Boss Hog: Whiteout

(Genie/EMI)

Herald rating: * * *

Review: Russell Baillie

Finally, the second album (after being dumped by Geffen) by Boss Hog - the New York band fronted by alt-rock fun couple Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer who played here last year - is available.

A coolly deadpan affair it generally is too, saying what is has to in just 10 tracks and 33 minutes.

Throughout, Martinez is sounding increasingly like a surly Debbie Harry, Spencer (also of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) chips in his scratchy guitar riffs and occasional spot of vocal nonsensical hollering.

But while there are some fiery moments - like the explosive Nursery Rhyme (Beck fronts the Cramps, sorta) - the songs don't exactly rise above the studied cool of it all.