Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I may be more punky than I thought :)
More like “noise explosion”. 1/5
Well that is one way to start off an album, very grating introduction lol. Overall I enjoyed this album, lots of blues influence obviously, but then some punk and avante-garde type stuff as well. Great music to have in the background. I would give it a 7/10, but round down to 3/5. Some of the weirder songs detract from the overall great vibes. Favorite Songs: Wail, 2Kindsa Love, Eyeballin, Least Favorites: Skunk, Sticky
Rip-roaring rock and roll. Having followed Pussy Galore around the UK in the early 90s, this album comes as no surprise - following on from the later PG albums. Some great riffs and lots of noise thrown in there too. Jon Spencer being Jon Spencer, and much fun it is too.
This was a mess. I rather liked it. Fuck Shit Up is the obvious stand out. It sounds like it should. I don't remember this being played on the radio. Mr Spencer is a very excitable fella. Thirty two tracks was pushing it a bit. May - or may not - have made it to the end.
Hard 70s rock but with the 90s heaviness and smear of grunge. Pretty good stuff!
This is a crazy album. The first track startled me at the beginning, but it turned out to be pretty good.
Not great
Explodey. 3 stars.
Ain’t no way I HAD to listen to this before dying
Blues rock through the lens of Gen X punk attitudes. Got a bit tiring listening through the whole thing though.
Waited patiently for something that resembled a decent song. None of the musicians at any point making this album thought, hey this is ridiculous?
oh, i -suffered- through this one. there isn't a single song i ever want to hear again on this album. i really am not sure why it's on this list.
This is one of the worst albums.
I can't listen to this crap. Gave it 2.5 songs 2/10
I really liked this album, which surprised me. I hadn't thought of myself as a blues person. Very good.
I don't give a 1 star often (this album is my third after 300+ albums), because I can usually find something redeemable, but this album was just a pain. The singing/screaming is often incomprehensible, it is a lot of harsh noise and the worst sin of all (which knocked it down from 2 to 1 stars) is that it is 1h20 minutes long. You have to come with something really special for me to want to spend ~1/24th of my day listening to you and this is very far from that. Couldn't even finish it (first time that happened!!!) once I realized I barely made it half way, This is too self-indulgent.
This album seems to have a lot of negativity on this site. So I didn’t have high hopes, but went in with an open mind. The opening scream was immediately off putting. But after that the album really picks up and to be honest a mix between punk/psychedelic/blues is right up my street. Really enjoyed this album. So raw but so many hooks to keep you going but yeah some of the lyrics are a bit immature. Overall I think this is a Great album which is now added to my frequent rotation. Reminds me a lot of black pistol fire, who must of been influenced by this. 4 stars out of 5.
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background
Hmm
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Now I got Worry Wow. Not at all what I was expecting. This was like listening to a RL Burnside and the Bad Brains collaboration. We got some hard core punk infused with the blues. This album is not for everyone, but I found some things that I did enjoy. I don't care for the screaming parts but as with a lot of albums, I really love the music parts and sometimes just wish we were getting an instrumental album. 3/5
wtf
Well that was pointless and extremely irritating. DNF
Tried to listen. Just couldn't
It's the kind of music that sort-of exists
Starts with probably the most abrasive opener on any album I've ever heard. Pretty spotty, but I did enjoy a few of the lo-fi weirdo tracks on here. 3/5
More like Jon Spencer Blows Explosion. 1.5/5
Interesting.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion sounds like a pretty feral name, which sounds good to me. I’ve never heard of him before today, but I’m hopeful for this one. The album cover makes me think of somebody staring at a whisky bottle, but I’m not sure why. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Chicken Dog I have been saddened at how rubbish this album is. Art is divisive by nature, and this is most definitely art rock of some kind. There are overly distorted parts, occasional screaming as if being stabbed, and overall makes you feel like you must have taken something and be on a bad trip. I’ve mentioned Chicken Dog above, but that’s mainly just because the title conjures a funny image.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion had live shows that were describes as explosive and energetic. The recorded version of their music captures their energy, but does not present much of interest. The songs are repetitive, simplistic, and unpolished. This is certainly not "blues," in any traditional sense. Described as "scuzz-rock" or "scuzz-blues," these songs have a post-punk sound, and some of the guitar riffs and bass lines may interest those drawn to punk. Even those drawn to this will likely be disappointed - these inconsistent songs are not that memorable.
Really cool. I would say that instrumentally, this album is great. Vocally, though, there is this undercurrent I’d really sophomoric humor that wears out its welcome a but. I can look past that though, in favor of some really loud, cool psychedelic blues.
2.5/5
I just don't understand blues music. It's sounds like a bunch of sounds just mixed together. Also, the album was way too long.
I suppose I sort of respect this? I mean, its evident listening to this that there were plenty of early 2000s groups influenced by this project, but at the same time if all of those groups had said they'd never heard of this geoup in their lives I'd believe it? I mean, almost everything here seems like a surface level version of being "out there," without actually doing anything that challenging for the listener, and it leads to an album that feels like a snooze fest more than anything. It tries to wake you by the end with random noises and screaming, but if anything its too little, too late, too loud.
I kind of hate this but I kind of love it too. There’s some magic here, but a lot to sift through as well
I’m not a fan of experimental music but somehow I didn’t hate this despite the screaming intro. Decent background music and lots of potential to be hits but no memorable melody. I would sample this album for sure.
2 stars- hard to listen to this album. Sounds were too harsh and it’s not my preferred style of music
This was a unique album. Definitely lots of variety. From pretty good to pretty bad. Wail was alright, the voice reminded me of Elvis. Actually many of the songs early on in the album were pretty good. I think the albums biggest fault is it’s too long. And too many bad songs. They could cut the album in half and the album would be better off for it. I also can see how this would be a much better experience live. I could see people going crazy for it at the Crossroads. An interesting mix of emotions and feelings from this album.
No. I tried, but no. I can't do this music after even 45 minutes, much less the expanded edition. It started out okay for me and then blurred into the background as just noise.
Good but not groundbreaking.
Too extreme - shouty vocals, lack of melody or coherent structure and generally awful. I found this unlistenable.
