Now I Got Worry

Really much better than I expected. I think the premise is "What if we played blues music, but in as alt-rock?" Overall it works much better than I would have expected and is entirely enjoyable. I'd never listened to this before, and I found it to be well done. I'd come back for seconds.

-This album was quite cool. A couple solid jams. -"Skunk," "Identity," and "Wail" were all solid

Interessantes Album

This bangs, may be my favourite Jon Spencer album

I weirdly liked biking around Chicago to this punk blues. Albums too long but it wouldn't be a blues album if it wasn't.

o filho de mick jagger com o sonic youth

Not what I expected from the band name but then again, this is probably what a blues explosion would sound like.

Pas pire même si un peu pas écoutable.

What the hell kind of opening is that? Intense! It was an ok album. Explosion is the right word to describe these guys.

Eccentric maybe?

I have never heard of them. Lead vocalist: not good. Some nice guitar hooks. Many songs loud with no melody. No song really stands out. Average album : three stars

Noisy

Weird! Gonna have to revisit and digest this one. 6/10

It was an unfortunate way to discover my earphones were on basically full volume given the first track starts with a massive scream... However I really liked a lot of this album. It's completely all-over the place, but when it hits for me, I really love it (Wail, 2 Kindsa Love, Chicken Dog, Rocketship, Can't Stop). Unfortunately there are also parts that are actively unpleasant to listen to (Sticky being the best example). Oh, and Fuck Shit Up sounds like a much swearier Beck. I can entirely understand why most people would hate this... but for the most part, I didn't. It makes it hard to mark because 3 seems too low for me, but a 4 quite a lot. On balance: 3/5

A Unique Album - Brilliant at times - what alcoholics like to call moments of clarity - but equal parts awful. Orange is better. 2.5/5

I’ve always been mildly drawn to these guys but never gave them a solid listen. One of those “these guys are cool i should check out more” bands. I was kinda expecting a four star. Alas there is a lot of just noise on this. Some good stuff, for sure, but a lot is just a mess. I’ll give 3 stars but i think i may be being generous here

Strange album. Parts of it sound like Iggy Pop meets Jimi Hendrix, otherwise parts sound like small children let loose on musical instruments for the first time. Then another part reminded me of that Tribe Called Quest song that sampled Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side.'

No sé qué escuché. Blues punk? Rarísimo. Llamativo. Banco la apuesta. 6/10

Decent

I see a lot of hate in the reviews for this one, and I get why that might be Not an easy listen, for sure I have absolutely loved 2Kindsa Love, since it came out in 1996, but most of the other songs hit a little different from that I do like the guitar noise, but the band sounds a little too disorganized for me I'm going with three stars, because the world is a better place with someone out there doing this kind of thing, but a whole 28 song album, all at once, is just too overwhelming

I got 15-20sec into this album and had to switch back to something that would preserve my morning peace. But when I actually listened, I learned that “Blues Explosion” apparently means hardcore rockabilly and a jammy/loose version of garage blues rock. All things I’m into, but I feel like I could easily point to better examples for inclusion on this list. According to Spotify listens, this isn’t even their most popular album?

uhhh... this was certainly interesting 3/5

Pretty good album. Very lively and energetic. Get Over Here was my personal favorite. 5.8/10

Oh, the main guy is actually named Jon Spencer? See, I thought this was just a funny name that the band came up with. I thought this was like a Brian Jonestown Massacre situation where the name is a reference to something, but no. The only reference is to this band's frontman. Huh. Anyways, I didn't care much for this album. Admittedly, I can see the appeal of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, but this album didn't really do it for me. The noisy production, raucous energy, and penchant for humor could definitely appeal to someone like me in a similar vain to something like Ween's debut album GodWeenSatan: The Oneness, but unfortunately, I think this album misses a lot of what makes an album like that special. The production is a bit too harsh, there isn't a ton of musical variety on the album, and the musicality isn't as strong. This album's kinda one-note at times. I will say that there are parts of this album that I respect, mostly the things that I mentioned like the energy and humor, but the execution didn't land for me. The vocal performance wasn't my favorite by any means, none of the songs were super memorable, and I was kinda annoyed at some parts. But, I do still have respect for this album. I feel like this could've been good, but it's missing that extras something-something, you know? Decent attempt at a good experience, but not one that I'll think about much from here on out. Low 3/5.

This is a cool fucking album. While listening I felt energized and entertained the whole way — it’s full of raw, greasy energy and killer rhythm. The grooves are nasty and addictive, that dirty garage-blues-punk hybrid they do so well. What really makes it fun are the funny, over-the-top lyrics delivered in Jon Spencer’s wild, howling style. It’s sleazy, playful, and ridiculous in the best possible way. The whole record just bounces and sweats with attitude. Not the most refined thing in the world, but that’s exactly why it works. It’s loud, loose, and full of personality. If you want blues-based rock that doesn’t take itself seriously but still kicks ass, this one delivers. Solid, fun listen.

La verdad creo que fue muy largo y el opening track no me encantó. Pero hasta ahí mis quejas. Gran disco con influencias de blues, stoner Rock y fuzz. No es el mejor trabajo de Jon Spencer pero me gustó

I wasn’t a huge fan at the start but it definitely grew on me. I liked the guitar riffs and the vocals and I enjoyed the energy of it. I wasn’t a big fan of all the screaming at the start, and whatever was going on in the final track. I’m not sure I’d come back to it, but I’m glad I gave it a second listen. Fav song: Rocketship Least fav: Sticky

favs: wail

270526 11:19 2.5

3.5 started of ok got better and a bit weird

Sjovt lyt! Tror måske aldrig jeg har hørt en Jon Spencer plade fra ende til anden før og det er vist en fejl

I discovered JSBX from Baby Driver but if I was listening to this album when driving I would turn straight off bridge.

Surprisingly good

A solid 7/10. This one has a lot of raw energy and attitude. It feels messy, loud, bluesy, and chaotic in a good way. I ended up keeping a couple of songs, which is always a good sign.

