The Experimental Tropic Blues Band – Liquid Love

As their name suggests, Belgium’s Experimental Tropic Blues Band specialise in the kind of absurdly overdriven fuzz-blues associated with acts like the Immortal Lee County Killers and, of course, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. No surprises, then, that the trio have enlisted Mr Spencer himself on production duties for their third LP; Liquid Love sounds much like Pussy Galore or early Blues Explosion material in its no-nonsense, relentless splatter of screeching riffs, yelping vocals and acidic percussion.

The band take their cues from Pussy Galore, too, in emphasising spontaneity and improvisation, with no overdubs, and a willingness to embrace unexpected elements in the recording process. The results undoubtedly have the authentically scuzzy intensity the band were driving for, particularly on the blistering Break Up. While it’s difficult to significantly improve on the template perfected by their forebears, the ETBB sound feels refreshingly blunt and direct in the current era.