New York City’s finest, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, returns after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus and attempts to release the animal within.

While taking cues from a number of genres (punk, R&B, blues and hip-hop), the task at hand for the Blues Explosion always has been transferring the band’s combustible live performance to its studio efforts (accomplished with hit-and-miss results throughout its career).

On those earlier releases as well as “Plastic Fang” (Matador), the diminutive, high-strung Spencer croons like a young Elvis Presley (the thin Elvis, that is) and channels the trademark swagger of Soul Brother No. 1, James Brown, without aping either or sounding ironic.

The Blues Explosion is abetted on the album by guest appearances from Dr. John (guitar on “Hold On”), Parliament Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell (Moog on “Over and Over,” farfisa on “P.O.V.”) and producer Steve Jordan (everything but the kitchen sink). Vinyl lovers should note that the vinyl release of “Plastic Fang” contains four unreleased tracks not found on the CD version.

The album’s best track, “Sweet and Sour,” showcases the raw, dueling, in-a-New-York-minute guitar tandem that is Jon Spencer and Judah Bauer. As the title hints at, the duo intermixes the rough (Bauer) and raw (Spencer) ax work, which results in some of its finer playing. And by adding the ever-ferocious skin pounding of Russell Simins, they have a solid backbeat to play behind.

On the groove-heavy “Hold On,” Spencer sings of a new dance – the Hold On, which probably involves a lot of shimmying and shaking. Toward the end of the song, Spencer sings with classic, deadpan cool, “I got a big wad of Bazooka/ I’m gonna chew it.”

The vocal range Spencer might lack is made up for by his grit and passion in championing the punk-blues genre.

As the title might suggest, “Plastic Fang” doesn’t lack the musical bite of the band’s best work.