Jon Spencer Blues Explosion "Acme-Plus" 1998***

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is a punk-blues trio comprised by singer-guitarist Jon Spencer, second guitarist Judah Bauer and drummer Russell Simins. "Acme" was their 6th album in 7 years and saw new elements introduced in their sound: Next to funk and garage rock, they now embraced hip hop and electronica. To spice-up their sound, they employed many guests and remixers and amassed enough material to fill two albums, called "Acme" and "Acme Plus", released one year apart and containing alternate mixes from the same sessions. Partly recorded live in Steve Albini's studio and partly reworked and remixed beyond recognition, both are a bit hodge-podge. They have nevertheless many high points, opener "Wait A Minute" being one of them, with its trademark Elvis-meets-James Brown vocals, dirty Stonesy guitar & ghostly theremin. Moby guests on bass, percussion and the mixing desk. "Get Down Lover" is a noisy garage piece with soul horns and "Confused", "Not Yet" and "Leave Me Alone So I Can Rock Again" wired funk. "Magical Colours (31 Flavours)" is a psychedelic soul ballad, probably the softest and most melodic track JSBX ever wrote. Its single counterpart made the Top-100 in the UK. "Get Old" and "T.A.T.B. (For The Saints And Sinners Remix)" remind me of Moby's electronica/blues experimentations. "Bacon" sports Blaxploitation strings, loud guitars and more theremin. "Blue Green Olga (Rmx)" is the most electronic song here, but something in the vocal and organ curiously reminds me of the Doors. "Heavy" combines hip hop with Barry White soul and "Lap Dance" gives them the chance to cooperate with horny 60's legend Andre Williams. "Right Place, Wrong Time" is the one that started it all, a killer cover of the Dr. John classic recorded for the "Scream 2" soundtrack. The remix included here has some rapping that doesn't add to the original, but at least doesn't ruin it either. "Electricity" is the punkiest song (think MC5 meet The Clash) and "New Year" and "Chowder" recall The White Stripes' mix of hard rock, blues and garage - Just don't forget: JSBX were there first! "Hell" is manic rockabilly and "I Wanna Make It Alright (Zebra Ranch)" is the closest JSBX get to justify their Blues prefix. The CD closes with a hilarious ad for the "Acme" album. According to it "Judah Bauer plays his guitar with such fiery passion that it makes grown men weep, Russell Simins has grown women showering him with panties and condoms, and Jon Spencer was voted sexiest man alive three years in a row by Gentleman’s Quarterly". Well, I don't know about that but you can quote me on this: Jon Spencer hasn't failed me yet. He makes great records, has a hot wife and he's a really confident and enjoyable live performer. If he comes your way, don't miss him!

**** for Wait A Minute, Magical Colors (31 Flavors), Blue Green Olga (Remix), Right Place  Wrong Time

*** for Get Down Lover, Confused, Not Yet, Bacon, Heavy (Remix), Leave Me Alone So I Can Rock Again, Electricity, New Year, Chowder, T.A.T.B. (For The Saints And Sinners Remix), Hell, I Wanna Make It All Right (Zebra Ranch), Ad for "Acme"

** for Get Old, Lap Dance, Soul Trance

Boss Hog "Whiteout" 1999****

Eye-catching cover, isn't it? That's Boss Hog's lead singer Cristina Martinez there, and more dressed than she usually is - in fact this the demure alternative cover, the other showing her topless with nothing than long hair extensions. Once upon a time she was in the habit of often posing (and even performing) in the nude. Not that anyone ever complained about that little knack of hers, mind you - certainly not her husband and Boss Hog guitarist John Spencer. There's a lot of back history for this punk-blues couple and we'll get into it. Since I own quite a few of John Spencer records, we'll get back to him later and focus for now only on Cristina. She hooked up with Spencer in 1985 and almost immediately joined his band Pussy Galore as guitarist despite never having played guitar before. That caused a lot of friction with the other members (especially "real" guitarist Julie Cafritz) who eventually kicked her out of the band before the group itself disintegrated. In '89 the (by then married) couple formed Boss Hog and immediately became an underground NY sensation thanks to their wild and noisy music and live antics. Constant personnel changes and Spencer's preoccupation with his other group (the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion/JSBX) prevented Boss Hog from having any success until a major label deal with Geffen in '95. Which brings us to this 1999 album which reads like an all-out assault for pop stardom. Two big name producers helped them clean their sound: Andy Gill (former Gang Of Four) and Swede Tore Johansson who had masterminded the Cardigan's rise to the top and also produced dance acts from A-ha to Melanie C/Sporty Spice. And they do a great job: The tunes are catchy and danceable and the vocals sweet and sexy. Martinez sounds less like her old self and more like Garbage's Shirley Manson. Her new sexy and comparatively restrained singing style, electronic beats, retro farfisa organ and funky guitar breaks combine to make the most accessible and mainstream album imaginable from these former punk rockers. Opener "Whiteout" is a declaration of intend, perfectly balanced between dance pop and indie rock. Spencer takes the lead vocal on "Chocolate" doing his familiar Elvis meets James Brown routine. He returns to backing vocals and distorted guitar for "Nursery Rhyme" with Martinez doing her best PJ Harvey impersonation before turning sweet and sultry again for synth-pop "Stereolight". "Fear for You" is one of the highlights with its retro-keyboard and 60's garage feel and "Get It While You Wait" another danceable pop single ala Garbage with a catchy chorus. Spencer is held back lest his guitar riffs scare innocent MTV viewers away. On the next song he offers a lot of "ugh"s and "c'mon"s, the combination of male and female vocals, funky rhythms and retro sounds sounding like a rootsier B52's. "Itchy & Scratchy" is another pop song with electronic beat and sultry female vocals before a sudden change of mood: Aggressive singing, loud guitars, wild garage punk are unleashed for the closing trio of songs, as a reward for any old fans still listening. In the end, although the album did well by their own standards, it failed to conquer the charts and put a stop to Boss Hog and Martinez's career in show business. Why it didn't catch on is a mystery. It certainly didn't lack the tunes, production or charismatic frontwoman. My guess is that it was too tame for rockers and too "meaty" for a pop audience used to ingesting nothing but hot air. As for Cristina's intended transformation into a pop idol, it was bound to fail. Dress a pussycat as a tiger, people will find her cute. Dress a tiger as a pussycat, you won't fool anyone into petting her... UPDATE: Two years after I wrote this, and after almost two decades of absence, Boss Hog were back with a new album and tour. Still an explosive live band judging from youtube clips, hope to see them live someday. They were last seen in 2018, but never say never...

**** for Whiteout, Chocolate, Stereolight, Fear for You

*** for Nursery Rhyme, Get It While You Wait, Jaguar, Itchy & Scratchy, Trouble, Monkey  

** for Defender