The Music Spectrum 2004 Year-End Lists:Special Feature: Blues Explosion

Jon Spencer chants his challenge at the beginning of Damage: “Get out your calculator, slide rule/No matter which way you fold or bend or turn/Well, you never gonna top us, you never gonna beat us/Can you dig my band?”

I’ve done the measurements, Jon; I can dig your band, Blues Explosion. In fact, like a football play where you’re sure that the team got a first down on a quarterback sneak, I had no doubt from the opening chords. They brought out the chains, but they didn’t need, buddy. Your band can’t be topped. You’ve got the corner of the map for Blues Rock bands bridging the gap with Classic Rock, roots rock, and Hip Hop beat-style. I can’t go the whole way and say that you’re the greatest blues band ever, but I can say that Damage took no warm up listens. The album jumped right into heavy rotation in the Music Spectrum office, establishing your true prowess in the Blues Rock world.

Blues Explosion, formerly known as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, is one of those bands that I’ve known about but never really heard. (By the way, I find that amazing and frustrating all at the same time that there are so many incredible artists out there, but it is impossible to hear and know all of them. I suppose Music Spectrum is an attempt at studying, discussing, and discovering as much as I can).

That opening title track is a good bit of old Blues Rock of Classic Rock vintage, but then Blues Explosion show their ability to bring Detroit Blues in line with Detroit Ghetto, the track breaks down into drum sampling and computer electronica. Hip Hop beats continue with Chuck D’s raps on “Hot Gossip” and DJ Shadow’s beats and scratches on “Fed Up and Low Down.”

Don’t let those scratches fool you, though. The chorus of “Fed Up and Low Down” burns like a super-charged Camaro down the strip, neon underside lights glowing. Blues Explosion rocks with full power, not settling back into passive guitars only charged by DJ mix mayhem. “Burn It Off” kicks off like the Rolling Stones, Jon Spencer doing Mick Jagger one better as a true, crackled-voice bluesman. “Mars, Arizona” is big and fat chords with a walking bass line for breaking it down, with just enough funky synth sounds to remind us that this takes the Blues from where the 70’s left off. In case you’re still not convinced that Blues Explosion takes inspiration from many decades, “You Been My Baby” features the vocals on today’s soulwoman Martina Topley-Bird with Spencer doing his best Wolfman Jack.

Most intriguing are the spiritual elements on the disc. From the git go, Spencer is making the connection between the Blues and God, a connection I’ve often explored such as a sermon which incorporated references to Chris Smither, Kelly Jo Phelps, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. On “Damage,” Spencer chants, “We’re taking orders from a higher power.” Perhaps the biggest references to the spiritual come on “Help These Blues,” making it a God, blues, and the devil exploring SongDevotion.

Thanks to Blues Explosion and Sanctuary Records Group for the review copy.