THE JOHN SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
One of the most misleading names of all time. There is no explosion whatsoever in this blandly offensive music, unless you count having your thoughts of exactly how terrible music can be exploded.
It is a music of the past, a sad little affair that combines a watered down version of what claims to be the “blues” with noisy guitars. Instead of energy, they give off an air of smug self satisfaction, too lazy to innovate or even have the slightest spark of life: a tired little pantomime of shouting about having soul, etc. All of which gives off the air that the band find all of this slightly amusing, thinking that the blues and soul they sing about and attempt to play something of a kitschy fashion accessory that wins them cred with their new york scenester friends. About the most adventurous the music ever got was the remix album, and JSBE got that idea about 7 years after the most mainstream and pedestrian of musicians had done it. John and the boys are far too self conscious a band to actually try anything new, so they’re happy to rip off the same influences empty album after empty album after empty album. Their music is like a fashion magazine layout, where some pouty model in a fur coat strutting down a dirty street in the ghetto is supposed to look edgy and dangerous. You don’t know whether to laugh at how stupid they look or just spit in their faces in disgust.
And then there’s the matter of sexiness, which the more mentally challenged critics seem to bring up when talking about JSBE’s music. How in the hell any person who hasn’t had Clockwork Orange-style shock therapy could find this music sexy is beyond me. John might be slightly good looking (by indie standards anyway, so for a normal human being he barely grazes average), but in such a poseur way that it’s more repulsive than seductive. I get the feeling he gets squeamish just thinking about having to muss his hair up doing the deed. And Russell looks like a muppet with an overactive thyroid gland.
The name Wussy Galore would have suited them far better.