Not horrible.
Not sure if he was serious with this or ironically doing avante-garde punkish music. Either way it's bad.
Started off strong with high energy, frantic rock and roll. Then it got really bland for another hour.
Some parts I didn’t really like but some parts I loved
This was hard to get through. I hate when people just play noise and try to call it punk. It didn’t feel genuine. It’s like someone said I think I’ll make a punk album next and made this.
This shit sucks, real bad
Yeah, Blues Hammer meets Iggy Pop. Uneven sound, screaming, does not work for me even a little bit
Not what i expected but i really enjoyed it!
some good songs. some pretty bad. par boute expérimental et d'autres moments straight blues / rock. not my style. felt over the place 5.5/10
1996, Genre: Punk blues, Alternative rock Punk blues? Ok.... never heard of this artist before. Standouts: 2Kindsa Love Others: Love All of Me, Wail, Fuck Shit Up, Rocketship After listening, I think it is more Punk than blues... There are a few tracks that are worthy of adding to playlists. Overall, a pleasant surprise. 3.5
Imagine a very bad Lenny Kravitz cover band, but instead of the usual singer, it's someone from the crowd who has, weirdly, never heard of music before. Imagine that for 119 minutes.
this felt to me like the white stripes' wacky older brother. some pretty good garage rock that takes some kind of insane turns. not my favorite, but a fun time.
Trying to be a rock band and Elvis at the same time. Not what I would call blues. He may have a blues guitar somewhere in the noise. But this I not blues. The title effected the way I listened, otherwise I may have liked it more. Quite chaotic.
That was really surprising and great-fun album. I love/hate the opening scream, and the whole album was dank and dirty with great guitar sounds all over it. Sounds like Lou Reed with punk and slide. This whole album is surprisingly progressive and definitely stands the test of time. I'm giving this 4 stars - which I'm really surprised about. This goes in my 'surprising finds' category of my 1001 albums experience.
Thoughts before listening: I'm pretty surprised to see this on here. John Spencer Blues Explosion were a big deal underground band in the 90s, but they seem to be mostly forgotten. They definitely aren't mentioned with the same reverence as a band like Pavement is. That being said, I do feel that they should be considered as a major influence on 00s bands like the White Stripes and the Black Keys...alt rock/punk bands playing blues based music. My memories of this album are that the JSBE updated their sound with some hip hop type beats but still remained firmly in the trashy blues world. I don't think I've heard this before so I'm excited to listen. Review: Well I was mainly wrong on the hip hop beats thing. There are a couple songs that are like a more punk rock Beck or something, but they come off as jokey interludes more than anything else. This album is mostly just a really dirty garage punk take on Mississippi delta blues. It's a little annoying if I'm being honest. It sounds like he's doing a bad Elvis impression with a ton of effects on his vocals throughout. I should have been into this back when I was listening to rockabilly punk bands like Rev Horton Heat, but I wasn't.. after listening, I can tell why: JSBE just don't have the melodic songs that drew me to those bands. I'm sure these guys would be really fun live, but this just isn't translating to record for me. It's too abrasive and seemingly focuses more on style than actual songwriting. In fact, I don't hear any songs that I like enough to add to my playlist.
Nah. 2/5
Not even finished yet but what even is this? Deconstructed blues or something? I mean, there are some good elements here but it just isn’t cohesive to me. And it’s far too long. Would probably be a fun live night in a small venue though, with a couple of ciders. Lots of energy I would imagine
I was misled by the name that it will be blues but it was noise
I'll admit it. This was a little rough going in, and it feels a little vulgar in places for the sake of it, but I ended up digging this. It's possibly a situational listen, but I think this is some solid anarcho rockabilly (for lack of better name), which shares some similarities with Beck, Captain Beefheart, and Jack White. Overall, I picked up on some very weird vibes like they would have thrown up a projector and played Herschell Gordan Lewis films while they performed live. This is further exemplified by the radio ads on the expanded version which I found amusing. The original album ends after 'Sticky'.
I was fully prepared to tear this album a new one through the first 5ish songs, but there's actually some nice displays of talent as the album goes on. It's still bad, but fair play on the recovery. Favorite track: R.L. Got Soul
Reminds me of the Eagles of Death Metal
What a fun album! I am always in for distortion and that garagey sound. And it mixes the angst of the blues with such sweet distortion! A genuine surprise. The ending track is genuinely some experimental noise shit and I loved every second of it. The first 6 tracks are fantastic - great riffs, impeccable energy and love the ad libs thrown in as well. Chicken dog falls a bit flat as the riff isn’t that interesting. Eyeballing and get over here also are decent - the riffs repeat a lot without a lot happening around them and it can get a bit monotonous. Overall the album is really fun and the sound is great. I’d give it a strong 3 to a light 4.
Not bad. Not sure I’ll listen again though
I could see me liking it more if I was in a certain mood but usually nah
2.25
Need to listen again
Grew into it, but not a first choice for a relisten
Did not like, weird
Opening song was annoying. My understanding of the blues may not be complete, but I did not really hear anything other than a couple of bars in one song that sounded anything like a blues riff.
Lil bluesy, lil punk. Real peanut butter in my chocolate deal. Love.
A rip roaring set of punk blues that presaged bands like the white stripes
Solid noise rock, but nothing really notable about this. A couple decent songs. I liked Firefly Child.
Noisy. No Blues, more explosion.
Varsin keskinkertainen ja motivaatio loppui kesken - 32 biisiä / 79min...
Joutuu kyl melkeenpä paskaksi leimata. Todella outo kokonaisuus
Get out of my house. This is as bad as the worst on this list. I hate it. Go away. Hard pass.
Really grew on me as I listened. Liked the scuzzy sound.
As much as I want to like this album, it’s fucking exhausting. There aren’t many redeemable qualities in between the abrasive, sparse production. I do like the drums for the most part, and the majority of the vocals are at least bringing something different to the table. But man, it’s one harsh song after another. Even when the band slows down and introduces a steady beat, it’s so tough to get invested because you’re still coming down from what the hell happened in the previous track. Maybe I’m just an old man, and the music’s too loud.
Now I got tinnitus.
