Dirtbombs - Party Store

by Jamie Rowland

published: 31 / 1 / 2011

Label: In the Red Records
Format: CD

intro

Fabulous covers album from acclaimed Detroit garage rockers, the Dirtbombs, who have taken 80's and 90's techno classics from their home city and reinjected them with a new lease of life

The Dirtbombs may technically be classed as a garage rock/punk band, but their influences are spread wide across the musical landscape. On their last record, 'Ultraglide', they covered a number if classic soul tracks from the 60s and 70s. On new record 'Party Store', they mine the archives of their hometown, Detroit’s famous techno scene of the 80s and 90s. And they do it pretty faithfully. This could be seen as more of an album for clubbers than rockers being, as one might imagine, repetitions of hooks and basslines over a steady house beat. The thing is though, those basslines are funky as hell, the hooks could catch a 800lb tuna and the beats….ah, the beats. Basically, this record is about as groovy as an album can be (and being white, middle-class and English, I don’t use that word lightly), which is understandable given the music is taken from the clubs of 1980s/90s Detroit, where techno was born. Here it’s given a new lease of life – purists will no doubt pour scorn on the album and call these covers out as being not as good as the originals, but I defy anyone not to hear a funk/rock version of Inner City’s ‘Good Life’ and immediately start to get funkaaaay. Or at least tap their foot, or something. Other club classics reinterpreted here include ‘Cosmic Cars’ (originally by techno ‘inventors’ Cybotron), Rhythim is Rhythim’s ‘Strings of Life’ and a short salute to DJ Assault’s ‘Tear The Club Up’. There is also a 21 minute version of Innerzone Orchestra’s ‘Bug in the Bass Bin’, which in The Dirtbomb’s version becomes more of a psychedelic rock odyssey. This is a great covers album, and may encourage fans of the Dirtbombs to explore their influences and have a root around in the Detroit techno archives to see what they can find. And to my mind, that is no bad thing. This is well worth looking out for; make sure you have your dancing shoes at the ready.

Track Listing:-

1 Cosmic Cars
2 Sharevari
3 Good Life
4 Strings Of Life
5 Alleys Of Your Mind
6 Bug In The Bass Bin
7 Jaguar
8 Tear The Club Up
9 謎のミスタ-ナイソ (Detroito Mix)

Label Links:-

http://intheredrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/In-The-Red-Recordings-39064159876/
https://instagram.com/intheredrecords/
https://twitter.com/intheredrecords

interviews

Interview (2003)

The Dirtbombs have recorded more records and played more shows than any of versatile Detroit guitarist Mick Collins’ many other groups. Drummer Ben Blackwell chats about their twin bass, twin drum line-up and new album "Dangerous Magical Noise'

live reviews

Babylon, Ottawa,15/4/2008

Andrew Carver is impressed by both godfathers of Detroit garage rock, the Dirtbombs, and also support act Kelley Stoltz, at a show at the Babylon in Ottawa

93 Feet East, London, 20/6/2005

Dominion Tavern, Ottawa, 13/11/2003