3.6/5 if noise and art rock had a baby

Okay

Noisy, bluesy. If Beck only liked rock music.

its been a bit of a run of forgettable albums

Not bad not great? Feels like I can see how people like Jack White followed in some footsteps here with the raw, semi-unhinged garage rock Jon Spencer laid down. I do appreciate some of the off-the-wall nature of this and maybe it also feels bit like early Beck in that sense. Chicken Dog rips pretty hard, a lot of the rest is a bit forgettable.

This is definitely an acquired taste thing. But the energy on this album is undeniable.

Really surprised by the negative reviews this is getting. Ok, it’s not blues (like it says on the tin), but it’s pretty good punk-styled alt rock. Ok, it’s uneven, and can be a bit more noise-rock at times, but I enjoyed most of this.

Its like if Elvis was in the 90's on Earl Sweatshirt type beats. I thought I hated it but it grew on me. Nothing life changing but has its merit.

6/10

Jack White’s got a lot of explaining to do 👀…

Perfect soundtrack for chauffeuring my dad around stl

Vet album, niet helemaal mijn ding

Felt like many cool parts didn’t quite add up to what could’ve been an album that completely fucked shit up

I was quite a fan of the Blues Explosion's Orange album. This felt a little harder to get my head around; almost too wayward and scuzzy at first. Once I got up to their speed a bit though, I was back into the groove.

Starting this record, an ear-shattering scream was a choice. It started really weak, picks up in the middle, and then ends where it started. Favourite Track(s): Wail, Chicken Dog, R.L. Got Soul Least Favourite Track(s): Sticky

3.5

Quite harsh and abrasive blend of blues and punk.3.5 stars

I like a couple of Jon Spencer Blues Explosions singles but I think this probably works better in short bursts (or explosions if you will).

Not my taste in music - but okay.

I was trying to hate this but realized midway through that I couldn’t 💔

my favorite song is "Fuck Shit Up," especially when that random girl says "this is terrible" and then "this is so good," I'm a fan of her and I share her sentiment not necessarily a pleasant album but a very fun one sometimes. they were clearly having fun

so yesterday kicks off and i'm already in a bad mood. i sit down at my computer to log in to work, still groggy and grumpy. i go to submit my review for the album of the day before, see the new album and go "oh well i like blues let's see if this somehow lightens my mood." so i pull the album up and hit play only to have some fuckin dude scream "AHHHHHHH" at max volume on my speakers and scare the piss out of me. later on, i was able to laugh at it, but at the time ohhhh boy was i fuming. the rest of the album was fine and good or whatever though.

If I had a nickel for every time an album started with screaming… Turned out much better than I expected. I genuinely enjoyed the songs around the middle of the album, but the bookends of it weren’t the best. There was a palpable sense of arrogance in this and while I tried not to let it influence me, I wasn’t totally successful.

Initially, I hated this album -- "Skunk" lost me almost immediately. I feel like you have to work up to some agonizing screaming instead of starting off with that. But then we get to some incredible songs, like "Love All of Me," where something clicks for me. I love the experimental nature of this album, and I think it's doing some cool shit that nobody really hopped onto. There's a lot of influence from hip-hop that maybe are why I'm so intrigued. "Sticky" sounds like a song that Armand Hammer could have made last year. It wasn't all a jam -- I think there are as many misses are there are hits here. Definitely a surprise like, but I think ultimately that I won't return to it often if ever. Wasn't sure if I would make it through the bonus tracks, but "Cool Vee" sucked me in and I decided to finish it off.

Songs were either a hit or miss but I enjoyed it when it was good! I would be interested in listening to his other work too it seems interesting! I am always a seeker for experimental music...just wish Jon wouldn't scream so loud... Guitar was good though. maybe a 2.5/5 for me but I'll round up

Vocals bother the hell out of me. The music is killer.

El album en sí ha estado bien, pero no ha habido casi canciones que me llamen la atención.

Not my thing

No doubt special , has lotsa influences , some punk some metal some blues reminds of other older 80s bands like Minutemen and pixies

I liked it but found it became a bit repetitive

44 minute garage punk jawn? I didn’t think those existed. Whatever let’s see how this is. Well, I’ve listened to it now, and let me tell you, it’s exactly what you’d expect. It’s… too long, too samey, not crazy enough at times, and kind of just like if white stripes were way punkier. Which that’s not bad at all, it’s just not really my thing, especially if you’re going to make it more than like 25 minutes long. This is 20 minutes more than 25 minutes, and that is its problem. Anyway I had a nice time in London today, it was pretty cool. I saw “my neighbour totoro” in theatre. This album is alright. 6.5/10

There are probably some days where this album would register as a 5 for me. It gets very Minutemen-esque at times. There's just a bit too much screeching for me to fully embrace it though.

Talk about bookending an album with the most abrasive noises ever. In between that, there are some really interesting songs and some that I could do without hearing again. The instrumental or mostly-instrumental songs are by far the best. I can understand a place on the list as something you should listen to but it won’t be more than once for me.

It has the making of a reasonable album and its pretty raw, energetic and has the elements of punk to be a little more disruptive than normal which is what I would expect musically. I can't put my finger on this but I don't love it.  Not sure if its the raw becoming a little grating and rough or if the silly noises can cause it to loose its edge. There are solid moments amongst this with a strong blues input which I like.  Probably just a case where the chaos overwhelms the good at times.  it's more disruptive in sound than it is in content is my thinking on this. 

Son un grupo para directo; tienen marcha pero es muy pesado oìr un disco entero.

Sure - they have a wildly distinction sound

Pretty fun album

Gets a little annoying after a while, hard to understand too. Nonetheless, kind of hard not to enjoy the energy and excitement.

6/10 - I enjoyed this album more than the consensus rating. I think the band is aptly named. Probably wouldn’t come back to it but I thought it justified a second listen.

