Rodney Crowell didn't sing Why Don't We Talk About It, perhaps wisely since it contains the line, "Yes my reputation says I'm flaky." But otherwise he delivered everything an enthusiastic houseful of supporters could have wished for. He hadn't brought a full band, but Will Kimbrough served as an accomplished foil on guitar, slide guitar and vocals.
Crowell's new album, The Houston Kid, has picked up rave reviews for its vivid tales of his misspent youth and even more misspent adulthood, alongside its finely drawn vignettes of losers and loners. Despite the absence of the amplified crunch he was able to whistle up on disc, many of the songs from the album worked remarkably well, perhaps reflecting their introspective creation.
The matching pair of I Wish It Would Rain and Wandering Boy, about an Aids sufferer seen from contrasting perspectives, felt truer and more intimate than the faintly stylised treatment they receive on disc, as if the process of communicating them to a live audience completed the circle. I Know Love Is All I Need, apparently derived from a dream Crowell had about his parents, acquired an extra twist of poignancy in this setting.
Despite his slightly dazed demeanour and penchant for drifting off into long anecdotes between songs, Crowell is a veteran who knows his own strengths: his strong sense of melody and natural gift for storytelling. Maybe it's something they put in the cheeseburgers in Texas. Anyway, Crowell has a light, clear voice that seems able to penetrate into the darkest corners of the room, making songs like Telephone Road or Rock of My Soul ring in your head with startling clarity.
As the set wound to a climax, Crowell cheerfully took requests from the floor - Stuff That Works seems to be a particular favourite among Rodney-watchers - and got everybody singing along to Poncho and Lefty. Equal parts classic songwriter and cuddly old ham, Crowell is a memorable night out.
Rodney Crowell plays the Vicar Street Venue (00 353 1 6097788), Dublin, tomorrow, then tours in Ireland.
