Tank full of Oil

Boss Hog - Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' Mini-Album (1989) & Whiteout (2000)

Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin'
Genre: Garage
Style: Noise, Garage, Punk,
Label: Amphetamine Reptile

With their mini-album debut Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' from 1989 Boss Hog didn't only put attention on themselves because of their energetic bluesy punk-rock sound. It was leadsinger and Jon Spencer's wife Miss Martinez being totally naked on the albumcover that caused some rumours too. Later they recorded Cold Hands (1990, with Martinez naked again), Boss Hog (1995) and Whiteout (2000) on which Cristina Martinez wore a bit more clothes.
Their debut containes elementary garage-rock songs, sauced with typical Jon Spencer (yes, the one from The Blues Explosion) blues-licks. In his vocabulary that means filthy and annoying, damn good and very addictive.
But within 12 years their sound became less trashy and more poppy. Electro was added, songs became more structured although they worked with noise-loving producers like Jim Sclavunos (Sonic Youth, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) and Jim Thirlwell (Foetus) for this one. The NYC blues-punk combo transformed into an outstanding indie-pop group with strong beats, samples and Martinez as a seductive singer, who's voice reminds a little at Shirley Manson's (Garbage). Pity that married couple Martinez and Spencer don't seem to put any effort into Boss Hog anymore.
All that's left, is Jon Spencers Blues Explosion leftovers album from last year and his raging project Heavy Trash. But that ain't no punishment. Not at all.

Tracklist:
1. Trigger, Man
2. Pull Out
3. Spanish Fly
4. Dandelion
5. Sugar Bunny
6. Fix me

Whiteout
Genre: Garage
Style: Noise, Garage, Punk,
Label: City Slang

It's difficult to consider Boss Hog without invoking the name of Jon Spencer. Not only is the Blues Explosion leader a member of Boss Hog, but he's also married to Boss Hog leader Christina Martinez, so his overwrought post-modern downtown, white-boy blues-funk is always lurking just around the corner. To her credit, on Whiteout Martinez keeps the dude at bay by taking the aesthetic helm (taking bass player Jens Jurgensen, drummer Hollis Queens, and keyboardist Mark Boyce along for the ride, too). The ten cuts that comprise this, Boss Hog's sixth album, are obviously her vessel. Don't be fooled by the dreamy atmospherics, the sultry vocal ruminations, or the awkwardly funky new romantic synth beats; she's painting the picture of garage punk and new wave girl groups as refracted through a 21st century looking glass. So, while it's occasionally as cheesy as Human League or as awkwardly skittish as the Rezillos, Whiteout ultimately finds Boss Hog able to manipulate the best of these associations to its benefit and remain as smoldering and funky as a hot NYC August night. And, while past recorded excursions have been hit or miss scattered affairs, Whiteout is a cohesive sonic effort that manages to keep its sneer without resorting to too many of Spencer's goofball faux-Elvis machismo antics. Christina Martinez has broken the indie rock rules again.

Tracklist:
1. Whiteout
2.Chocolate
3. Nursery Rhyme
4. Stereolight
5. Fear for You
6. Get It While You Wait
7. Jaguar
8. Itchy & Scratchy
9. Defender
10. Trouble
11. Monkey

Boss Hog - Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' & Whiteout
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