I like the energy and noise on this album. It's raw and energetic, but I wish there were some melodies that stuck a bit more. Light 7/10

I think I like this

Very uneven but there was some good stuff and some other very annoying stuff.

Coming into this album with next to no expectations and only one other song of theirs under my belt, I was surprised on how many moving parts that some of these songs had without being too overwhelming. But that same compliment worked against it on certain tracks. I feel like this album took its time to really hit its stride but when it did, it was very solid. Unfortunately, the last 3 tracks kinda soured the rest of the album for me. I'm giving it the 3 stars because I think its strong tracks stick out enough but when it falls short, its a predictable listen at best and middling at worst. My favorite tracks are Chicken Dog, Eyeballin and 2 Kinda Love. Those songs had a lot going on but were punchy, memorable and not too abrasive while accentuating the band's strong points. The strong points being, the instrumentation and the production. I can take or leave the vocals depending on the track but the songs where it was lacking or don't exist make those tracks feel like they're missing a key part.

Well, by this album you can tell people normally grade albums from the first song. This album is not great but it is definitely not the tragedy most people graded, there are some really interesting (and 90s coded) instrumental and it definitely show that they are more experimenting with rock and blues in an unusual way. This is listenable and a little bit fun 3/5 . Some cool instrumental bonus tracks as well.

wel paar bangy nummertjes

Didn’t hate it?

Didn't love it?

More explosion than blues

Half this album has a beautiful energetic feel, but it's absence is obvious on the other half.

Pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t another dull as shit blues album. I enjoyed this. Raucous, raw and fun. Not sure I’d ever revisit it again, but it was still good.

Not my favorite JSBE album, but it gets better as it goes on.

Interesting mix of blues, garage rock, and punk.

Unusual for a 45 minute album to seem too long. It’s sort of like stuff I like but on the whole doesn’t really work for me. Think it’s the vocals. 2.6

Very long album that sounds a bit like Hendrix, it's ok, although I might prefer an alternative version with vocals by Frank Spencer.

Doesn’t feature the multiple world champion snooker player. Whether “h” or no “h”, that in itself was a bigger let down than I anticipated the album would be after the first couple of dissonant tracks. It improved TBF, but without ever pushing my like button, and the proto-punk sound felt a bit derivative for my liking. Needed Ray Reardon on lead guitar.

Loved it just too long. Dad of jack white

Not much blues in this one, but lots of punk and hard rock. Was a bit surprised I missed this one when released.

Skunk, starts rough but mellows out into a cool jam. The screaming at the end is cooler than the beginning. Identity, short but rockin' Wail, funky but a vibe. Reminds me of King from FNV. Fuck Shit Up, fine. 2Kindsa Love, similar to Wail. like rattling a soup can but in a good way. Love All of Me, Ramones-y with Rattlesnake Venom. Chicken Dog, meh alright Rocketship, Dynamite Lover Hot Shit, rockin. Can't Stop, Dig Firefly Child, okay Eyeballin, okay R.L. Got Soul, rocks Dig Get Over Here, Fine Sticky, Interesting. Dig Instrumentals are overall diggable but vocals are hit and miss. 2.9-3/5

Blues rock is super interesting

It's not just a phase mom!

Well this album sounded a lot better when I had several beers in me over the weekend, but a little different when you're sober. I liked a lot of this album and have to say I enjoyed most of the songs. It's definitely a different sound than I normally play. Thought of a harder Jack White at times. Wail was my favorite, but a number of tunes I liked including 2 Kindsa Love, Chicken Dog, Rocketship, Can't Stop and Get Over Here. I really enjoyed the random tunes played by Spotify after this album too. I spent so time checking out other tunes by these guys and I think they're pretty good and unique. I liked this and happy to be introduced to Jon Spencer! 3

3 I was wondering what the hell “punk blues” is, and I certainly found out. I gotta hand it to these guys, they hit the nail on the head with their band name - arguably to a fault. I liked the aggressive, rockabilly nature of this album, but I certainly could have done without two minutes of screaming at the very top. I honestly struggled a bit with my rating for that very reason - it really feels like this thing switches from enjoyable, garage-y blues music to ear massacre at the drop of a hat. That said, for as many times as it made me wince, there was something about the vibe of this that I still kinda dug, even if the songwriting isn’t that remarkable. For having 16 songs, there’s not really a ton of memorable moments, but I at least appreciate that they kept most of these pretty brief and didn’t feel the need to go into any kind of extended jam at any point. Still, the more conventional blues numbers are probably the better tracks here, like Wail and Chicken Dog, though you can’t convince me that homeboy isn’t playing the Are You Gonna Go My Way riff on the latter. Rufus Thomas of Walking the Dog fame also does vocals on the track, and I think it’s largely elevated because of it. The piano work on Can’t Stop also helped make it a highlight, and I liked the anger driving Fuck Shit Up, even if I find tossing the word “sluts” around kind of cringe by 2026 standards. Beyond those tracks, the rest of this mostly blends together, though something about the guitar on Sticky reminded me of Creep by Radiohead - did they rip off two songs here? Also, I have no idea who they were directing R.L. Got Soul towards, so I’m assuming they were putting respect on my boy R. L. Stine’s name - Goosebumps got hella soul. If you can get past the (presumably intentionally) shite production and the occasional destruction on your ears, this isn’t that bad. However, I can also totally see why someone would hate this.

Good fun

Bit mad but good craic

It was alright, interesting but I wouldn't go back to it

This was good craic, a bit like if Elvis and Jack White made a record, but in a good way. Started to sound a bit samey after a while

Wonderfully raucous.

Some absolutely awful and some good tunes - very conflicted?

