Heavy Trash
Going Way Out With Heavy Trash
By Vish Khanna

On Going Way Out With Heavy Trash, Jon Spencer and Matt Verta Ray muddle things up, expanding upon the vision of their infectious debut. Spencer’s best work in the Blues Explosion was such a thrillingly incoherent pastiche of punk, soul, hip-hop and blues that the band were doomed to run out of breath and need a break. When Heavy Trash was released in 2005, it was a relief to hear Spencer exploring such a wonderfully rendered and focused sound. True, rockabilly is an amalgamation of styles but there’s something about that country/rock’n’roll feel that suits Spencer to a tee. Therefore, it’s somewhat disappointing to find Heavy Trash tweaking things and writing weirder songs. There’s great stuff here for sure, like the excellent “Outside Chance” and the rollicking “They Were Kings,” which features the Sadies, and near-ballads like “That Ain’t Right” and “She Baby” are nice enough. Jarring songs like “I Want Oblivion,” the JSBX-infused “Double Line” and the vivid “You Can’t Win” are just too postmodern though and seem out of place. God forbid that Heavy Trash should feel trapped within any genre but it’s their full-on exploration of rockabilly that makes them such a treat.

You recorded with backing bands like the Sadies. Why?
Jon Spencer: These are the bands that we played with live. When we made the first record, it was really just me and Matt in the studio. When it was about to come out, we thought we should play live and we’d seen the Sadies with Neko Case. We had this crazy idea: “Why don’t we ask the Sadies if they’ll go out and be the Heavy Trash band?” They were the first people we asked and it worked out great; it’s such a thrill to play with those guys.

Your songwriting remains unique. What inspires you?
I love rock’n’roll because it’s simple and direct, at least the kind of rock’n’roll that I like to listen to. It’s almost like haiku, especially rockabilly. I like the wordplay and plain old sounds and noise in something like Little Richard, James Brown or Mark E. Smith of the Fall. I enjoy writing a song because it’s sometimes nice just to get something off your chest. Influences can come from everyday life and trying to get by in the world. (Yep Roc)
Bob Brozman Orchestra - Lumiere
D. Trevlon - A Dance Under The Stars
Dan Mangan - Postcards and Daydreaming
Eliza Gilkyson - Your Town Tonight
Gina Sicilia - Allow Me to Confess
Handsome Ned - The Name is Ned
Kelly Willis - Translated From Love
Kim Beggs - Wanderer’s Paean
Mark Berube - What The River Gave The Boat
Nathaniel Mayer - Why Don’t You Give It To Me?
Pegi Young - Pegi Young
The Perpetrators - Tow Truck
Rose Cousins - If You Were For Me
The Soul of John Black - The Good Girl Blues
Teddy Thompson - Upfront And Down Low
Various Artists - The Gift: A Tribute To Ian Tyson
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