Now that is a shitty album cover. This isn’t at all what I was expecting. I was definitely expecting more—harmonica? Maybe a Black Crows feel? This is much more interesting and out there, though it definitely falls into a genre I typically don’t stay in for long, kind of Melvins-adjacent. Bet their live shows were fun though.
4.5 - Loved it
I love their Elvis meets Rage Against the Machine sound, but it’s wasted on a bunch of jam sessions. There are no true songs on the album.
I have always enjoyed these guys and their style. Fuzzy and grimy rock. Nice beats and solid riffs. Will revisit.
This has no right to appear on any respectable music list
Jon Spencer may not know the Blues after all.
pookie
Thought I would hate this after the first few seconds but it was actually pretty interesting, there was a lot of fun chaos mixed in with the slightly unlistenable chaos
Nooit eerder zoiets gehoord, was wel gaaf
Not for me, Clive. Did not like this one at all. 2Kindsa Love was the only song I liked.
Was Yoko Ono the inspiration?
Pretty solid blues album! Enjoyable but the deluxe edition is very very long.
I liked the songs where he didn't yell at me. Mr Spencer I'll take more of that smooth slow blues, a little explosion.
Raw, Loud and distorted. Loved it.
This is an awesome blending of genres. It has elements of punk, blues, jazz, even some 90s hip-hop beats and record scratches. It makes me want to hear more by this artist.
Wasn't sure what I was getting into, and I'm still not sure what I just experienced.
1.6/5 - can't say I'm a huge fan of this genre. lots of yelling, but some of the tunes were decent. listened to 2010 reissue - 79 min
"Now I Got Worry" is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Punk blues and alternative rock are the appropriate genres. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is a trio composed of Judah Bauer (guitar, vocals), Russell Simins (drums) and Jon Spencer (vocals, guitar). A long, loud scream starts "Skunk" and the album is off. Tinny drums. A funky guitar. This is very much lo-fi and reminds me of Mudhoney. They add more bluesy guitar in "Wail." This is slower. I'd put this in the rockabilly category. Yes, of course, the false Elvis voice is present. The band starts to really take off in "2Kindsa Love." Loud driving guitar. Now, dual guitars. The vocals are buried underneath the guitar. This is raw. "Chicken Dog" is a punk rockabilly jam. An unhinged bluesy guitar. Hypnotic funky rhythm. I think Rufus Thomas on lead vocals. This song rocks and is the best on the album. They continue the blues on the next song and third and final single released "Rocketship." Slower and has a garage rock vibe. "R.L. Got Soul" is just a funky, bluesy instrumental jam. Great groove. Along "Chicken Dog," it's the best song on the album. This is a decent album. There's a bit of filler here with 16 songs. They could have cut a lot out and made a heck of an album. The songs are short and have a raw energy. At times, they remind me of a lot bands: Reverend Horton Heat, Mudhoney, White Stripes and the Black Keys. The songs mentioned are a worth a listen.
Punk. Blues. Rock. Curioso.
Well, it’s very very lofi, and has some dreadful moments but it’s not completely unlistenable.
Not my favorite album, but I can see how this may have set the stage for the 2000s garage rock explosion. Best Songs: Identity, Worst Songs: Fuck Shit Up, Sticky
Not really a fan. I like some music that others might describe as too noisy, but this was too noisy for me.
Weird screaming. I like to look at the curated spotify playlists that have the artists musics - this one was stoner rock so seems fitting for me? Actually into it once I got past the screams but probs not something I’d come back to
Not for me
abrasive (compliment)
Started well but I struggled to finish it
*1 second in* OW MY FUCKING EARS
Honestly I was scared and anxious while listening to this. Nightmare fuel. You’d have to pay me to listen to this again. As a piece of art very interesting postmodernism, as music to listen to its terrifying.
Oh my god. I cannot describe the amount of frustration I feel. To have that be the first thing I’m met with when going to listen to something. I am so uninterested in what happens moving forward. I looked at how long it takes to listen to this album. 1 hour and 19 minutes. 1 hour and 19 minutes. I’m all for nonsense music and punk scenes. But an hour and 19 minutes? I’m two seconds in. Of 1 hour and 19 minutes. Every time I thought “oh this isn’t too bad” I got killed.
Skunk = awful, please stop yelling at me identify = bad Wail = Johnny Bravo Fuck shit up = spoken word poetry, but i liked it 2Kindsa Love = bad, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Love All Of Me = bad Chicken dog = chicken dog (bad) how is this only song 7 Rocketship = bad Dynamite Lover = Its ok Hot Shot = Its okay, I felt like i was getting yelled at again though Can't Stop = really bad, felt like I was listening at .5 speed Firefly Child = ?... was my favorite lyric, bad Eyeballin = bad, outro was nice R.L. Got soul = R.L. Stine, ok Get Over here = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M9TzhlpMLg (bad) Sticky = I hate this artist's slow songs I think, really bad Cool Vee = bad Fish Sauce = bad Yellow Eyes = bad Turn Up Green = bad Buscemi = Steve Get With It = bad Let's Smurf = bad Down Low = cowbell <3 (bad) Chocolate Joe = ok Judah Love Theme = ok Dig My Shit = bad bad Roosevelt Hotel Blues = bad Radio Ad: Announcer #1 = not a song? Radio Ad: Ernie Eddie = not a song Radio Ad: Announcer #2 = why did they add these i don't get it Radio Ad: Street Sez-Ma: this one yelled at me again, bad Overall Thoughts: I really hated the first song in a way that make me really not want to listen to the rest on the album, but after that there weren't any other songs I really hated, it was just a slog for me to work my way through this album because there weren't many (if any) songs that really "clicked" for me. I wasn't a fan of the vocals overall either.