This is a fun, loose, and loud record. Favorite line is from Can’t Stop: “Here’s the part of the record, where I’d like everyone to stand up, throw their hands in the air, and kiss my ass…” I laughed so hard I almost choked. What a non-serious and funny thing to say. It’s a fun listen. 3.1/5.0

I listened to this when I was angry with someone it made me feel better

3.5 Дуже забавний альбом

Lots of good bits but some rubbish

This one has some inventive guitar riffs. The lyrics are quite quirky, just like in early rock music, one example would be "Chicken Dog," sounds like something straight outta the 50s. The vocals are exceptionally goofy. Very very lo-fi and rambunctious album. Highlight Song/s: "Love All of Me", "Chicken Dog" and "Rocketship"

At first their song was a bit off putting, but it really grew on me over time. Talented musicians with a confidence that allowed them to make a very unique sound.

Well. I hated this from tbr first track. Then I grew on me. I don't like it all but it's intriguing and I think it deserves another listen.

vokal olmadı yaaaa ama güzel onun dışında

aslinda...cok ilginc seslerin uyumu gibi...nefret etmedim de arada birkaç banger da var gibisinden

I should really hate this. I just can't, though. Turns out that while I deplore prog rock, prog punk is kinda alright with me. Influence 4 (seriously, look at some of their collaborators). Hits 1. Quality 4. Intangibles 3. I listened to the whole thing without really noticing 3.

Wow what an absolutely fucked way to start an album LMAO I only listened to just after Sticky because that is the original album without bonus tracks. And honestly? This was definitely not that bad. I was expecting this to be absolutely fucked given the first track is Byron-core horrible noise but the rest of the album is actually pretty sweet. That being said, there's not a single song on this thing I'd come back to listen to, nor would I think I'd ever come back to listen to this album again. Still, a decent listen.

solid 3

I'm a bit torn on rating this one, I'm giving it a hesitant 3 stars. Some of the good songs are quite good, some of the songs are... not for me..

Pretty middling stuff. I don't mind a bit of heavy 50s influenced rock, but only for a few songs and if I were to listen to some, I'd prefer the piano led Jim Jones Revue to this.

This is a pretty good time if you're in the mood. Probably a bit much if you're not.

Yeah, pretty good. My Dad likes these guys. Dunno, I don't think I'd pick this out of a line-up though.

Well this was a wild ride. But I feel too long. I appreciate the wealth of music but I got over it about an hour in. Neutral rating.

An interesting album with a unique and kind of dark take on the blues. Reminds me of Primus a little. I’ve heard of the band and maybe listened to a little of their work before but this was my first album. It’s sort of a primordial White Stripes brand of blues rock. I can’t say I want to revisit it often, but I’m glad to have had the experience and exposure to them.

As a fan of quite a few Matador Records artists, I was interested to listen to this one. An amalgamation of punk rock & blues that's...let's just say, not for everyone.

2.8 Chaotic southern rock, reminded me a bit of what someone like Nick Oliver would go on to do. Just not really my thing, lots of different ideas but none of them really ever stick or lead anywhere interesting. Not terrible, but certainly not good.

Almost very cool

Offensive sounding, an assault on the ears. But I sort of appreciate that about it? When I managed to get into the vibe, I managed to see what it is what about and why someone might like it (even if I didn't)

This album was up against it from the get go. That scream at the start of skunk nearly got the album turned off. It's a patchy album that gets better as it goes and it rewards persistence in a way that I was surprised by. That said, I'm probably still not coming back to it, it feels like too much of a hot mess and I'm not sure that I want to put the effort in.

There's some good stuff and bad stuff. Bad stuff is pretty bad. Lyrically quite absent, but I really like the riffs. And I feel that seeing them live would have been a real real blast. Wail is fucking amazing, so the record gets a bonus point.

Friday w a blown out back and a lot of chaos kinda weirdly fit my vibe for the day there was a lot going on. Actual rating 2.9

Was not what I was expecting but still pretty good

You know, maybe with a little bit more fuzz it'd be 10/10

Elvis if he was good

Didn't hate it as much as I thought I would from the first track. The guitars and drums are great but it wears down the longer the album goes on.

I loved JSBE's album, Orange. This is not that. It's fine, but it's also more evidence that there are not actually 1001 albums I must hear before I die. 3 stars... but it's even a low 3. 6 out of 10 at best. It's got some good stuff, but to be honest, not a lot.

I enjoy Jon Spencer, so while not a "huge fan," I really dig his overall style and swagger. Yes, it's a hot mess of an album, but it slaps you in the face and demands you party.

There were parts I really liked and others not so much.

Alveg smá tilgerðarlegt, en líka hresst og vinnur á, sérstaklega seinni hluti plötunnar þegar Jon karlinn syngur minna. Góð riff og hress grúv á köflum, svolítið eins og prótó Jack White þegar best tekst til. Ætlaði í tvist en enda í þristi.

One of the stranger albums in this project. Bizarre production and composition at times, and yet everything is still pretty catchy. Like an Elvis impersonator in a shoegaze punk band. Very surprised how much I found myself enjoying this album, if very unorthodox. Top tracks: Wail, 2Kindsa Love, Can't Stop

I always love some good guitar riffs, but there wasn't much else here

The JSBX had a couple things going for them: crazy live shows and a sound that was familiar, but not dated. This helped tremendously, especially in the “experimental” tracks, to overcome the sense these were novelty songs and/or more of the same. Anyhow this was great fun for an overcaffeinated early 20something.

Trying too hard. Would have been happy with just the blues. Why they gotta go and explode it?

Decent but not for me- a little repetitive

Cover 6 Usually don't like shit that tries too hard to be different and not be cool (and that's what makes them cool - big eyeroll). But I actually like this. Tom Waits (usually) and Cpt Beefheart (always) try to be shit and I believe that's how they want it (to be disliked), so I oblige. This isn't as grating, however. They keep rhythm and timing, etc. If they're inspired by Tom or Cpt BH, they get maybe a D, (almost a failed attempt to be either, which is kinda a good thing) but means they're not as Tom or BH as the want to be (again, kinda a good thing, at least for those who don't care for Tom or BH). For me, this album is not as annoying as Tom or BH can be, so it's a solid C for effort (because the songs are basically about nothing, I guess?). Supposedly other albums after this are more accessible. Will need to check them out.

