Solex Vs Cristina Martinez + Jon Spencer - Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 4 / 4 / 2010

Label:
Bronzerat records
Format: CD
intro
Dynamic collaboration written and recorded on the internet between Dutch electronic artist Solex and New York-based punk blues couple Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer
Solex's ties to the Blues Explosion date back to her remix for their 'Crunchy' single in 2005. Shortly afterwards she wad dumped by Matador Records. A few years later, Elisabeth Esselink, a.k.a. Solex, shut down her second-hand CD shop in Amsterdam, not because of a downturn within the trade. Some customers simply got on her nerves too much and made her quit. So Solex got on her bike again, as the cliché runs, and she invited Cristina and Jon to her cyber trio album project. 'Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown!' is a splendid ride. Solex's sweet, almost angelic voice contrasts nicely with the slang used by New York's famously heavy and trashy couple. Yet on 'Too Much, Too Fast' it shows how, all by her lovely self, Solex has ripened. Things do get both wild and out of hand in their on-line fantasy rock'n roll world, yet at no stage does the trio lose the pop momentum. The overall big band touch makes 'Amsterdam Throwdown' a jolly adventure with plenty of funky brass instruments. The album has fifteen tracks, which include fine shuffles like the strutting 'Dirty' and Mike Ladd on duty for hip-hop-ish adult-orientated rock track,'R is for Ring-a-Ding'. This whole album pretty much is a steamroller. When she backs Cristina and Jon couple, Solex chants like a cheerleader, as if throwing in the air the second-hand CDs that inspired her art of sample pop music. Compiled from a very mixed bag, the greatest merit of 'Amsterdam Throwdown, King Street Showdown's is in its freeform pop with a twist. This comes because of the nature of threesome involved, but is inevitably achieved with style and class.
Track Listing:-
1 Bon Bon2 Fire Fire
3 Galaxy Man
4 R Is For Ring-A-Ding
5 The Uppercut
6 Dog Hit
7 Don't Hold Back
8 Too Much, Too Fast
9 Aapie
10 Dirty
11 Racer X
12 Action
13 Eat Here
14 Stop Now
15 Er Ez Ex
Label Links:-
http://bronzerat.com/https://www.facebook.com/bronzeratrecords
https://twitter.com/bronze_rat
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