Boss Hog – Bang Magazine: The Boss is Back! (PRESS, UK)

17 May 2000 Bang Magazine #2
NOTES:
Whiteout feature from the now defunct Bang magazine.
REVIEW TEXT:
“Cristina Martinez expresses concern that her shaggy, black wool coat makes her look like a hooker, but I don’t think so. On the contrary, it adds to the undeniable aura that she’s someone important, someone you want to know. The coat makes the stunning, dark-haired singer for New York City’s underground darlings, Boss Hog, look like what she is: a Rock Star. Martinez and her band — which includes her husband of ten years, guitarist Jon Spencer (of the eponymous Blues Explosion), bassist Jens Jurgenson, drummer Hollis Queens, and keyboard player Mark Boyce — have been missing in action for nearly five years. Their new CD, Whiteout, proves Boss Hog used their retreat from the playing field as an opportunity to regroup and return with superior fire power. Their major label debut, Boss Hog, on Geffen in 1995, was recorded with the help of Steve Fisk at NYC’s famous Sear Sound studio. The sleaze-glam-punk sound of abrasive buzzsaw guitar and part-sneering, part-shouted vocals continued largely unabated. Fans and critics ate it up like pancakes on Christmas morning.

After signing a five record deal with DGC, things did not go as planned. In the midst of the tumultuous Universal/Polygram merger, Boss Hog were dropped from the label, but walked away with the full advance for what would have been their sophomore effort, and ownership of all their songs. Martinez considers the band fortunate. “We ended up in the best possible [position],” she says. “I had all of my songs and the money. We got to record White Out on Geffen’s tab and now everything that the record makes is profit. Otherwise, we would have never seen one cent, because [expenses] would have all been recoupable, and we’d have been with a shitty record label.” In this case, what did not destroy them made them stronger. Whiteout is Boss Hog’s fourth full-length CD in their ten year history. It definitely bodes well for their future.

Whiteout album and Mark Boyce as part of the permanent lineup. Made with the help of Tore Johansson, Andy Gill, Jim Sclavunos, Roli Mosimann, Jim Thirlwell, and Bil Emmons Whiteout features a typically minimalist approach and strong levels of glamour and sexual provocation, within a more polished sound. Folks went nuts.”

– Lloyd Bishop