Heavy Trash Albums (3)
'Midnight Soul Serenade'
Release Date 10/13/2009
Tracks 11
Label Bronzerat
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
On their third album, 2009's Midnight Soul Serenade, Heavy Trash keep delivering the good old rock & roll, rockabilly, and hillbilly soul that their first two albums handed out like candy at a Fourth of July parade. Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray hit their stride right away on their debut and continue to be nothing short of great. They make no great changes to their sound here; it's still loose as geese on the rockers and pleasantly spooky on the ballads. Spencer and Verta-Ray still conjure all kinds of unhinged noise from the guitars, yet remain firmly within the bounds of the songs. Best of all, Spencer fully embraces his role as greasy, rockabilly crooner with an unrestrained joy and fervor. His performance on their cover of LaVern Baker's "Bumble Bee" is guaranteed to bring smiles, his unhinged howls on "Bedevilment" bring back memories of Lux Interior, and he's never less than entertaining. The whole record is just a flat-out blast, with the duo gleefully raising all kinds of ruckus, blasting through swamp blues, noisy punk blues, cornpone balladry, and nocturnal jazz poetry, and even laying down a song that could have been a chart-topper back in 1959, the sweetly rollicking "Gee, I Really Love You." It may heretical to say it considering the backgrounds of the participants, but Heavy Trash could be the best project either man has been involved with. And while Midnight Soul Serenade may not be the best Heavy Trash album (their debut takes that honor), it's still some of the best rock & roll around. Anywhere, anytime. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'Going Way Out with Heavy Trash'
Release Date 1/1/2007
Tracks 13
Label Yep Rock
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Heavy Trash's first album proved that Jon Spencer (minus the Blues Explosion) and Matt Verta-Ray (formerly of Speedball Baby) were naturals at laying down red-hot rockabilly and twisted honky tonk with a modern kick. Their second album solidifies and expands their sound with a batch of tough rockers, hip shaking dancefloor fillers, and lonesome ballads ("Crying Tramp" being the near match of the previous albums' centerpiece "Under the Waves") on par with anything on the first. Recorded with the help of Canadian roots rockers the Sadies and members of Denmark's finest rock & roll bands (Tremolo Beer Gut and Powersolo) in various locales including Liam Watson's Toe Rag studio, Going Way Out with Heavy Trash doesn't mess with the duo's formula much. Spencer still croons wildly, mutters hilarious asides, and generally behaves like the guy with the lamp shade on his head (especially on album closer "You Can't Win" which is as weird a slice of avant-country-blues insanity you'll likely hear for awhile), Verta-Ray provides swampy atmosphere, and the guest musicians give just the right amount of support without overwhelming the stars or the songs. The Sadies especially add some rich textures (acoustic guitars, rip roaring guitar solos and backing vocals) to standout tracks "They Were Kings," "Crazy Pritty Baby" and "Outside Chance." Not that these tracks stand out by much; the whole album is a barn rattler from top to bottom. Play this for anyone who thinks rock & roll is dead and gone. Heavy Trash again prove that theory dead wrong. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Heavy Trash, the band and the album, is a collaboration between Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray. In their day jobs they are purveyors of punk-blues in Blues Explosion and Speedball Baby, respectively. Anyone expecting their collaboration to sound much like either of their groups is in for a bit of a jolt. Not that it is a million miles from the sounds they are known for since you still get Spencer's instantly recognizable yelping vocals as well as loads of exciting, stripped-down and hooky songs that carry quite a punch. What is different is that they are working the rockabilly and early rock side of the street. Tracks like "The Loveless," "Dark Hair'd Rider" and "This Day Is Mine" kick up some serious duck-tailed dust, "The Hump" and "Justine Alright" are crazed handclapping, shouted chorus rockers, and the hip-shaking "Gatorade" sounds like it was recorded at a party in Hasil Adkins' backyard. The tracks that scale back the excitement are very good too; "Fix These Blues" is a pedal-steeled country ballad, "Take My Hand," a doo-wopping lament complete with a spoken interlude and "Under the Waves," a moody, highly arranged murder ballad that might be the best track on the album. Only "Mr. K.I.A." doesn't work, as it brings in some hip-hop influences and is too repetitive and, well, modern-sounding. Spencer is in top form throughout, dropping hilarious asides, hiccupping and whooping, crooning and howling like an unholy blend of Elvis, Gene Vincent and Lux Interior. He and Verta-Ray create a sound that is warm, rich and live, layering acoustic and electric guitars, percussion and Christina Campenella's sultry backing vocals into a rollicking, thrilling modern rockabilly record that puts everyone who has attempted such an enterprise since Songs the Lord Taught Us to shame. So many times with side projects like this the parting words are "don't quit your day job," in this case both men could easily do so because Heavy Trash is just as good if not better than their main projects. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