I endured rather than enjoyed it.. the odd song had me .. but overall it didn’t get me

A whole lot of fun. Sleazy and rocking, but will they ever top Bellbottoms?

Had this cd back in the day and this album runs hot and cold (Spotify version has a bunch of mostly crap in it). Love the sound of the drums and some of the guitar licks but Jon Spencer to me always sounded like he was going for a second rate Elvis. Dave’s for me are “wail” and “2Kindsa love”.

A rowdy, sometimes crass "punk blues" album. Not a 4-star album for me but it's generally enjoyable and occasionally hits highs ("R.L. Got Soul" and probably some other parts I am forgetting).

Pretty good blues/garage rock. Not sure why so many people are so put off by it. It's just rock & roll.

Album #958 This should be right up my alley - Heavy blues/punk rock - but something kept me from liking it more. Maybe a bit too much distortion and/or punk attitude. Kind of like how Elvis singing for the Stooges might sound. It does have good moments too, like Get Over Here. Sticky was stupid though. Average rating I suppose.

This is a band name I know. Appeared in every music magazine in the 90's. Never heard a song until today. This album sounds like the 90's! Very nostalgic

I like the sloppiness of it, at least it sounds like real people making real music. A lot of it is silly and that cheapens the whole endeavor a bit for me. Still, I can dig some dirty blues riffs like this.

Well it certainly sounds like they were having a good time. Diverting, fun, drugs.

I really liked it! It was a bit long but it was pretty fun I thought

Good

Interesting listen, but not my sort of thing

What the hell is this beginning lol. I don't think I've heard these guys before but I think I'll like them. Meh, it's one of those sounds that sound like a bunch of kids just got some random instruments and threw them in a room to make music. 3 stars.

Orange and Acme are probably better. Wettest I've ever been was after a Blues Explosion gig.

No idea how to rate this, first few songs were not for me but then it kept building and I really loved it. Needs another listen

Some cool heavy blues rock shit, but holy fuck that first song caught me off guard. Could have done without the last one, too. That said, chicken dog

Chaotic, but I like the raucous energy that it brought. The production of it seems fitting and give it that garage rock feel. Loses its way on some of the slower tracks where the vibe didn’t really match as well but then again, I’m not sure I could take a whole album of high intensity either. Probably works better in small doses.

En una de esas... Nota: 2.9

There were parts of this album which seemed like music, and parts where it seemed they were just making noise for the sake of it. The musical parts were enjoyable, the rest not so much. I quite liked the twangy guitar parts, but I'm not a fan of the singer

A little repetitive but good jamming

dug the last track the most

Got to give this points for originality. Idk if it was totally my thing but production and ideation was super fresh. I’ve also seen videos of them performing and they destroy live

Fun! But ultimately a bit much. Didn’t totally land for me.

Not as strong as Orange and a bit one-note overall, but the good stuff is cool. 3.5/5

Day 25 Was ready to hate this one with the way the album starts, ended up quite enjoying it though. Not sure how often I’d revisit 6/10 Highlights Wail 2 kindsa love

Never heard of this but I liked it. Nice hard driving guitar and yes, in some weird way it sounds like the blues. I'm on

Reminds me of Elvis, but with a more rock type vibe. The songs were hit and miss and some were very short. THERE WERE SO MANY SONGS.

Uneven album. Some good ones mixed in with some duds.

Блюз с прививкой гранжа, панка (и хип-хапа немного). Не расслушал с ходу, мнение составить не вышло.

This album was weird but I liked parts of it. I'd probably give it 2.5 stars if I could.

I really don’t know how to rate this album. At first, I hated it, but I felt compelled to listen to it a few more times and it really grew on me. It went from a 2 to almost a 4. I’m going to settle on 3, because whilst I liked it, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to it.

Something always so American about this guy that never translated for me. Gave it a chance, nothing particularly stands out. 2.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No, 7/1001, 7/27 (25%) Will I get? Recommend:

A mixed bag. Would listen again (and need to)

Blind album and artist. So much potential and completely ruined by the end of this album. And dont forget the immediate screeching at the start that scares the shit out of everyone. The blues riffs are so freaking cool with the punk style, and there are good tracks in here. Just sucks that an album can have so much good and absolute shit at the same time.

The Explosion is very much a hit or miss kind of band, and this is definitely is a mix of both. There’s some absolute bangers of the band actually tapping into the “blues” their name suggests while still melting it with a flamethrower. But all too often they’re just riffing with no end, songs losing structure, and it meanders far too much. “Orange” is a much tighter album from a pretty cool group, and even if there’s some barn burners here, there’s also too much filler.

Fun sort of chaotic noise, but probably the sort of thing that you’d have to see in person to really appreciate

Bit of a strange one. Plenty of rock, mixed with some noise, and I guess what I'd call blues. It doesn't seem to have much flow or sequencing, but there are some funky noises throughout. Unsure about this one.

Maso

Random yelling right off the bat does not give me a good feeling about this album. This is too much like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Scuzz rock is not for me I think. This genre of music could more aptly be described as garage rockabilly. It's like if Brian Setzer went to prison. Dynamite Lover is good, like if Chris Isaak decide to rock. R.L. Got Soul is the best track on the album.

Well, this certainly was a thing. This is like the when the trashy dive bar band throws you an original song but they're too drunk to remember how to play it. I like it though, it's chaotic, energetic and reminds me of my youth.

Was surprised by how aggressive some songs were, good stuff though

Uma música boa, porém é melhor do que eu achei que seria

I can see why people don’t like this album…. But this is some of the best guitar playing on this entire list…. White noise? Really?

This album sounds like your neighbors decided to get drunk on the anniversary of Elvis’s death and have a drunken jam session. I totally understand why people don’t like this, but I also see any some people would love this. I appreciate the noisy, bluesy punk sound but still probably wouldn’t want these guys as my neighbors.

