New release for Solex Vs. Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer

NEW RELEASE: Solex Vs. Cristina Martinez + Jon Spencer Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown! (Bronze Rat Records)

Listening to this first ever collaboration among these three, one can only think of that line from St. Elmo’s Fire: “A metaphysical precision collision.” The Dutch goddess of electronic, Elisabeth Esselink (a.k.a. Solex), got the call to work with the husband-wife team of Cristina Martinez (Boss Hogg) and Jon Spencer (Blues Explosion, Heavy Trash) and jumped in. After a few months of emailing and overnight shipping, the trio had their creation.

Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown! is a mish-mash of musical genres. It’s as if someone tossed Motown, funk, punk, and jazz into a blender and cranked it up to 11. Martinez and Spencer contribute their share of talking, singing, and grunting on this new release (May 18). On “Don’t Hold Back,” Spencer sounds like vintage 70s Lou Reed while Martinez whispers in the background. If Twin Peaks ever returns to TV, this should be the soundtrack. Most selections on Showdown may cause confusion in the listener at first. There are so many things going on simultaneously that one may not be able to process it all until three or four solid listens. After that, good luck breaking the habit of your latest addiction.

“Galaxy Man” begins with a request from Martinez (“Come on baby and play that song / Come on baby”) that evolves into a heavy beat with off-kilter guitar, horns, and all the while Spencer talking into what sounds like a can (“Galaxy! / They call me the Galaxy Maaaan”). Some songs veer into the humor lane, as in “Dog Hit.” Martinez does a monotone talk/sing, “Do you know where your big barking dog is? / Just got hit by a car but he’s still fine” while Spencer growls lines throughout. Sort of the American funkadelic version of the Sugarcubes - just much darker.

Overall, Showdown injects the listener with groove, plain and simple. Let’s just say that James Brown would love this album. With the Solex touch making this a unique and excellent sound, a tour is in order. If they can just get together in the same country at the same time.