Spencer Blues Explosion has been playing for years became the most fashionable music on the planet. As the White Stripes were feted everywhere for revitalising a supposedly dormant tradition, where did that leave JSBE? Perhaps wisely, Plastic Fang largely abandons the subtler textures, hip-hop remixes and suspicious modernism of its predecessor. Instead, these are 12 tracks of impressively unreconstructed rock & roll and swamp-R&B informed by male hormones, horror movies and a lot of very good old records. Of course, certain factors remain that have always mitigated against Spencer achieving real superstardom. The curled-lip histrionics are sometimes just a little too preposterous, coming as they do from a moneyed and urbane New York father. Furthermore, Spencer's music has always relied more on killer riffs than fully formed songs: something he tries, with partial success, to remedy here. "Tore Up & Broke", in particular, is the fullest realisation of the Rolling Stones obsession he's nurtured since his previous band, Pussy Galore, covered Exile On Main Street in its entirety. A couple more tunes would've been nice, then. Nevertheless, Plastic Fang is terrific entertainment, historically rigorous but always suitably wild and dumb. Dr John, Funkadelic alumnus Bernie Worrell and, bizarrely, Elliott Smith turn up to the studio and grind along gamely, giving the impression it was a great party. And cleverly, even if it wasn't, the Blues Explosion certainly make it sound like it was. Phew, rock & roll!--John Mulvey
collections. Extra Width begat Mo' Width, Orange begat Experimental Remixes, and now Xtra Acme USA emerges as the child of Acme. This may be the boldest of the Explosion's follow-up releases, 19 tracks (plus a hidden surprise) consisting of remixes and unreleased cuts. Surprisingly, Xtra Acme USA doesn't sag under the weight of guest stars like dirty soul legend Andrew Williams or remixers like Moby and David Holmes. In fact, Williams's vocal turn on "Lap Dance" is hysterically dazzling and Holmes steals the whole show with his gospel-fueled remix of "Talk About the Blues" Unreleased tracks like "Wait a Minute" and "Leave Me Alone So I Can Rock Again" pack just as much punch--maybe even more--as the cuts that made it onto Acme. This may be the funkiest that indie rock has ever gotten. Amen! --Jason Josephes
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The - Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (The)
Main specs
Title: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The
Performer: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (The)
Genre: Rock & Pop
Sub Genre: Alternative
Release Date: 28/09/1998
Original Release Year: 1992
Label / Distributor: Caroline / F-Minor
Guest Artist(s): Spencer, Jon Blues Explosion
Engineer: Steve Albini; Kramer
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 17046171922
Additional notes
Album Notes: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's first full-length album hints at the great sound it would develop over the next few years as the alternative set's blues band of choice. On THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION, a frenetic mix of low-fi blues originals and earthy garage-punk tunes, one can hear Spencer and his cohorts experimenting with new sounds. Judah Bauer's guitar work betrays the influence of both Gang of Four and Motorhead, while Jon Spencer's wails recall a bad Elvis impersonator on one tune, and Screaming Jay Hawkins on another.
Album Reviews: Spin (7/92, p.78) - "...the aural equivalent of a Texas pit barbecue...Guitar, guitar, and drums, sharp and witty songwriting, and the name-brand, head-in-a-tin-bucket production of Jon Spencer have bred a monster. Unbelieveable..."
Advantages: Highly original, mixes in rock, soul and a dash of Hip Hop Disadvantages: Some duff tracks
...In a somewhat similar style to the Fun Lovin' Criminals, the JonSpencerBluesExplosion mix hip-hop, blues and rock. Mostly this works well, ignoring "Talk about the blues". Happily there are tracks like "Calvin, Magical Colors and High Gear" which are blues with balls! This is one of my favourite albums though probably not one I would have bought myself. I guess I'm lucky someone bought if for me! I may have compared them to the Fun Lovin' Criminals, but the JonSpencerBluesExplosion really do have a sound all of their own - you ain't heard anything like it baby!...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Highly original, mixes in rock, soul and a dash of Hip Hop Disadvantages: The odd duff track
...In a somewhat similar style to the Fun Lovin' Criminals, the JonSpencerBluesExplosion mix hip-hop, blues and rock. Mostly this works well, ignoring "Talk about the blues". Happily there are tracks like "Calvin, Magical Colors and High Gear" which are blues with balls! This is one of my favourite albums though probably not one I would have bought myself. I guess I'm lucky someone bought if for me! I may have compared them to the Fun Lovin' Criminals, but the JonSpencerBluesExplosion really do have a sound all of their own - you ain't heard anything like it baby!...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Great vocals, innovative style Disadvantages: Tracks are far too similar
...You may not of heard of them yet and you probably never would have had it not been for this review but The Black Keys are a blues/rock two-piece from Akron, Ohio. This dynamic duo consisting of Dan Auerbach (guitar and vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) serve up stripped down, raw and heartfelt blues. Along with this they mix in a healthy dose of rock ‘n roll and the result is a blues rock hybrid that sounds like nothing else. Taking a more serious approach than ‘TheJonSpencerBluesExplosion’ they try to stay true to the conventional blues. But at the same time they throw in a some of their own ideas and the result is a blues and rock cocktail that brings some fresh ideas to the genre. Using his own patented method of recording, wryly named ‘medium fidelity’, Carney has produced a record that sounds like it’s sixty years old...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
very helpful 10.05.2004
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