A blues explosion should be right up my street but this didn’t really land for me, although I admit to listening to this on my mini Bluetooth speaker whilst painting with a fan on in the background which may have impacted things. The vocals weren’t really landing and a lot seemed a bit noisy and experimental. I may return to check I’ve not given this an unfair listen or indeed if people recommend I give it another go.

Too dry

Didn't quite click with me. 5/10

I did actually quite in enjoy this but still didn’t feel quite deserving of a 4 stars, just a bit off. 3 stars

I've listened to the whole album but won't choose to listen again. Parts alright, others forgettable.

it's fine. wouldn't go back though

This group should have never made a recorded album. I mean this as praise, mind you.

What an interesting experience. Had a few good funky jams, but I probably won't ever find myself listening to it again.

some fun ideas and sounds, will return to a couple of these

The opening scream was a bit jarring at 7:30 this morning, but overall a really fun album. This is the kind of record I wish Jack White would make every couple years. “Dynamite Lover” was my favourite but solid front to back. High 3

2.9 Trash Album cover. My take was that a few songs were written tongue in cheek, which I sorta liked. Pretty poor reviews from the 1001 community. I think I liked it overall and will take another stab at it at one point. Those that did like the Artist seemed to have suggested the Orange album to be a better choice. I will check that out too

This dropped when I worked at Tower Records and I totally slept on it. It's funny to listen to it now because I can totally hear the 90s in it. Is it in the production? Is it in the arrangements? Is it in the drums? Chord progressions maybe? I think what I'm hearing is the sort of DGAF indie freedom that permeated a lot of stuff of that era, when labels were more willing to take chances on artists and release records that challenged conventionality and took a bunch of genres and frapped them in a blender. Jon Spencer was a collaborator with Beck in the mid 90s and it really shows here. Several songs on this release seem a little short, kinda like sketches more than fully realized pieces. "Chicken Dog" is pretty great, especially since it features R.L. Burnside for a hot minute. The energy of "Dynamite Lover" and "Can't Stop" are fantastic. This really grew on me with each successive track. I'll probably be coming back to this again, at least to put a track or two on my 90s Alt Parking Lot playlist.

Those are quite the sounds to open up the album. And quite the sounds throughout the album too. Holy chicken dog.

These dudes were huge among the cool indie set back in the ‘90s, but never really hooked me. Like the other album of theirs I own, this is fun but not something I seek out.

Not really bluesy!

Initial thought was “teenagers discover distortion pedal” got better throughout the album

I am not sure that what Jon Spencer explodes is Blues. This is a raw, garage band style, album but it doesn't really sound like the blues to me. It is a classic case of energy and power without soul, and if blues lacks soul, what is the point.

Beware the jumpscare when you put this album on!! I was using headphones and nearly shat myself I actually weirdly enjoyed this album on the whole. It loses a star though for the terrible screaming and weird noises. The last song was like nails on a chalkboard 3 ⭐️

It’s ok, pretty unique though

Iffy album by the Blues Explosion which is a shame because I like most of their dtuff

Annoying screeching gets in the way of some good wild tunes.

Good vibes

I really enjoyed the middle third or so of this album, where I felt like it hit the perfect blend of bluesy, thrashy, and hooky. The begging and end were out of balance in the thrashy direction, but overall a solid listen.

Very interesting, I’ve never heard before. Eclectic, different edges of dissonance but worthy of ongoing consideration.

This sounds quintessentially 90s, like a slightly less edgy Mellow Gold. but by 96 this slacker sound had already permeated and this album isn't consistently interesting throughout, so I'm a little puzzled by its inclusion. Still an overall fine album, but I wouldn't rush to a relisten.

Favorite tracks: Skunk, Wail, Chicken Dog, Dynamite Lover The aspect of mixing blues rock with punk rock is so interesting to me, and the way in which Spencer blends the genre into a fully noisy and manic record really works for me. If this were more consistent, I'd consider it to be one of my favorites in the dive so far.

This was fine but I think Orange is better.

Not really for me, but I can see where this would have been influential or had an impact during the time.

3-4 standouts, some ok stuff, filler, a reprehensible closer. Honestly, the album from this band is ORANGE and then Extra Width. Just google the video for "Bellbottoms" - Orange is fun. This. Notsomuch fun.

Always found them interesting.

Out the gate : I have a soft spot for Jon Spencer BE as I bought ‘Orange’ on what I consider the best day of my music FfS discovery life : back in the early 90s, when you had to make an actual cash transaction with money you could t really afford to spend, I was at Sam the Record Man on Barrington and picked up ‘Orange’, Ben Harper’s “Fight for your Mind” and Don Volt’s “Trace”! No disappointments in the lot. Now, JSBE is still pretty great - one foot in the old blues, one foot in NYC punk, one for in pop music, one foot in performance art (not sure how he plays guitar with all four feet on the ground…). While the music can veer from grooving’ blues to noise (like a man yelling and banging on your garbage can lids, making you late for work because you’re a little bit scared to go outside with him there…), overall I’m in for the ride.

Been a casual listener for years. Always like it when it’s on and then forget about them for long stretches. This album is solid.

definitely experimental but amongst the slog of noise there were some real highlights that sounded like SOAD meets Elvis

Love me some Jon Spencer, but I think Orange should be on this list over this album. Also he is coming to the Beachland on May 21.

Never listened to these guys before. I like it. It’s kind of unhinged and energetic.

It's not bad but for 1996 I'd expect better mixing, it sounds like it was recorded on a blender.

Cool album. Seems like a bit of metal influence in here. Don’t think I like it enough to re-listen though.

"Wail" is good, but overall I'm just not too sure how to feel about this album.

Erikoinen mutta hyvällä tavalla! Raju jopa! 3/5

Hyvällä asenteella tehtyä räminää, mutta vähän meinasi mennä kikkailun puolelle. 3/5

Fun for the first few songs, gets a bit tiring after that

Nothing I could call a masterpiece here, but... Cool band, noisy and chaotic as we love it. 45 minutes of fun and energy!

