Black Joe Lewis has got attitude. It explodes out of him at his live shows (anyone who witnessed his Meredith appearance last year can attest) and the title of his latest album is a not so subtle sneer at what he calls the “de-socializing of society”. But thankfully Lewis isn’t all punk social commentary on Electric Slave, girls and partying still find there rightful place on the album and Lewis’s snarl is matched equally by his soulful croon. While the album genre hops incessantly, it’s all tied together by a consistently fierce delivery by Lewis who has the uncanny knack of owning whatever song he chooses to sing.
Skulldiggin’ is an appropriate opener, dirty fuzz guitars buzz like chainsaws through an imagined forest, like a logger intent on deforestation. It’s a tough as nails opener, but after all the destruction, it’s surely time for some beer and some women. Young Girls avoids the mistake of attempting to be another dirty rock song instead bringing home a hopped up rockabilly rollicker. Da Es Salaam is likely to fetch some Black Keys comparisons but is resplendent with far more swagger and groove and the effective but sparing use of horns in the later half, elevate the track to standout status. There’s no denying that we’re in funk territory when Come To My Party hits and the idiosyncratic statement style of Lewis’s lyrics make this song seem like the cooler sibling of Weens’ famous track Your Party.
While not committing to one genre is a dangerous game for some, Electric Slave plays like a carefully curated mix tape – all the songs might be different but they’re united in their feverish raw energy and general excellence.
BY KRYSTAL MAYNARD
Best Track: Skulldiggin’
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION, THE BLACK KEYS, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES, DANKO JONES
In A Word: Cracking