Surprised by this one after reading reviews. I’m a big fan of the genres this album blends but even then the chaos of this album fits the sound. This is an album where the opening five seconds describe what you’re going to hear, as the screams give way to a more punk instrumentation. My last review, Horses by Patti Smith, began hopefully but quickly fell off (in my opinion). As mentioned, this one tells you right from the start it will be chaotic and sticks to its punk themes. I don’t think the album is worth a 5, as nothing necessarily blew me away, but a 4 fits as this is one I will definitely come back to. All said, Jon Spencer is not an artist I’ve ever heard of, but this leaves me wanting to explore more of his discography. Songs of note: rocket ship, can’t stop, wail, love all of me (all saved in Spotify)
Not a big fan of this one. It wasn't totally awful, I just found it very repetitive and boring. I don't really hear anything new on this album that I haven't heard done better elsewhere. I don't have a ton else to add, I listened to it all the way through and just found it "meh". Standout Tracks: Wail, Can't Stop
I had not heard of this band or heard any of their music before. Even though it's mostly not to my own personal taste, they are very skilled musicians and performers. I do admire the way they play super-tightly even when things get chaotic and frenetic. In the right frame of mind, I have a feeling I'd really enjoy seeing and hearing them play live.
My favorite part about the album was the review I read for it that called it "balls on toast." It ultimately wasn't as bad as it started out to be, but no it wasn't good.
Dette var jo dødsfett!
Good
How is this a best if all time?
First time I’m genuinely not giving an album three songs. This is just a bummer.
Starting an album with screaming is a bold choice, and not one I like very much since I had my earbud volume way too high. As someone who doesn't really like punk or blues, this album was definitely not made for me. Don't hate it, but I'm gonna forget about it pretty quickly. My favourite song was Love All Of Me, I guess.
Very interesting album, it reminded me slightly of "Trout Mask Replica" by Captain Beefheart, but in this case the foundation of songs was really enjoyable - the blues was an actual blues genre. Vocal was also pretty good, going very experimental at times. Unfortunately, after few songs it became very repetitive and boring. Good idea, quite fun at times, but ultimately disappointing.
Just don’t like it. Added to playlist: Can’t Stop
Listening to this was the first time in my life to make me wish I was deaf
I did not find enough redeeming qualities to make up for how painfully noisy it was. Would not choose to listen to this.
Punky alt/grungy blues from the 90s Raw, distorted, abrasive vocals and guitars; reminded me a little of the Stooges at times It’s pretty solid and has great energy, but ultimately a bit forgettable
It’s ok
first few songs not great but picks up
interesting experimental album, very edgy, but crude lyrics.
Album is too long. Just over half I didn't hate. Though first first tracks and another 8 afterwards had it heading for a 1 but as there were more that were OK it tipped it to a 2. I've never heard of this band I'm unlikely to chw k out any more pf their stuff
I was really curious after reading the controversial reviews and was really into the first half. For an album that is pretty average in length, it got tedious pretty fast and I was really ready for it to be done. Not bad, but also not one of the greats for me.
Blues-punk? Really interesting sound from these guys. Singer reminds me of Mick Jagger in some songs.
Despite repeated playings this really hasn't left much of an impression on me. Nothing stands out beyond a fuzzy, scuzzy sound which is fine I guess, but not my cup of tea.
Really weird but I feel like I understood where he was coming from on some of this. Still doesn't make it good music
Sounds like hes trying to sing like Elvis lol
Sounds like the White Stripes before they existed. I really enjoyed it. Should check out more from then.
A fusion of the Rolling Stones and Nirvana? Grunge inspired R&B. Good but probably not listen again.
For the first time during this project, I thought that I too could possibly put out an album worthy of the list. 2 lowered bars out of 5
80 minutes of yelling and scuzz, with no swing? No thanks
Aaahhhhaaaaahhhh! Top album from begin to end. Love the energy, the variation, the combination of modern blues, straight rock and noise, the length of songs (usually 3 minutes maximum, no 20 minutes phychedelic stuff). Clear that he liked the same Industrial/Punky/Bluesy stuff I do and he combines it in a really good album Chicken Dog, the fun song Fuck Shit Up and the frightening Sticky (reminds me of the Deaf album by Foetus, DIY music!) my favorites.
Un álbum sumamente interesante, que mezcla el blues y el punk para crear panoramas sonoros engreídos y cómicos, sin dejar de lado el espíritu del caos intrínseco de ambos géneros. Se nota una fuerte afinidad e influencia de la legendaria banda Minutemen en muchas de las pistas del LP. A pesar de no ser un indispensable, si es un trabajo sumamente divertido que recomendaría revisar.
Rommelig en ruig. Wel vernieuwend toen, en nu niet gedateerd.
Much like starting your day by eating a handful of dirt, every album should start with ear splitting screaming to ensure it only gets better. At times it sounded modern Stones-y but really had an interesting 90s grunge character. Could take or leave the lyrics
Pretty fun one once it got rolling. Was wary at the beginning. Little but too long and a few too many tracks but solid bluesy garage rock
unhinged, experimental, and fun
Bluesy and explosivey
The artist's name really says it all. While perhaps somewhat controversial, I like Spencer's Elvis schtick.
I didn’t really like it but it got better as it went I guess
Not sure what everybody else thinks, but this is my idea of a good punk.
Как это вообще сюда попало
No please, open the album with an extended scream. You know how that thrills me.
idec
Not having a good run on these!!!
There was a lot going on here. I didn’t enjoy the chaos and screaming
I don't think i want to listen to this
Not bad, but not something I would listen to as more than background music.
No. Just no.
not what i expected
Noisy. Not for me. Hints of tunes amongst the shouting redeemed from a 1.
p791. 1996. 1 star. As rough as a bear's arse.
A bad album that I kind of liked
Sounds like a jam band having fun. Probably more exciting to play than to listen to. Needs bass.
What the hell with all the negative global reviews. I got this served up the day after Derek and the Dominos and it was such a palate cleanser. What if white boy blues had some form of passion and urgency behind it instead of an hour of Clapton's passionless wanking?
Schreeuw-blues, 1e helft kut, 2e helft matig. 1.5/5
Raw energy but a bit samey
This really does sound like a blues explosion. With emphasis on the explosion. Extremely high energy and lo fi. I didn't mind this at first but, although there are some fun elements throughout, it wore thin pretty quickly. Not sure what's going on with the recurring Elvis impersonator vocal style. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: R.L. Got Soul Date listened: 19/07/23
Why did it take halfway through the album for me to be able to hear the vocals? Spencer distorted the vocals so much it made the vocals REALLY off-putting. I liked how the songs ran into each other, they're very improvisational. I dug it, but I am still trying to see the blues to them, though. I get that it's more "punk blues," but that's what they are. Very raw stuff, indeed. The vocals still bother me a bit, though. I mean you can distort them for a few songs, but half the album? Come on.
