Search - 20 Miles :: Keep It Coming

To some folks, Judah Bauer has in recent times been making more compelling records with his DIY side project 20 Miles than with his day-job trio, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Without question, there's something very appealing about the jagged riffs and raunchy grooves Bauer and company are throwing down. And it's all done in a seemingly organic fashion--most of these tracks were laid down informally in Bauer's NYC apartment with brother (and chief partner-in-crime) Donovan and a steady rotation of friends, including the North Mississippi Allstars. This is swaggering, standard-issue boogie rock, tossed together with elements of funk and punk and served on a solid bed of basic blues--and it's irresistible. While this third album has less of an overt connection to blues than previous efforts, the soul and spirit of the blues permeate every track. 20 Miles may not set the world on fire, but fans of stripped-to-the-gills blues-rock will surely appreciate this shabby-chic slab of songs. --Marc Greilsamer