 If, like me, you are sick to death of 'the' bands that play trendy garage rock to an audience of black suit jacket clad youngsters with small pin badges and long hair, you may initially dismiss this album. But read on . . .
The Dirtbombs are an established band to say the least; years of hard graft has been poured into their Detroit rock resonance. It isn't just their sound that sets them apart - having two drummers and cooler-than-your-average front man Mick Collins is hardly average. Dangerous Magical Noise is hardly an average album either. Imagine the industrial heart of the Motor City as a pulsating noise with get-up-and-go party sounds, a bluesy attitude and a frontman who clearly loves soul and Motown.
On first listening I couldn't help sitting back and admiring The Dirtbombs for the waves of noise that were transmitted through my speakers. It's certainly a noise that tears itself away from the crowd to establish a genuine retro feel that a lot of garage bands fail to capture. It would probably be unfair to label them as merely a garage band though: Soul, moody blues and the presence of Mick Collins' soulful harmonics (complete with the odd James Brown style yelp) distinguish their sound.
Start The Party does exactly what it says on the tin, contrasting well with the moody Sun Is Shining, which provides a bleaker backdrop for some fine vocals and static wizardry. The Dirtbombs have utilised the power of under-production; not only do songs sound far from polished and shiny, but they even go as far as leaving in parts such as the studio engineer asking Mick to say a line one more time. If Audioslave are Hollywood, The Dirtbombs are a shoddily made yet enchantingly more interesting art house production. Dangerous Magical Noise is one of those albums that not only will the young garage rocker take pleasure in, but also his or her parents as they attempt to recreate their youth in a useless and embarrassing fashion at a family occasion. There's bound to be something here that everyone can get into or relate to - it's good music, pure and simple. :: Graham Drummond |