Very spastic. I didn't get it at first and I didn't get the point of the screaming vocals on the opener Skunk (or the closer ). But as the album went on and as I gave it a couple listens I started to get a feel for it. There's a lot of funky rock going on that plays with a bunch of different sounds. But there's a solid rock undertone to it, even with all the distortions, odd changes of pace, etc. This album is unique that's for sure. Not sure I'm going to explore the band more but I did enjoy songs like Identity, Wail, 2Kindsa Love, Hot Shit, R.L. Got Soul, and Get Over Here.
Some bangers but certainly not my jam
Wasn’t into it
actual torture
i wanted to kill myself....
from the firsT second or not even that from the album cover i knew this was gonna be what it is. Worst thing ive listened to so far but at least the album makes it clear its shit from the very start 1/10
Started off with screaming and it only marginally improved. I didn't skip any songs but they weren't any good. There were bits of songs that were alright but there is no reason for this album to be included. Better than some albums on the list but not many.
This had potential
Interesting - not sure I’d listen again.
I enjoy the chaotic aspect of it all, and is quite a fun album, but they obviously made an informed decision to make it sound like it was recorded in a toilet in 1975. The lack of bass really reduces any impact it could have too and leaves it hard it listen to. Perhaps a slightly harsh 2* but I won't be listening to it again
Jack White has based his entire career on this album 👍🏾
Muscled and angsty
Here's a tip: Don't start off an album screaming into the mic as if you're fighting in the civil war and the medic is sawing your arm off. Having said that, oh good! I'm so happy I was able to listen to this album of 1001 before I died! Now I can go peacefully! /s. I mean WTF was this? 3/10.
Trash.
One of the worst ways to start an album is a super loud scream that continues on and on and on. This album was dogshit.
A very distinctive sound, the guitar bends, the wildness and energy that stays intense even through the bonus tracks. Would listen again, especially now knowing that the original run time was 45 minutes, not the 80 minute extended version I almost didn't make it through.
Big fan of JSBX since high school when I bought an LP of "Orange" cause Beck was on the track "Flavor" and was blown away by the rest. Ended up seeing them multiple times in concert, and you better believe they were great live. This album is like the apex of their creative peak from Orange through Acme, where they really started blurring genre barriers and experimenting more in the studio. It kinda surprises me there's so much disdain for this album on here, when the line between this and The White Stripes, etc. is absolutely clear. Yeah, it's a ton more aggressive and chaotic, but those are good things in my book when it comes to rock n roll.
Well that's a heck of a start. Can't say I knew that Punk-Blues was a thing but I'm kinda into it. I stopped after Sticky since that was the real album stopping point and the rest are extras. I think anymore and I'd drop it a point, but pretty good stuff.
Okay, I came in dreading this, but I actually liked it. A bit of an oddball, ramshackle mess of an album, but in a really good way. Noisy, garage-y, bluesy and fun. But the band is best when they lean into that twisted psychobilly vibe, which shows a strong influence of the Cramps. I liked the crisp pace; no dilly dallying here at all. Fave Songs: 2Kindsa Love, Eyeballin, Can't Stop, Dynamite Lover, Love All of Me, Wail, Rocketship
This starts out really bad with straight-up screaming and clipping microphones... This is an hour and nineteen minutes of just awful music. There is some musical merit to this for sure but I really really do not want to listen to this shit. The first 1/5
Favourite song: Fish Sauce
belbottom! belbottom! belbottom!
I wanted to like this one more than I did. Truly. I, like many, know them for their song "Bellbottoms" and think it a right banger. While I would not say that the music of "Now I Got Worry" is inconsistent compared to that song, it doesn't have a single track that reaches those phenomenal highs in my eyes. I may be a little generous with my rating here, but the album didn't overstay its welcome long enough for the negativity to sink through. There's some good. There's some bad. It ends before I could truly lament having listened to the latter.
Uneven. Chaotic. Messy. Very hit and miss. Not sure what to make of it. It's probably a 2.5 since some songs are quite good but a couple of songs are flat out terrible. If I was on the 1001 albums podcast I'd go neutral.
Explosion is a good word to describe this. Not quite sure what to make of it - it's sort of like Tom Waits meets Led Zeppelin, or some weird mash-up like that. I can get into the music, but not really digging the singing. It reminds me of the Doors after Jim Morrison died. They did a couple more albums with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger doing the vocals, and they sort of comically growled their way through it. Overall this is interesting, but not sure it's my thing. 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3.
I saw them at a festival around that time. Not very impressive. I never checked out their records. I like it better than I thought I would. Not all of it, but it has a lot of good parts, besides the weird parts. I also understand this doesn't work very well live. Favorite song: identity
Anstrengend 2 punjte
This was like Jack White, Tom Waits, and Wesley Willis all in one album. After the first 30 second, I was sure I would hate it, but it grew on me.
Oh I’m so radical me. There are at least 100 better post-punk albums. Rubbish
I don’t like it.
I can safely say I did not expect that opening. No sarcasm, I love where this is headed though I hope we get something other than incoherent screams for vocals. The crustiness remind me of early Modest Mouse in the best of ways. Chicken Dog is a silly one, but I'll be lying if I didn't enjoy the groove. Listened to this twice straight, but didn't really have any focus to put on it. That said, I really enjoyed both trips through the record. A bit eclectic in its composition, but super crusty with some elements of punk sprinkled in. The closer reminded me of Gonjasufi with the vocal effects. Thought this was pretty solid and will be back again. 4 / 5
Unerträglich.
This was fine. I don't think I would listen to it on my own.
It's like your already nuts college roommate rips a fat line of coke and tries to recreate a Strokes album from memory that he heard once. Slam dunk in the trash bin with this one Also this sure is some "first day using Microsoft Paint" looking cover art here
no
I have a crazy headache. Not sure it's this album, but there's a pretty good chance. This reminds me of Southern Culture on the Skids. It has a trailer park rockabilly vibe that definitely rocks, but for me not in the right ways at all. At song 8, I was disappointed to look ahead and see I was only halfway.
