Month: July 2015

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion- Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015

The mighty Jon Spencer Blues Explosion formed in New York in 1991 and in that time they have released 7 official albums and countless remix, compilations and out-takes albums.

Their music style is while generally based around Gritty Rock and Rock, it also carries elements of punk, soul, noise rock , blues and hip hop (I kid you not)

Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015 sounds like it would be some kind of 80’s dance party with bands with bad haircuts and big puffy shoulders. The reality is that it is more like Aerosmith (when they were good) and Run DMC.

This album takes me back to that classic Jon Spencer Blues Explosion of the early 90’s where they were different, experiential and just so damn cool. Funeral is very similar Flavour which was released in 1994. And in my mind there is nothing wrong with that. JSBE are not a band that they to change what they do. Experimentalism is already part of who they are. It is an album splalshed with references to New York (Betty vs. the NYPD) and ( Tales of Old New York: The Rock Box) for example.

JSBE have moved up a level to their 2012 comeback album (Meat and Bone) and gone back to what I think is their best era and produced a album very similar to 1994’s magnificent Orange.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Flavor

jon spencer blues explosion – funeral (lee’s palace toronto jun 10/15)