crowell collection, I know this is not one that's going to reside in my car's CD player for long. I'm sure that for many, this is a fine record. Not for me, though... I hope that Sex and Gasoline represents a different kind of record that Rodney wanted to make, and that he will return to recent form for the next one. Hope to see it soon.

Moving Work of Art is one of the songs on this CD and it is a reasonable title for this review. Fate's Right Hand may be Rodney's best album, but I think Sex and Gasoline will be getting more listens from me----it just goes down easier. Good production by Joe Henry with a host of outstanding musicians in the studio. I am happy with my purchase.

I have to agree almost word for word with Mr. Cadagan. Having been a fan of R. C. for a long time and have always awaited his new efforts, some hit, some don't, like most artist, this doesn't quite get there. His song writing is thoughtful and close to being thought provoking but not as vibrant as the last several efforts. I will have to say I like his uptempo releases the best. This comes close to putting me to sleep. Maybe I can find the right mood for it and maybe after a couple more listens it will grow but I have my doubts.

Rodney Crowell's music always engages me. From "I Ain't Living Long Like This," his songs consistently capture my imagination. "I Know Love is All I Need" & "The Man in Me" both went to #1 on my personal top ten.

"Sex & Gasoline" is a restless set, with Crowell exploring things that intrigue and bug him. The liner photography with an old record player and a couple stacks of records with The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan staring out sets a tone of looking back. Bearing in mind that Dylan wrote a song "I Want You," Crowell's "I Want You #35" churns restlessly and builds into a furious workout, "Something changed you, laid you low, dulled your senses, made you slow, wrote your name down in the book, staked a claim on how you look; I can't blame you if you think I'd tie you to the kitchen sink, drain your pockets, drink your blood, drag you through the muck & mud; It must be said, you made your bed, but I want you." This is a dynamic restless rolling classic track! From there, Crowell slows the pace on the meditative "I've Done Everything I Can" where producer Joe Henry joins on vocals. The title track percolates cynically with Jay Bellerose's percussion adding sparkle, "Perhaps the convent, perhaps the knife, you shoulda coulda woulda been a rich man's wife." "I don't want to be somebody that I can't bear to be, I don't want to stand in the back if I can't sit down at the front, I don't want to wear the ball & jack & I don't want to punt," Crowell croons on the talk-sing "Who Do You Trust." The cover shows Crowell looking out from the edge of the bed with a girl with a beauty mark on her derriere. On the slow "Forty Winters" Crowell uses the image in his lyric, "40 winters, cold & dark, surround you like a beauty mark." The set closes with "Closer to Heaven," "I'm offended by buzz words like 'awesome' & 'dude'" Perhaps unfortunately for him, Crowell is awesome, dude. "Sex & Gasoline" is an excellent set, churning, restless & looking for faith. Enjoy!

Rodney sure has come a long way. To think he doesn't have to do anymore at this point in his career and turns out a fantastic piece of work like Sex and Gasoline. I agree with what I heard a DJ say the other day....."I hope I'm that horney when I'm 60".

So "Sex & Gasoline" has been nominated for a Grammy.

Yawn.

Given how many classic songs he's written in his three-decade career, it would be surprising if Rodney Crowell released a CD that was anything less than award-worthy --- his music has more hooks that a fishing lure. And his tight, wry lyrics are so right that, when I served on the membership committee at PEN a few years ago, Rodney was one of the first songwriters I suggested as PEN-worthy.

This time, the mere fact of the nomination is impressive --- radio stations aren't racing to showcase the music of any 58-year-old musician. And then there is the small problem of Crowell's narrowing appeal: He now makes music almost exclusively for grown-ups. On LINK Sex & Gasoline, for example, there's a song called "The Rise and Fall of Intelligent Design." It takes a certain breed of listener to care --- someone who hopes to shake a leg and get a clue.

I'm a fool for anyone who aims high, talks smart and has some miles on the tires. And a father of a young daughter is automatically interested in talking to the father of four girls. And who was once married to Rosanne Cash. Ladies and gents....Rodney Crowell.

Jesse Kornbluth: You had extreme success in your 20s. Now you're pushing the AARP Ages, and no matter how great your work is, the reality is that you won't be nearly as visible or commercially successful as young talent. How do you do the mental math on that?

Rodney Crowell: You mean, how do you explain a guy whose commercial peak was 20 years ago but whose artistic peak is happening now?

JK: Yes. Start anywhere...

RC: For me, the real deal is relevance. Money comes on the back end. And the thing to know is, in my 20s, when I was selling millions of records, I felt irrelevant.

JK: Ever think, 'I wrote hits once. Just because I don't seem to write them now doesn't mean I can't. I think I'll sit down and write a song for ...'?

RC: No. When people ask me how I make a living, I say, 'I get paid to trust the universe.' The truth about all those big hits is this: I never wrote one for any reason but to write the best song I could. 'Till I Gain Control Again' --- I was trying to be in a league with Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. They were good songwriters, and I wanted to be. So I understand what T-Bone Burnett meant when he told me, 'You must not be interested in money. Because if you aimed for the C and D students, you'd be rich.'

JK: The A and B students --- what do you serve up to them now?

RC: Now my songs are more about articulating the obscurity of my lost interior. My sensibility has changed.

JK: What happened?

RC: Small epiphanies that added up to a big one. In 1999, I decided I'd start doing work my kids could hold up as my legacy. And I moved from broad-stroke love songs to an articulation of my sensibility.

JK: This would be a C-student question, but considering your aims, maybe not. How much of the new CD is a character posturing and how much is what you really think and believe?

RC: Sometimes you get to act as a character as you deliver the narrative. But "Sex and Gasoline" --- I'm trying to tear that out of my heart. And "I've Done Everything I Can" was written directly to a daughter who put herself in harm's way.

JK: "Tired ol' story sad but true/We mama's boy's have got it in for you/Our faults are many our virtues nil/We never loved you and we never will" --- is that you?

RC: It is. It is. Hey, I've gone into therapy, because there was a time I had to understand 'we've never loved you and never will.' In an ongoing conversation with my daughter, I've said, 'Until a man is 38, he won't have any idea how he loves you. He might be looking for mother, he might be looking for shelter from the storm.' Anyway, that's my past.

JK: And yet, in concert, you sometimes sing with Rosanne Cash, and you were married to her from the ages of 29 to 42.

RC: We've maintained a civility and co-parented some girls. And to hear that voice and sing those songs --- that's a celebration.

JK: Those broad-stroke love songs?

RC: Well, railing against a duplicitous bunch of lying bastards --- it's not timeless art. It's art created for a time. I don't care much for serenity. But I do like timeless art, and I'd like to create some....

Absolutely great album/well, CD. Fast shipping, great condition, and love voice, lyrics, and music.