My roommate in Culver City used to play this all the time. I know, I know.... "This album is just noise..." but put against the other album he used to play Clikatat Ikatowi, Now I Got Worry was far better preferred. Also, JSBE turned me on to Boss Hogg, which captured my interest for a little bit. All reality aside, I can appreciate this album for what it is and in the time that it existed, but after 30 mins. of listening again, that was enough to score this appropriately.
Something definitely exploded. At first I wasn’t sure it was the blues, but it started to click on the third track, “Wail.” And appropriately named, because this blowing up of the blues does feature plentiful wailing, of both voices and instruments. If I judged “Now I Got Worry” solely off of that first detonation of noise, I would have missed out. The rest of the album settles into an eruption of punked-out rockabilly, carefully controlled chaos ignited by wails, howls, and bursts of frantic guitar.
I know it’s a lot of noise, but somehow, and I can’t put my finger on why, it’s not JUST noise and I dig it.
This is some pretty bad screamy shite.
Some mediocre ideas with terrible execution. Some of the licks are decent, but everything else is awful.
I think this deserves a 4. There is lots of invention and experimentation happening here, both in terms of the playing and arranging, and also in the studio work. It's playful and exuberant but also I think the end result is pretty good. I think I will put this on again some time. A good record from a band I never heard of until this listen.
sounds like shit
This jumped back and forth between annoying and awesome like 15 times. The annoying was VERY annoying, but it's probably harder to make an awesome song than an annoying one so I will bump it up half a star. 3.5 stars
Wait a second, this actually sort of slaps. Completely distorted guitars? Screaming vocals? Random "glitches" where the audio goes 500% louder for a millisecond and blows your eardrums? Rooster sounds effects?! Sign me the fuck up. A global rating of 2.55/5? Come on now, y'all just hate fun. Never heard of Jon Spencer before, so this was a very cool find.
5 stars!! Fucking LOVE this album! Jon Spencer at his best! There is not a bad track on this record!
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen…Right now, I got to tell you about the fabulous, most groovy…JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION! While I probably would’ve chosen 1994’s “Orange” over this record (mostly due to personal preference), “Now I Got Worry” is more raw and aggressive than its predecessor: a gloriously ramshackle blast of furious blues-based garage rock. If you can’t handle that (and it seems quite a few of you can’t, based off of your reviews), I don’t know what to tell you…the band is called The Jon Spencer *Blues Explosion* and that’s exactly what this record is. Would you prefer a more polished explosion or something? Maybe a nice, tidy explosion for your sensitive pallet?
hyvvää huutelua.. kähinää kuuluu tässä! mahtava kohina ja läiske... kelpaa kuunnellakkin. kiinnostava ja erikoinen hyvä lisäys tänne. mutta liian lyhyet biisit kokoajan tartte vaihtaa pistäppä viiden minuutin pörötykset tulille ja anna nauttimaan lähtemään, abbey road fanit antaa ykköstä heh.... decay of society, degradation of länsi maailma.......... dilapidation of man.......... rl got soul
Bad start, but enjoyed bits further into it. Was out walking the dog listening to it and every now and then I'd have a break while talking to someone. When it went back on I would like it again for a while. Last track as bad as the first.
Probably much better live…
Interesting what comes out of this generator. Never heard of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. It seems to be a mix of other 90s genre music like the Black Crowes, Punk, and then 70s Classic Rock. It seems a bit unimaginative and one note after the first three songs. Not much dynamic in the singer's range. Sometimes the sound tastes like Elvis Presley uncomfortably gyrating in a flannel jumpsuit. Sweaty, bored teenage angst. Immediately detest. Next.
Un tanto difícil de catalogar. Rock en ocasiones estridente, mezclado con canciones más relajadas. Algo de guitarreo. Sin pena ni gloria
At least it lets you know right up front that the entire album is going to be awful.
Oh „Fuck up Shit“ was the core guideline making Thiago record it worked out just fine
2.5/5. Not a good use of my time.
The reviews made me a little nervous, it’s definitely weird, but I kinda dug it
It's the uncle Ricco of blues bands.
Will revisit
Good god within the first three seconds I could tell this album was not going to be a good one. Nothing about this did I like. Big thumbs down for this- music and singing overall.
(.....Where the hell is the bass?) "...Will one of you please close the garage door, our neighbours on the next block can hear your shit aimless music?!" dreadful. 1/10 1 star.
Now I Got Worry is the fifth album by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. This punk blues / alt rock album performed well critically and commercially. It's not the band's best work, but it is a balanced project between their wild live sound and unique studio recording. I thought this was an interesting album and it made for a great listen. However, it wasn't amazing enough that I would listen to it again. Good, but not awesome.
i like the vocal twang in punk this mixes nicely. giving Elvis gone wild. this controlled chaos is the kind that smooths my brain wrinkles in a pleasant way and makes it so I can work. Fuck Shit Up is fun but the dissonance not really helping with brain smoothing, reminds me of the SpongeBob scene where Squidward is in the fuuuuutuuuree
This was stuck to my CD player when it came out, apparently at the start of my second year in university, though I could swear it was in the first. JSBE had played one of the best rock shows I’d ever been to at UMIST two years before, making me snarling loyal to the band. I enjoyed this record, but would’ve played it a lot even had I not. After listening the shit out of it for a few months, or maybe the year, I moved on to other records, and have played it rarely since - this was the last JSBE record I bought in the week of release. Almost 30 years on, I still like it, and find myself predicting the riffs, textures and garagey-guitar sounds just before they reach my ears. I remember Simon Reynolds comparing the relationship of JSBE and The Jesus Lizard to the great rock bands of the 70s/60s as akin to that of Tarantino to Peckinpah - this post-modern art can look nice, but where's the flair, the excitement of the new, the innovation? A contemporary issue of Melody Maker drew a line from Shellac to Lenny Kravitz via JSBE. Both arguments troubled me as much as they entertained me. But the experience of hearing this post-modern artefact from the mid-90's is a happy one: what I feared might be schtick is a work of love towards the components: big, buzzing hooks, queasy melodic runs, hypnotic blue repetition, and gigantic drumming. I've just bought the deluxe version. The instruments sound great: Russell Simins one of the most fun drummers I've ever seen, and the record is a potpourri of thick and warm guitar growl and wobble. Spencer's rambling is unironically silly, and the yelps are those of an intelligent man trying to have fun. Awkward, irritating to many - clear from most of the other reviews here - loveable to me. Hard to speak of tunes around this record, as its more a collection of riffs and textures, a murky party record that has me move my shoulders up and down as I type, which is about as extreme as my dancing has been of late. I’ve a lovely memory of my dad poking his head into my bedroom as I was putting this on, and wincing in retreat to the opening scream of “Skunk”. Four, and not just out of sentiment. I am happy that I played it twice because I wanted to, rather than out of duty... To the Effort!
