Spencer P. Jones            'Immolation & Ameliorations (1995 - 2005)'

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  Out August 7th

 

 

Reviews and Articles

Beat Magazine - Melbourne

To say that Spencer P Jones is a stalwart of Australian rock ’n’ roll is like saying Ron Barassi used to play footy. Sure it’s a factually accurate statement but it ignores the depth and lasting impact of both personalities’ contributions to their chosen field. Like Barassi’s influence on the modern game of football, it’s almost impossible to contemplate Australian independent music without acknowledging the contribution of Jones’ guitar and songwriting skills – not to mention his ruggedly rock ’n’ roll personality (typified by the omnipresent half-smoked cigarette dangling from his lip) – which can be seen from The Johnnies, to the Beasts of Bourbon, the Olympic Sideburns and even Renee Geyer.

Immolations and Ameliorations is a collection of tracks from the extremely rich mine of unreleased Jones solo recordings. Originally released on the antipodean obsessed Bang! Records in Spain, this album includes material from Jones’ work with the Last Gasp (Rumour of Death, You Let Me Down) and collaborations with members of Mudhoney (Wisdom Teeth), a couple of choice selections (Bad Revisited, People Fuck With Your Head) from a recording session in New York held immediately prior to the defining events of September 11 2001 and a cover of the Velvet Underground’s New Age. The opening track What Is Life In Jail is a brutally enjoyable experience, with Tex Perkins’ lobe piercing feedback guitar imposing an appropriately errant edge to complement the fast and furious rhythm section of former Powder Monkey Timmy Jack Ray and Brian Henry Hooper while the rapping on Bad Revisited (courtesy of Hooper’s son) takes the Beasts’ classic from the inner-city pub to the suburban streets.

Throughout it all there’s Jones’ monotonic pub rock drawl, intoning lyrics plagued with his brand of humour – If You Don’t Stay In Touch (featuring vocals from The Muddy Spurs’ Catherine McCarthy) is an amusing take on emotional estrangement, and The Bogans is a suitably wry ode to suburban teenage dysfunction – and his deftly crafted but threatening blues chords (There’s Time).

They broke the mould after Spencer P Jones was born, for good reason. The man’s a living legend, and his music never, ever disappoints.

PATRICK EMERY

 

The Age ‘EG’

This collection, which spans the past decade, covers Spencer P. Jones' many moods and styles.

The Spanish are crazy about Spencer P. Jones, so when the folks at his Spanish label Bang! asked if there were any unreleased gems in the vault it didn't take long to compile Immolation & Ameliorations.

This collection, which spans the past decade, covers Jones' many moods and styles, from snarling, swampy guitar slinger to tender balladeer, and features his many incarnations from the 11-piece horn-driven Last Gasp offering, the lovely autobiographical Rumour of Death, to current band the Escape Committee with its hilarious Bogans.

Jones has included an update of the Beasts of Bourbon's Bad Revisited, featuring a tough urban rap at the end from Alex, son of fellow Beast Brian Hooper. There is also a stunning cover of the Velvet Underground's New Age and the vocals of Muddy Spurs singer Catherine McCarthy provides a nice foil on Right Under Your Nose and If You Don't Stay in Touch.

In testament to Jones' reputation, Mudhoney's Mark Arm turns up on Wisdom Teeth and People F--- With Your Head features Television's Billy Ficca and the Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie.

Patrick Donovan

 

www.GaragePunk.com

Spencer P. Jones returns with a new album full of surprises.
Regarding the sound and songs, they keep the quality and strength Mr. Jones has always provided his fans with. Nothing new about it (which is actually the best that could happen).
The surprises meant above are referring to some of the folks supporting him in this record, such as Beasts Of Bourbon mates Brian H. Hooper and Tex Perkins, and special mention to the last song of the album, which has as support band Mudhoney themselves!!!
In this new album Maestro Jones revisites a couple of his classic songs with the Beasts Of Bourbon, as well as a cover of The Velvet Underground and a nice surprising cover of Lee Marvin.
Country, rock´n´roll, swamp blues, distortion, melody, broken ballads and a lot of cynicism in the lyrics (as usually Mr. Jones does). That´s what we can find in this new piece of gem that BANG! Rcds. is proud to present in limited deluxe vinyl edition. Only 500 vinyls. Grab your copy quickly. In a few months you´ll be seaching for it and in that time we´ll be working in Mr. Jones next jewell. So don´t miss this one, mate.