Jon Spencer
Songs of Personal Loss and Protest
I’ve been so excited about Jon Spencer’s music ever since he formed this new backing band. They’re youthful and bring a skill and energy to his songs I haven’t heard since the early Blues Explosion days. Add to that Spencer’s experience over these past many decades and you’re got a volatile and potent mix. Jon Spencer has never sounded better and his music has never been more needed.
Luckily for me, Spencer’s work and work ethic have always stood out to me. He once said that good music needs to be at least a little bit weird. Ain’t that the truth! That little insight has helped me for years when trying to figure out if I’m able to appreciate a certain artist or album. Not that it’s the be-all end-all of a good album. Since the Blues Explosion’s demise, Spencer has gone the solo route, and even though he has put out valiant efforts, his last proper full length album Spencer Gets it Lit was a little underwhelming. It was certainly plenty weird, but it just lacked hooks. Where was the outrage which the old Spencer music was soaking in? Had Spencer lost his bite?
I was a little worried with Songs of Personal Loss and Protest because the songs sounded great at first but they didn’t quite hit. But I love Spencer and so I stayed with him and kept playing these songs at work and my commute. They started to grow on me and my kids started digging them as well. It takes a little while because Spencer’s lyrics have always been direct and reminiscent of the blues and R&B of decades past. That doesn’t always translate with modern music. Can you imagine someone singing Little Richard’s lyrics these days? It takes guts! Thankfully, Spencer’s got guts, so it works! I knew I was sold when Mr. Lion became one of the standouts on this album for me. Musically, this album sounds raw and hits hard. It’s got those great riffs and blues-inspired melodies you come to expect from the man. It even has little easter eggs like in Give it Up for the Devil where the slow burn ignites into a powerful rhythm and solo and the volume gets kicked up. The more you listen, the better Songs of Personal Loss and Protest becomes.
It’s a great day for music and a great day for Jon Spencer. After all these decades his music still sounds relevant, urgent, and fun and with this new backing band he sounds reinvigorated. This is one of the best albums of year. Maybe it’s THE BEST.
Get it from Spencer’s Bandcamp page.
photo: https://pop-catastrophe.co.uk/
