Anyone who's seen the Jacuzzi Boys play knows their live shows are pure fun. Anyone who's heard a Jacuzzi Boys record knows their songs are supercatchy.
We recently announced that Jack White's
Third Man Records would be releasing a live LP of them. And when that record showed
up in our mailbox last night, we were so excited we immediately plopped that
thing on the turntable.
From the moment the needle hits the groove, the Jacuzzi Boys rip and roar at full speed.
None of the Boys' usual catchiness is lost on this caffeinated live set. They tear through the songs a little faster than on the studio versions. Frontman Gabriela Alcala's voice is bubbling with joy and excitement. His guitar playing is like wildfire that can't be contained and his solos are made extra hot when played through White's red Fender Amp.
Alcala is as charming on this live record as he is in person. Every time he introduces a song or thanks the crowd, you hear the crowd cheer him on. He sounds like a happy young man who's got something cool he's been dying to show everyone. And now he's doing it and loving it.
One Alcala highlight is the brand new song "Libras and Zebras" for which he admits he "don't got lyrics for it." He may not have the lyrics, but he's got the melody, the attitude, and the hooks down pat. As the band breaks into an instrumental jam, he summons surf gods the Surfaris and shouts out their hit, "Wipe Out."
Drummer Deigo Monasterios and bassist Danny Gonzalez provide a solid rhythm for Alcala to wild-out over. Monasterios' drumming has become nothing short of amazing. His timing is tight and the force with which he pounds those toms is evident on this recording. Meanwhile, Gonzalez's bass playing is smooth and solid, playing the perfect fills in all the perfect spots, subtly taking the songs to a higher level.
Case in point: The song "Fruits" off No Seasons finds a whole different vibe on this record. It's normally a mid-tempo head bopper. On this version, Monasterios' beat and Gonzalez's swooping bassline bring to mind the Eastern riffage of Nirvana's Bleach - without diluting the soul and joy of the original version.
Third Man's Live At Third Man series was set up by Jack White to record and almost instantaneously release music by artists that he loves. The records have no real packaging, just a generic label with the name of the band and the names of the songs on each side. The music is forced to speak for itself. Fortunately, the Jacuzzi Boys have great music. Even more fortunate, White managed to capture Alcala, Monasterios, and Gonzalez' glorious spirits and mix that into the record loud and clear.
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