Vancouver based singer songwriter/ author/ poet Rodney DeCroo is glad to be coming back to Lethbridge in support of his new CD “Old Tenement Man” at the Slice, May 5, which is also when the CD is officially released.
“I didn’t make it to Lethbridge the last time I toured Canada. Jesse (Freed) has always been booked up. So it’s been about five years since I was there,“ said DeCroo.
DeCroo recorded the CD with well known Calgary producer Lorrie Mathesoon.
“He’s a really laid back guy and I haven’t always got along with producers. But he really corelated the songs to make sure they come from a natural place,” he continued.
“Lorrie really pushed me to make them the best they could be,“ he said.
“ But he also got me to listen to music I wouldn’t have l thought to listen to before,“ he said, noting he gained a new appreciation for bands like Mara and especially the Cure’s Robert Smith and even dipped into a little bit of John Coltrane jazz music.
“Though playing that is a little beyond my capabilities. I like the way he approaches a song,” he said.
Those influences never made it into the CD which does have more of a rock edge than his usual folk based singer-songwriter style, though there are plenty of folk style stories being told.
“ He really expanded my musical palate. He just really got me excited about playing music.”
The CD starts on an ominous note with “Jack Taylor.”
“I guess it’s pretty dark. Folk music is usually pretty dark. Was Bob Dylan dark? I’ll leave the happy songs to the pop singers. That’s not what I do,” DeCroo said.
He said “Jack Taylor” is loosely based on the story of a friend of his who killed his father for abusing his mother.
“ I hadn’t seen him for at least 20-25 years. And he was a really easygoing guy. But his father was really abusive,” he said.
A highlight “Lou Reed On The Radio,” is a little more upbeat.
“Lou Reed has always been a hero of mine for songwriting. He really tried to be a lot different, he said.
Rodney Decroo plays the Slice, May 5 at 9 p.m. There is a five dollar cover.