interminable and indistinguishable elementary garage rock. Each track is somehow less interesting and more sophomoric than the previous. How this guy continues to have a career amazes me. Perhaps people think he's "cool", but surely not "talented"?
I added a few songs to playlists, but only for certain moods.
Har lite svårt att framkalla några egentliga åsikter om detta album. Ibland är det bra, rått och energiskt, ibland är det som de sämre låtarna på en mer alternativ Hives-platta. Inget som riktigt sticker ut. Men, ändå, punkigt, ibland åt elektroniska hållet ('Fuck Shit Up'), ibland åt det blues-rockiga hållet ('Hot Shit'). Ett bra album, men utan något som intresserar på en högre nivå. Hela låtföljden från 'Hot Shit' till 'R.L. Got Soul' är bra, gillar även '2Kindsa Love' och 'Chicken Dog'. Bästa låt: Flera som ligger lika här, typ: 'Fuck Shit Up', 'Hot Shit' och 'R.L. Got Soul'.
Gotta love Jon Spencer - totally off the wall chaotic rock and roll. I hadn't heard this one but really liked it.
It's cool that they were the backing band for A Asspocket Full of Whiskey with RL Burnside, so I'll give them a star for this, but this album was rough and just too much of a bastard for me.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. More punk. The curator of this list must really hate The Man. This album was the worst parts of punk mixed with the worst parts of jazz mixed with a bad acid trip. Did not like.
The beginning scared the shit out of me I thought Annemarie was being axed murdered downstairs. After finding out she was not being axed murdered and I had listened to about 20 more minutes of this album it gave me the urge to go on an axe murdering spree just to make sure that no one else on my street would ever have to listen to this album.
Well, that is certainly a way to start an album. At random times sounds like Les Claypool (voice, not anything else). Felt like I was having a mental breakdown at some points and needed to take my headphones off. I hope Mr. Spencer is in a better place.
Piss off Jon Spencer. You can't just screech into a mic and call it music. Also 1h20m of this bullshit is about 45 minutes too much. Why do you think people want to listen to over an hour of garbage noise? Piss off.
Orange is way better
There were some great songs on this albums and some weird ones as well. Sometimes so weird that I had the feeling they were trying too hard to be weird. Anyway, the good songs are interesting, and it's a genre that I haven't really heard before...noise rock, with blues?
Not for me
Shockingly bad punk blues album with ridiculous distorted vocals that sound like a bad Elvis impersonator at times, simple punk rock riffs mixed with some real experimental moments such as the last track if you can make it that far. One of the craziest albums I’ve heard and not in a good way.
njaeejaeaa neej jo eller? det var konstigt.
This is exactly what I like. Raw and chaotic rock music. I love the madness in it
It was blues with some snarl, I liked a good amount of this one. It was noisy, would probably come across better live. Chicken Dog was fucking weird though. 3 stars
um som bem ousado, energia e pa, curti
60s style but also mixed with strange concept album. Started poor, improved but back down again. Not planning on listening to anymore
Skipped the first track which was just annoying screaming. There is plenty of Low-Fi mixing and yelling and just overall harsh instrumentation. Like The Strokes but with angry vocals and jagged melody. I'm sure its an artistic triumph and speaks to many on such existential levels. I'm sure I just don't get its "explosive creativity" and message to rail against corporate conformity! Aaaahhhhh!!!!! Not for me.
The first few tracks were hard to listen to. Then I got used to it.
Alright
Subjectively not good
Want
Bloody awful racket. I would totally avoid this.
So bad, can’t understand anything, repetitive screaming
Genres: Punk blues, garage rock, blues rock, alternative rock Formed: New York in 1991 Run time: 32 songs, 1 hour 19 min Vocally, Jon Spencer reminds me of Mick Jagger with a hint of Elvis Presley. Musically the Blues Explosion is mix of punk, rock and very much alternative rock. It’s eclectic and unique. My Rating: ***
Explosion is probably the only word in the album title that describes this. It is just that. Someone’s brain exploded and they turned their thoughts into sounds and created this mess of an album. It isn’t good. It makes little sense. It kind of gets manageable near the end but by then it’s already made its point. Not good. Many other records greater than this. 3.7/10
Well, that album art sure is something... I know I shouldn't be too critical, since it was made in 1996, but I've seen far better image editing done by children in MSPaint. Should I judge this album the cover, though? Well... Given that the first track starts out literally screaming like someone's being murdered and I was wearing headphones, I'm going to say yes. The actual music following the destruction of my eardrums was deeply chaotic noise. It didn't feel like blues at all, and rather like someone's drunken attempt at playing blues. There were some great guitar riffs, but the vocals were awful and I couldn't make it all the way through more than one or two tracks. When I think of blues, this is definitely not what comes to mind. They've got the "explosion" part right, though... and not in any good way. I feel like my brain has been exploded and my ears may never recover. I'm shocked this album made it on a list of things that everyone must hear before death!
What the hell is this? And why did I need to hear this before I died? I pretty much spent all day laughing about the most upvoted review on this site saying it sounds like your drunk neighbours having open mic night. Nailed it. Most of this was god awful but I liked "2Kindsa Love." It's saving this from being 1 star.
I WILL ALWAYS 5 STAR JSBE
A wild ride. A bit surprised to read he is still alive.
