Music review: Midnight Soul Serenade

3.5 of 5 stars

On Midnight Soul Serenade, Heavy Trash combines just the right amount of garage rock, rockabilly and blues to create an album that is anything but junk.

The New York-based duo creates an unpolished and Elvis-like sound that traverses multiple genres.  With its quality storytelling and Jon Spencer’s raw, bluesy vocals, Midnight Soul Serenade becomes an album that hits the listener right at his or her emotional core.

The album’s opener “Gee, I Really Love You” epitomizes Heavy Trash’s ability to meld influences. With its rock ‘n’ roll intro, the addition of Spencer’s twangy vocals creates a song that straddles the line between rock and country. Right away, it demonstrates the honky-tonk fun that the duo is fond of engaging in.

Boogie bass lines and funky guitars meld with fast, garage drums to mold Serenade.  Toward the end of the album, Spencer and partner Matt Verta-Ray slow things down. With the inclusion of a few brooding songs, Heavy Trash throws some darker twists into their generally playful music.

But the band’s refusal to stray from its musical roots is commendable.  Heavy Trash’s tendency toward textured songs and storytelling allows Serenade to be an exemplary piece from the rockabilly revival. In a genre that is fading fast, the duo remains true to its form — generally lighthearted and always fun.