Oh wow, this is an album I'd put on if I had to explain what Gen X was like back in the nineties to modern kids. I'm an elder Millennial with a Gen X husband, I've got a definite soft spot for a portion of that cohort, but I feel like I'm just a bit too young to truly appreciate this... drunken jam session? That's what it sounds like, anyway.

This was fine. Nothing terrible, some interesting stuff, but nothing to write home about

Never has a band delivered on what their name promised more than this band. Chaotic blues rock better than I think other reviews here would indicate 3.5*

I would like fewer long songs please. If I saw them live I bet it would be a bop and I did like the moody distortion

Glad I read the reviews, interesting album and sounds but not something I gravitate to

What an unappealing start to an album with someone screaming for 10 seconds, which is a shame because its a good song Firefly Child is excellent Eyeballin has some really interesting percussion

Day433 - maybe the jon spencer punk explosion would be more fitting. chicken dog with rufus thomas was my favorite song on the album

Jon Spencer's previous "project", Pussy Galore recorded a song-by-song cover of the Stone's, Exile On Main Street in 1986. It was noisy, abrasive, the songs were barely recognizable and it was nearly unlistenable. If you need to clear the room of friends overstaying their welcome, play Pussy's Exile and it will immediately have people running for the exits. If you cranked up, "Now I Got Worry" from Spencer's "mature" band, The Blues Explosion instead, those same people will wreck your furniture, terrorize your pets and open the Christmas presents under the tree, but they won't leave! The music is raw, experimental, blues-based rock, but it's a much more cohesive and accessible sound than Pussy. It's still noisy and annoying at times, but after a repeated listening, it's starting to grow on me and could even listen again. I can't help but think of Beck when I hear this, similar in sound and varied randomness. Now, if I just had better friends, everything would be fine.

Cooler than I imagined!

first listen has energy but not what catches my attention

This was so fucking weird. I can't tell if I like it or dislike it. I guess the answer is both. At its best this kind of sounds like White Stripes or Red Hot Chili Peppers were on Amphetamine Reptile Records, and at those times it's honestly kind of cool genuinely, there's this effortless jazzy/bluesy meets unpretentious noisy rock vibe to it that kind of reminds me of Helmet but overall it still just feels corny and this is an abomination that could've only happened in the '90s. But I also love '90s schlock so this is so hard to rate. Idk if this makes sense but this album feels like jerking off when you're not turned on, and you could get yourself into it if you really tried to fantasize but like why bother? I respect that this seems to be intentionally doing something confrontational in a semi-commercial sounding way which is a respectable fuck-you to two opposing crowds at the same time but it's also not that good if I'm being honest with myself and I'm probably never gonna listen to this again to preserve my taste in music and protect my peace.

Not really my style of music but I did like Firefly Child.

2.5/5

Weird, overly long, but funky and interesting

Ik vind het experimentele en het herrie-achtige deels wel leuk, maar uiteindelijk is het toch wel een beetje een kutalbum. En tegelijkertijd is het ook weer niet kut. Ik weet niet zo heel goed wat ik hier mee moet. Het fascineert me, maar ik word er ook moe van. Sommige gitaargeluiden zijn echt heel vet, maar het is me toch net iets te weinig muziek om er echt van te kunnen genieten. Het is heel raar om zo'n uitgesproken album een nietszeggende 3 toe te schuiven, maar ik kan gewoon niet kiezen welke kant het voor mij op valt. Ik hou het daarom op een vies neutrale 3.

Not what I expected and hell yeah I liked it!! Not amazing but after listening to a lot of unoriginal well produced slick albums this is a total mish-mash and spur of the moment sounds.

Erm, okay

Perfectly fine and here and there outright cool, but highly performative and poseur-y, besides being a borderline novelty act (which one recalls thinking at the time of their coming out, too). Might they now seem a sort of second-rate White Stripes? Or Black Keys? One certainly prefers RL Burnside and might go with Mojo Nixon over these cats if forced to choose.

This record is ridiculous, but it prompted a wide smile while listening.

It was kinda weird and I listen to Ween

I could kinda see coming back to this if I needed some weird shit. But I don't think it's a heavy rotation type of record.

Not as bad as I feared but not as good as I’d have liked

I am a sucker for two types of album openers. The first of which, I like to call the EDM Headliner Opener, where there’s a long drawn out buildup starting from practical silence and slowly easing you into some epic opening melody. The second method, after listening to this album, will from here on out be known as the “Skunk” method. 0.00 seconds wasted, your attention has been commanded by way of screaming. You don’t get much of a break until “Wail”, where noise rock meets some Elvis jiving. We continue our dive into the odd trip with the psychedelic “Fuck Shit Up” where you realize that the only rules this album follows is that there are no rules! I think this album retains its fun factor until “Love All Of Me”. Something about the more twee intro of the song made me want something more. The blueprint is set from this point on. Rocknroll tangents, baritone crooning that jumps to distorted yelling. High-energy in-your-face performances. I appreciate this album for how uncompromising it is, and how I haven’t heard much else like it on this list so far.

Can you imagine how bad the groupies for this band smelled? 3 stars

Fun garage rock.

You're in for a treat, but first you have to survive the first few tracks.

I can hear the blues base under all the hard rock layered over it, but this is hardly B.B.'s blues. But it's rockin' fun.

This has a lot of elements of music I like. It's weird, high energy, and noisy. I like it but I don't love it and I'm trying to figure out what aspect of it is what's keeping me from loving it. Maybe it's the Elvis voice. Maybe it's weird but not weird enough. Maybe it's not psych enough. I'm not sure. But I love the variety of sounds and the blues and punk aspects of it. It was good enough that I want to check out some of their other records.

