Customer Reviews

Dangerous Magical Noise

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had my worries that the Dirtbombs couldn't possibley follow up their classic "Ultraglide In Black" album, but my fears were washed away upon my first spin of "Dangerous Magical Noise". Where the last album was all covers of old soul songs this baby is originals, yet all the soul and passion is still in place. At times this album rocks harder than the last and has more of a Detroit rock style bombast (i.e. Stooges, MC5 style) and at times it recalls 70's glam rock ("Motor City Baby" is a real nod to T.Rex). Mick Collins proves once again that he has one of the most golden throats in all of rock music yet again too...I could listen to this guy sing the phone book. I love this band and I love this album - my pick for album of the year thus far!

Mick Collins and Jim Diamond are back with an album full of originals. This got SOUL and some Glam and a lot of RnR, and finally it seems like Mick Collins is on the verge of a breakthrough into larger audiences - he deserves it! Live the Dirtbombs are incredible, but they manage to capture most of their intensity on record, to.

This Detroit band boasts an unorthodox line-up: two drummers, two bass guitarists, and alpha male Mick Collins on guitar and vox. Bottom heavy? Well, yeh. And yeah! The minute and a half opener "Start the Party" sounds like an outtake from MC5's "Kick Out the Jams", off the rails with guitar fuzz, Collins' out-of-breath falsetto, and tacked-on crowd screech. From then on it's a mix of rough soul, guitar boogie, and scuzzy noise. "Sun is Shining" sounds like Hendrix fronting the Troggs, "Motor City Baby" is Gary Glitter mated with T.Rex, while "I'm Through With White Girls" could almost exist on an Otis Redding album. Diverse, cacophonous, chaotic - definitely not for the faint of heart. Plus the first 2,000 CDs sold come with two bonus tracks of their versions of Eno's "King's Lead Hat" and Robyn Hitchcock's "Executioner of Love". And it's the Dirtbombs, so the first 2,000 CDs sold means, like, all of them.

My pick for album of the year. They have melded garage, soul, punk, Hendrix, a ska-like take on Eno, and Robyn Hitchcock and made it all their own. In the current wave of Detroit bands the Dirtbombs take the cake.

...and loving it. This is a raw two drummers, two bass and a fuzz guitar attack. Sloppy, head bopping, fuzzed out. Yeah, rock 'n roll garage like it should be: ugly, fun, rocking and full of attitude. Funny and oftimes insightful lyrics. Every guy listening to this is going to relate to the song "Stupid" cause we've all been that way about a girl before.

It only gets 4 stars cause these guys are SO much better live. The CD doesn't come close to capturing the feal and power of the mighty D'bombs on stage. I saw them with the Sights at the Black Cat in DC. What an excellent show. So if you like Detroit rock like the Stooges, MC5, and hard rocking '60s garage and soul you're going to love this. Interesting and suprising choice in the covers of Brian Enos' "Kings Lead Hat" and Robin Hitchcocks "Executioner of Love" too. This is some fun stuff and check them out live.

I don't know when these guys sleep! In between writing and recording the hundreds of songs they do for various 7" singles, eps, and compliations, in addition to touring, and being in a bunch of other bands, they still have time to put out an album has excellent as this! Being a massive fan of anything Mick Collins touches, and after the stone cold classic that was 'Ultraglide in Black', my expectations were high for this one. 'Sun Is Shining' is alone worth buying the album for. Mick's voice is so soulful and beautiful on this song. This record to me has a bit of a British influence or feel to it on many of the tracks (Buzzcocks, maybe?).

What's also especially prominent on this album is Jim Diamond's contributions, in particular his melodic bass-playing on 'Get It While You Can'. Other standouts include the glam stomp through 'Stupid' and the utterly brillant cover of 'King's Lead Hat'. I was lucky enough to meet these guys when they came to Australia earlier this year, and I'm going to be even luckier when I go see them in their hometown of Detroit on New Year's Eve! If you get a chance, don't miss seeing them live. In the meantime, pick up this record and 'Ultraglide In Black', and freak out in your living room!

Yet another brilliant effort from Mick Collins, the ingenious Black man with the great Irish name. Why does Lenny Kravitz have all his money? And, for that matter, how can a punk ass ivy league snot like Jon Spencer sell more records with his corny "irony" than Mick does with his genuinely inspired musical lunacy? From the T-Rexy "Motor City Girl" the the early-Damned-esque "Stuck in Thee Garage" to the groovy covers of Eno and R. Hitchcock, it's all here and it's all good. Bow down to the King of Rock and Soul.

If you like the Dirtbombs or music in any way, you'll love this album. If you don't already love the D-bombs, this could be the album to make you fall in love. The music and lyrics and all-around sound have never been better. It's a great album to run to. No matter what your musical preferences I can almost guarantee that just giving this album a listen will make you want to "start the party". If I reviewed the tracks off of the album individually, I'd give them each five stars. There aren't good songs and not-as-good songs, it's all great.

This has the same great formula as Ultraglide in Black minus somebody else writing their songs. And it shows. While the energy is really enjoyable right out the gate, when it slows down there's not enough to keep you interested and at times this album really got on my nerves.

great cd, be aware: while sitting your feet will start dancing and your upper body will twist, you may just have to get up and dance!