The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Acme (Matador/Capitol)
For those of you who missed the funk on their last album, the punk-heavy Now I Got Worry, Acme follows up their groove on 1994's brilliant Orange. For a band accused of being anachronistic, they have taken a fresh recording approach that will set a blueprint for countless bands to follow. In January they recorded the basic tracks with Steve Albini. Then they invited, among others, Dan Nakamura, a.k.a. the Automator, producer of Spencer's favorite recent hip-hop album, Dr. Octagon's Dr. Octagonecologyst to produce and mix. Then they took the tapes and holed up at Greene St. Studio (birthplace of classics from Kurtis Blow, L.L. Cool J and Public Enemy). Certainly you can hear influences -- a bit of a Booker T. & the MGs riff on "Magical Colors," some Sly & the Family Stone, Isley Brothers, old school hip hop. But in contrast to the fascinatingly fragmented Experimental Remixes EP, it all comes out in one coherent piece. The Blues Explosion has always been about moments, like "Baby, baby you sure like to F***!" My favorite moment on this record is when they suddenly switch from trademark Blues Explosion rock-out to the syrupy-smooth doo-wop oohs, ahs, soulful squeals, wails, a human beatbox, all asking the penultimate question, "Do You Wanna Get HEAVY?" Why yes, Mr. Spencer. Yes I do.