This was pretty much unbearable and annoying. Unpleasant is a word I could use too. Mixing bad blues and generic 90's punk seems as good an idea as deciding to walk barefoot on a rusty nail without a tetanus shot. 3/10
This album somehow managed to redeem itself after losing whatever open mindedness I had after the screaming in the first 5 seconds with really rockin guitars and almost nothing else. Definitely seems like a great live show in some blues bar and it does get a little exhausting after a while but overall I ended up enjoying it I think. Wail was my fav and it’s a bonus that weird al was involved in some way.
drunk blues musicians screwing around with genres in a dive bar bathroom, recorded on an 80s camcorder. 1.5/5
didn't have the baby driver song
Grungy and rough, this album was fun and free, with very little regard of how an album is 'supposed' to sound. It was like early White Stripes with samples and spoken word slid in between the verses. Jon Spencer himself has a penchant to song writing, but is not much of a vocalist, though he does have a unique style. This was a fun album all around and the kind of rock and roll that I truly enjoy listening to. Favorite Track: 2Kindsa Love
This would be really freaking cool live. But yo momma broke soo.....
When this album was generated to me, I got worried. This Jon Spencer Blues Explosion sounded like a genuine curiosity. Regardless of the rather opaque looking album cover, there was this thought that the album may be a hodgepodge of 90s indie excess of the worst kind. Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. This album is rather awesome, with its erratic, jam band oddball eccentricities being put to great usage throughout its fitful 45 minutes. Give this one a listen, it may or may not be to one's taste but, when experienced, it's a plentiful time spent.
punk blues
Really weird, wasn’t sure what I was expecting but wasn’t that.
A bit like the Ramones, but then more bluesy, so same rating ;)
Great album, but no idea why this one has been include instead of the one before: consensus album Orange, which is definitely 5 star and was a bit hit at the time with lots of buzz.
There is undeniable evidence on this record that they can play, but the songs and album as a whole are way too chaotic for me to enjoy it.
Yeah, this is cool and intense. Orange is better though.
Still wild-out white boy blues and funk elements but trading in quirky playfulness for reckless abandonment. I like this album but it seems a little more self-aware cool than the loud and proud dorkiness that really captured me with Orange. Still a very fun record. I spent a lot of time with it.
The Allman Brothers' L.A. cousins I like some of the bluesy guitar but that's it. No repeat listening for me
Never listened to these. Heard Bell Bottoms on Baby Driver soundtrack, which I enjoyed but even that doesn't really go anywhere after it explodes. Threatens to be excellent but crashes into itself. Stopping after Sticky, that's the album. Skunk sounds like Odelay era Beck. Ah, same year. Wail, ok I prefer Lux Interior's mental Elvis drawl. This isn't terrible though. Fuck Shit Up - pass. 2 Kindsa Love. Think I've heard this before, another decent one to be fair. Love all of me - an extremely raucous song that still manages to be mediocre. A triumph. Loads more meh songs follow. Thank god I noticed the album itself is only 45 minutes long because it's really dragging. Only 2 half decent songs. Suspect this is a band that was probably great to catch live, but on record never quite the same. Leaves me cold anyway. In fact it started to grate. Had to stick The Cramps on afterwards as a palate-cleanser. Let's hear this shit done properly. The full "not great, not terrible" on the Dyatlov ratings scale.
In a bar in Tokyo once I heard a coterie of salarymen do the breakdown bit from 'Bellbottoms' replete with "UH!"s. This album does not contain that track, but the sentiment transposes.
This has the sound of a beginner garage band trying to show their chops by mimicking their favorite songs across the genres. Unfortunately, the performance quality is what you'd expect from a beginner garage band. Maybe with some lessons and a good producer, they will be good someday. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.
The bastard child of The Cramps, Stooges and a thousand other scuzz rock garage bands. Is it fake is it real? Does it matter. The only way actually this could be any more enjoyable is if Jon Spencer was actually an Old Etonian called Quentin.
A fun album with a lot of interesting sounds going on. Not a new favourite by any means, but a genuinely enjoyable listen that I can see myself going back to. Best tracks: Fuck Shit Up, Chicken Dog, Rocketship, and Hot Shit.
just ok
Noisy AF but completely exhilirating
I really struggle to connect with this. Maybe if I gave it more time the songs would grow on me, but nothing about it made me want to re-listen! Low 3.
Noise to die of
This is just noise and screaming.
3,5
Blues rock, bah.
Lots of weird shit coming together here. The Elvis voice is hilarious and kinda cool. Obnoxious and dumb at times, and too long, but I respect the insanity of it.
I really enjoyed this. Dunno when I'd go back go it but a great example of something you might only hear because of this list. Absurd. Ecclectic sound. Definitely not for everyone but very fun.
Weird and abrasive but I kinda like it
The first 4 songs are complete trash. The rest of the album is pretty good, butt you need to accept / adjust for the sound being created here. But you still need to get past the first 4 songs. 1.5 stars
Disliked it at first but it grew on me. It's unstructured and messy but still there's something there that I like. With that said it's not a great album but not terrible either.
Very strange and unique - "explosion" seems like a fitting name for the band. There are some real gems here, with solid guitar work and catchy melodies, and then there are other songs that just sound like a group of drunk dudes making bad music out of their garage. More than anything this feels like a novelty album, with the few decent tracks being drowned out by everything else. Not sure why this is considered worthy of being on this list, but there's something for everyone I guess. Good tracks were Wail, Rocketship, and Can't Stop.
1/5. Definitely not blues and not really that interesting either. Kind of hard to even listen to with some songs.
Reminds me of the Black Keys, but not nearly as good.
I wasn't feeling this. The album felt like it was all over the place with no cohesiveness. The lead signer's voice did remind of of Lux Interior, which I found interesting. Aside from that, this is just so so.
the name is a bit of a red herring. this was far better than the white man does delta blues i was expecting.
Well fuck my bleeding ass harder than you ever have before, it's only me old mate Jon Spencer with one of the greatest pieces of music to ever penegrate my hairy hoop. Fuck me. Fuck everyone.
Poor man's East 17
Dirty mutant blues n' roll.
Not for me