A Reverse Willie Horton
A Reverse Willie Horton is either the debut album, or an early bootleg album, by the New York City-based Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.[1][3][4] Few copies of the album were produced; many songs appear on the group's next album, 1992's The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, albeit in a different mix or recording altogether (the sound of A Reverse Willie Horton is closer to Crypt Style).[5] All three albums are made up of tracks recorded in 1991 by producer Kramer and engineer Steve Albini (in separate sessions).
A Reverse Willie Horton | ||||
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Studio album by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Recorded | 1992 | |||
Genre | Punk blues, alternative rock | |||
Label | Pubic Pop Can[1] | |||
Producer | Kramer[2] | |||
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion chronology | ||||
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The album was released as a black vinyl LP in an edition of 500 copies. The front and rear art work are two separate images pasted onto a plain black card sleeve (with the exception of white text reading 'JACKET ME IN CANA' on the rear).
During an interview with Fiz Magazine (Issue #5), Spencer discussed the various editions of the first album and hinted at the origins of the release: "When I was travelling around with the Gibson Bros. last year I had a tape of that with me because we had just done it. I let a few people dub it so maybe something came from that."
Critical reception
Dave Thompson, in Alternative Rock, called the album "deliciously downplayed racket, purposely recorded to sound like a pile of old blues records, rattling through the cheapest speakers in the world."[2] Spin acknowledged the mystery surrounding the recording and called it better than anything that Spencer's former band, Pussy Galore, had ever released.[1]
Pointing out that many of the songs appeared on the band's Caroline album, Trouser Press advised that the versions contained on A Reverse Willie Horton were superior, writing "with their echoey mixes and cardboard drums, they sound like they could’ve been appropriated from scratchy 45s found in a secluded Tennessee thrift shop."[5]
US LP – 1993
- Side A
- Twenty-9
- Type Cast
- Water Main
- History of Sex
- Rachel
- Chicken Walk
- Big Headed Baby
- Support A Man
- Side B
- Lovin Up A Storm
- Comeback
- '78 Style
- You Gonna Change
- White Tail
- What To Do
- 40 lb Block of Cheese
References
- LLC, SPIN Media (July 15, 1992). "Punk Rock Anthems". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC – via Google Books.
- Thompson, Dave (July 15, 2000). "Alternative Rock". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
- Mccabe, Bret (February 22, 2001). "Out & About". Dallas Observer.
- Clancy, Sean (22 Jan 2013). "Blues Explosion detonates". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- "Jon Spencer Blues Explosion". Trouser Press. Retrieved 15 July 2020.