Would you like some raw rock n’ roll guitar energy blasting into your eardrums this autumn? Jon Spencer is back in a different form, but still not a million miles away from his previous musical incarnations with The Blues Explosion, Boss Hog or Heavy Trash, which is no bad thing. This is Spencer solo though, although ably backed by Sam Coombes of Quasi and fellow musician M.Sord, it’s still unmistakably a Jon Spencer album, from the opening battle cry of “Trash Can” with its stomping drums and ferocious guitar riffs with Spencer inviting us into his world of rock n’ roll swagger and revolution. All tracks have that thrilling brashness about them, which has often been a defining quality in Spencer’s garage rock sound – that doesn’t mean they’re all volume and no melody either , Spencer has always managed to have a great ear for combining his ferocious guitar led sounds with a catchy phrase or melody as he does on “Beetle Boots”, with its aims of busting the misconceptions around the “joys” of being in a band these days and life on the road. There’s also cautionary tales delivered by Spencer in his fire and brimstone rhetoric on “Fake” with its chorus of “your shit is fake” delivered as only Spencer knows how in a style that both playful and fierce at the same time. One of the standout songs is the funked up, garage rock musings of “Ghost” with its lyrical reflections on being invisible, with perhaps Spencer feeling rightly that he isn’t fully recognised for his musical creativity as much as maybe he should be “Hornet” sounds like a protest song, standing up for freedom, with its rabble rousing chorus of “why would anyone want to tie you down, you should be free” , whereas “Alien Humidity” has Spencer’s distorted vocals over a backdrop of fuzzy guitars, spacey effects and pounding drums at a frenetic pace, railing against technology going wrong, with its chorus of “human error, you’ve been set up”. Having listened to Jon Spencer in all of his musical guises over the years, and seen the pure rock n’ roll power of his former bands, “Jon Spencer Sings The Hits” is another hard hitting and thrilling addition to his musical output, destined to blast the winter blues away.
Release Date: 2/11/2018 In The Red Records
From the early days of creating handmade zines, in a DIY paper and glue style, interviewing bands around town, then pestering Piccadilly Records to sell them, to writing for various independent mags such as Chimp and Ablaze, writing about the music I love is still a great passion. After testing the music industry waters in London with stints at various labels, being back in my hometown again, writing about this city’s vibrant music scene is as exciting as ever. All time favourite bands include Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Patti Smith although anything from electro to folk via blues and pysch rock will also do nicely too. A great album, is simply a great album, regardless of whatever musical cage you put it in.
