"Everybody understands the blues," croons Glenn on the opening cut of Spontaneous Combustion. This "music for the common man," which is the bedrock foundation for hard rock 'n' roll, will almost always sound good to these ears.
Glenn goes after the authentic Chicago ('n' New Orleans & Delta too) blues style here - complete with horns and some guest Gospel singers. Unlike his two Trimmed And Burnin' projects with Darrell Mansfield, these tunes ring out of the electric guitar - not acoustic. The sonics are great (technology didn't ruin the blues!). Without tacking on the word 'rock' to these tunes, Glenn musters all the power of the blues here - especially the track "Got A Hold On You." The Hammond B-3 organ can kick out the jams with a full band in a way that doesn't sound old 'n' fuddy-duddy. We already knew that about the harmonica. A good harmonica player can make it sing like a lead guitar. All these instruments can be heard jamming together in "Satellite Dish."
While the album is called Spontaneous Combustion, Glenn has obviously made a premeditated decision to kick out these blues in an authentic way. While they is, uh, sanctified, they ain't sanitized - if ya know what uh mean.
Other coverage for this album
Syndicate Aug 1994Reviewed by Steven L. RothIt's quite obvious and volatile at the same time. Take the city of Chicago, complete with that definitive blues vibe at the core of its very heart, and add the emotional rasp of Glenn Kaiser, a man who's no stranger to those streets. Plug them both in and you're guaranteed to get Spontaneous Combustion—real life urban blues. Setting aside the acoustic guitar from his last two blues-oriented…The Lighthouse June 1994Reviewed by Roger Appelinski"Blues, Chicago style..." is the billing of Glenn Kaiser's new solo album. Kaiser, long-time member of Jesus People USA and founder of REZ, has been very involved in taking Christian music into the blues realm over the last few years. He was a part of the Larry Howard's Cornerstone Blues Jam album and teamed up with Darrell Mansfield for two acoustic blues projects. For the electric blues of…Similar sounding releases
1994Sleepy RayUnder the Mighty Blood
1994Larry HowardBright Side of the Blues
1998Dale ThompsonTestimony
1998Darrell MansfieldLast Chance Boogie
1994Craig EricksonRetro Blues Express
2002Liberation SuiteFight For the LightMore from Glenn Kaiser
1999Blues Heaven: The Best of Glenn Kaiser's Blues
2002Ripley County Blues
1999Time Will Tell
1995Into the Night
2002No Greater Love
1990Trimmed and Burnin'
