Although he had been playing for years, it wasn't until the 1990s that
R.L. Burnside's raw electrified Delta blues were heard by a wide audience. His new fans celebrated his wild, unbridled energy, so it made sense for him to team with
the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the warped indie rock band that's all about energy. However, the very purists who celebrate
Burnside hate
Spencer, believing that the latter mocks the blues. As the blistering
Ass Pocket of Whiskey proves,
Spencer may not treat the blues with reverence, but he and his band capture the wild essence of juke-joint blues. And that makes them the perfect match for
Burnside, who knows his history but isn't burdened by it. Together,
Burnside and the
Blues Explosion make raw, scintillating, unvarnished blues that positively burns. ~ Thom Owens