Music Reviews

“pussy_galore”

Pussy Galore

Live: In the Red

In the Red

Do you remember the good ol’ days, when Jon Spencer didn’t “Gotta Worry” and even had a crazier look in his eye? I’m talkin’ about the punk rock’n’roll band that, to many, serves to defines a great deal in terms of musical taste and attitude – Pussy Galore.

As much as one appreciates all Jon Spencer does to keep the great ball o’ music rolling into the next millennium, there’s only so many times you can take his strategic “well, alrights,” and him punctually shouting his own fuckin’ name over and over again. Pussy Galore is Jon Spencer in the prime of madder, looser, and louder days/daze. (Not to overshadow the rest of the band’s presence – PG was more of a dysfunctional republic of ideas and energy spread between Spencer and fellow, less musically-competent, bandmates. More so than Spencer in his current, more dictatorial style.) Spencer really stood out best when he fought his way out of a garbage dump of sound.

What raw talent and chutzpah Spencer has lost as a musician however, is compensated by his growth as a producer. Produced in ‘97, while recorded in ‘89, just prior to PG’s explosive end, with regards to production value, Live: ITR has probably got more goin’ for it than many Pussy Galore studio releases.

Live does a good job of capturing the pure, hell-on-wheels, attitude-over-skill blues punk of a fuckin’ amazing band that is no more, and would make a great primer for those who are not so familiar, and an asset to those already in the know. In The Red, 2627 E. Strong Pl., Anaheim, CA 92806


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