I’ve been on a very consistent streak of good, not great albums lately. I can’t seem to break the trend, and this album isn’t helping that. But I’d rather get okay albums that still have redeemable qualities over albums that are objectively bad. I saw an amusing comment about this that said “Wow it’s rare that I hate something instantly. This accomplished that feat.” This only becomes funnier once put into context with the album. I’m really not all that familiar with punk blues, but hearing Jon Spencer’s terrifying and painful scream as the opening four seconds of this album, it sets the stage very well. If you were holding out hope for anything even remotely normal after those beginning few seconds, I’m sorry for you. Jon is probably best described as a mix between Tom Waits and Nick Cave when he was apart of The Birthday Party. I can only describe this listening experience as rather unsettling. But I sort of dig it. It’s rare to hear something so genuinely unpleasant on a list filled with dozens of generic pop and rock Billboard Top 100 rejects. The booming and distorted drums and guitar make this album thump in your ears. And as weird as this album sounds, I think the musical ability and particularly creative writing on some of the slightly longer songs make this a relatively enjoyable listen. Rating: 6/10

3 maybe 4 reminds me of Ween

Phoaw this was pretty long! I'm not entirely sure what I made of it tbh. It was quirky and weird at times and others it just felt like normal prog rock. It didn't annoy me but it didn't capture me either

Didn't really make any impression on me to be honest. Was fine I guess but quite long

Dość męcząca

i love weird shit but this feels almost try hard and derivative

Good guitar and drums, I like the intensity. 3.5

Interesting, although I prefer my punk non-bluesy. Elvis impressions were pretty fun. Side note - what a terrible album cover. Favs: Wail, 2Kindsa Love

Really fascinating stuff, but not particularly listenable.

Enjoyed this a lot honestly. A fun mix of sounds for me. Not exceptional or anything but a good listen!

Pretty cool and noisy. Some songs were annoying

This was pretty cool! Don't know how I feel about Blues Punk music I appreciated the noisy moments

It was interesting. A lot of energy. Pretty fun overall but the individual tracks were not super memorable.

Definitely an explosion

ganz cooler sound oft aber nit soo memorable und paar shit songs

Definitely the type of record one would be into if one were into this type of record. Not terrible and certainly rocks intermittently ("R.L. Got Soul" is a high point), but not very authentic either, and so blatantly performative ("hey, let's dress up as blues artists for Halloween!") as to not even merit an accusatin of cultural appropriation. The opening scream tells one all one needs to know about their intention (which seems to be attention basically) and their willingess to overreach to achieve it. And one can't think of too many other records less deserving of a Deluxe edition.

Some pretty interesting thrashy aggressive punk. I need to listen to more because I have a feeling that this album only just starts to get into the sound that this band dives into. Enjoyable listen! Was really thrown off by the shout as the first thing that you hear on the record. Cool overall sound though.

ég kann við þetta hugmyndafræðilega. en vantar stundum melódíur. vinnu mögulega á við aðra hlustun, 3,5.

Wants you to believe it's better than it is. Other albums by JSBE are better.. bit this is still fun at points

I didn't like it at first but then I got in a really bad mood and it was perfect. I finished the album on my evening run and it was also great for that. I would say it's not for me, except for when it is. Rating: 3

Saved to library

Never heard of them. Sounds a lot more like punk than blues to me.

This must have been influential on the White Stripes. I can't say it was that fun to listen to otherwise with the screaming in track one especially difficult to hear as I started my day. "Chicken Dog" was cool though. It definitely had Hendrix vibes.

not sure how i feel its between a 2.5 and 3 star

It's fine. Not really offensive

not bad. better the more bluesy it got worse the more punk if that makes sense

Albumi #113, 18.11.2024 Jon Spencer Blues Explosionin viides albumi määritellään punkbluesiksi. Kovaa räimettä.

It is more of an explosion than blues - angry attack on society- what is not to like

Not what I expected. More punk blues which was very interesting

I liked it, but man the 90's was just full of albums that needed to be cut down by 1/3 in my opinion. This one being so loud (had the loudness wars started already? Felt like it) and in your face was just too long for me

Not bad

There are aspects to this that I really enjoy, yet at the same time I find it incredibly irritating. Strange. I suspect if I listened to this a bunch more times I might grow to love it, but I'm also not sure I want to put in that work. Low 3.

Some interesting qualities in here but also some kind of obnoxious songs too. I had the volume up high and that first song really set me off. Never heard of this group before and I'm not sure I'll think about them again.

Punk Elvis. Favorite tracks: Skunk, Wail, Fuck Shit Up, Firefly Child. Album art: Honestly quite terrible. A really elaborate crest with the artist/album name, but it's off-center over a black void, and then an even more off-centered picture of, one can only assume, Jon Spencer. It's so bad it's alright kind of thing. 3.5/5

hmmm... couple bangers on here but a hell of a lot of overdrive

High energy, raucous fun. Unfortunately my fave song is on the bonus tracks, Cool Vee, so I'll give the award to Rocketship.

I've apparently unknowingly heard a few tracks by this band on compilations over the years, but have otherwise steered clear of them, probably because of the name? I was expecting some sort boomer-friendly vanilla blues dreck, not this raucous AF garage rock! My cats really did not like the screaming in the first track, heh. Once I got over my genre surprise, eh, this is ok - an interesting listen, though nothing grabbed me very strongly and I don't feel much of a need to revisit. Fave track - eh, "R.L. Got Soul" maybe - gotta say, I didn't feel compelled to look up many of the track names while listening....

Actually some good rock grooves here. Unfortunately they just had to try and be different and throw in random stuff all over the place

to me, this sounded like a mix of iggy pop and jack white. pretty cool.

This was half annoying, half groove-tastic. The annoying part overwhelmed the groove-tastic part, though.

Punk-blues like a mouthfull of glass.

Messy, but sometimes fun

Has a cool attitude. Bit much at times

A few traditional cuts- but a lot of this was controlled noise and chaos. Sometimes it worked for me and sometimes it didn’t. Depending on the day and mood -this could be a 2-4

This just barely earns a 3 for having the audacity to combine blues and punk and having some of it sound halfway decent. A curiosity.