The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Orange

A total artist. An eccentric, bizarre, and unique songwriter.
An artisan of recording never afraid to mock blues clichés by transforming them into grotesque licks of an amateur band.
Two guitars and a drum (the bass? oh heavens, it wouldn't appear until "Acme" in 1998), some scattered inserts of horns and strings (very few indeed), and an inexhaustible creativity for a true explosion of blues!
Jon Spencer is one of the most modern artists I know. Capable of being a bit Jagger, a bit Iggy Pop, and a bit Tom Waits but above all capable of always being himself, he is the architect of his well-deserved success by mixing talent, boldness, and healthy irreverence that never stoops to petty compromises.

I got to know this musician through an unusual path: it all started with the interest I had in the group of his partner (the enchanting Christina Martinez, known during the time of Jon's first band, the "Pussy Galore," now an iconic group of New York's underground scene) called "Boss Hog"! Whenever I talked about the group, all my friends would say: "Well, of course! Do you know who the band's guitarist is? That genius Jon Spencer!" I'd usually reply: "Really? Imagine that! No wonder," even though I had no idea who this Spencer was, pretending to have knowledge I completely lacked, to avoid being embarrassed by my ignorance.
"I must get to know Jon Spencer, or else I'll make a fool of myself - I thought to myself - and I need to hurry..." So I arrived at "Orange" (album from 1994), "Acme" (1998), and the latest "Plastic Fang" (2002).

In reality, my initial intention was to tell you about "Plastic Fang," but while writing, I realized that I would just repeatedly refer back to the other two albums mentioned, so I thought it would be much more instructive, not to mention rational, to start with "Orange," an album as incredible as it is enjoyable.
"Orange" is everything an album needs to be considered a masterpiece. It is absolutely original, captivating, and packed with new ideas distributed intelligently throughout the album's duration (think of the duet with Beck, a guest on the album and a friend of Spencer in "Flavour," or the instrumental closing the work titled "Greyhound").
Starting by emphasizing the absolute absence of the bass (but beware, not the groove, damn it!), "Orange" represents the death and rebirth of blues at the end of the century. That easily audible background hum, valve distortion, and an almost total renunciation of post-production and digital give birth to a sense of "live project" with great energy and make you want to pick up your Strat (slightly detuned to get that "ragged" sound) and imitate all the riffs of the brilliant Judah Bauer.
A drum set reduced to a minimum, I believe just one "tom," worn-out skins, few frills, and lots of heart by Russell Simins: a constant feeling of an artisan creation that can only lead you to fall in love with the 13 tracks (watch out for an excellent version containing 3 video tracks viewable on PC) contained in this excellent work.

At first glance, it may seem sparse, rough, angular, with a sound perhaps even too "acid," but when you're caught in the street by a mad rapture that forces you to shout "BELLBOTTOMS! BELLBOTTOMS! BELLBOTTOMS!" you'll understand why I'm so enthusiastic about it.
Impossible to be without it, it's a paradigmatic album that will allow you to absorb (in my case "be absorbed by") the subsequent works of the incredible Jon Spencer and appreciate all the undeniable qualities of the most "ground" underground musician there is. "Bellbottoms! Bellbottoms, Bellbottoms!"...