Meat And Bone makes no apologies. From the moment the opener Black Mold sounds, it’s rams home the message – Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are back. No foreplay required; it’s straight to the main event. Meat And Bone grinds, bumps and claws in all the right ways, with raw fuzzy production and pulsating dirty grooves. It seems things are back in order at the JSBX camp.
Following on from the clout of Black Mold, Bag Of Bones propels forward with a more traditional blues-based sound; featuring mouth harp and walking guitar lines, it’s an exemplary display of how Spencer has mastered the art of dynamic alliteration. Boot Cut is a sharp shot of rock‘n’roll with minimal effects used to enhance rather than distract while Get Your Pants Off rolls on in unholy hip-swiveling glory. Strange Baby moves slyly between rhythm and blues and punk noise, hollering for your attention while Bottle Baby parades around abreast with attitude and a particular witty insight into retro obsession. “Everything old, is new, considered hip again/Rotting fruit can make an appetising trend.”
Danger feels like Jerry Lee Lewis on a serious bender and while Black Thoughts has all the trappings of a sweet doo-wop love ode, it’s lyrically venomous in stark contrast. It seems at times on Meat And Bone that Spencer’s rockabilly leanings as displayed in his other musical project Heavy Trash have made their way into the Blues Explosions sound, but not to the point where the two projects become interchangeable. Filled with only lean goodness, Meat And Bone delivers in entirety and is sure to rekindle the fiery love affair that may have waned for some JSBX fans. Bring on the romance.
BY KRYSTAL MAYNARD
Best Track: Black Mold
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS, THE DIRTBOMBS, ANDRE WILLIAMS, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES
In A Word: Alive’n’kickin’
