Right at the beginning of the new single “Talk About the Blues,” Jon Spencer moans, with his typical effortless sincerity, the following: “I don’t play the blues, I play rock and roll.” In spite of the band’s name, it’s hard to imagine that anyone thought his brand of sexy rhythm ‘n’ punk was ever in spitting distance of the blues. On Acme, Spencer gives lots of lip service to rocking even in the face of the occasional sample or turntable scratch, busting out that famous leer as he abandons the skronky vibe of ’97’s Now I Got Worry for full-grown grooves. Perhaps facing those fifth-album jitters, Spencer & Co. cast their lot with a wide variety of producers, from Calvin Johnson and hiphop weirdo Dan the Automator to German menschmachine Alec Empire and fundamentalist Steve Albini. Like most records recorded all over the place, Acme has no coherence to speak of, but like most great nights on the town, it’s got a path all its own. Songs like “Lovin’ Machine” and “Torture” move from club to club, get down with their bad selves, and leave with your date. “High Gear” highlights the hooky mid-range theories Spencer worked to perfection on Orange, while “Attack” is the catchiest song Atari Teenage Riot never wrote, complete with, yes, “Blues Explosion!!” screamed underneath.—Joe Gross