Favorite New Music: The Dirtbombs
posted by RichmanVA
The Dirtbombs
We Have You Surrounded
In The Red
2008
Side A
1. It’s Not Fun Until They See You Cry
2. Ever Lovin Man
3. Indivisible
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. Wreck My Flow
6. Leopardman at C & A
Side B
1. Fire in the Western World
2. Pretty Princess Day
3. I Hear the Sirens
4. They Have Us Surrounded
5. Race to the Bottom
6. La Fin du Monde
The newest Dirtbombs record is everything you’ve come to expect from this Detroit powerhouse. It’s a nasty, sexy, raw, fuzzed out piece of garage rock mayhem. For those that are unfamiliar with The Dirtbombs, the first thing you will notice is how undeniably Detroit they really are. They are part of a rich history of great Detroit bands and wear their musical influences proudly on their sleeves by exhibiting equal parts MC5 angst and Motown soul. Starting off with a 7″ single in 1996 the band has consistently gotten better with each subsequent release. We Have You Surrounded is the culmination of 12 years of relentless touring and recording for The Dirtbombs. The first side of this album is probably one of the most solid, well rounded openings of a record I’ve heard in the last few years. Running the gamut from the straight up garage rock of “Ever Lovin’ Man” to the balladry of “Sherlock Holmes” to the hip hop-ish “Wreck My Flow” the Dirtbombs show why they are one of the top bands of the garage rock any genre playing today. If there was any justice in the world “Indivisible” would be the dance club anthem of the summer. The only real hiccup in the record comes at the end of the second side with “Race to the Bottom”, a sprawling 8+ minute mess of space sounds and feedback. While it’s an interesting idea all it really does is slow down the record before the excellent sing along closing of “La Fin Du Monde.” Aside from that, the record is damn near perfect. It’s not only a welcome addition to the already great Dirtbombs catalog, it’s an excellent starting off point for those not very familiar with the band.