Latest Purchase - The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs - Dangerous Magical Noise (In The Red Recordings) 

 

More joyous noise from the Dirtbombs. I reckon this a set of original songs, but I'm not 100% certain there are no covers considering the band's history, plus some songs sound strangely familiar. I can't find any credits for song writers anywhere about the record or sleeve, so no clues there.

There are a number of tunes I keep returning to on this record and it sounds good from start to finish, so what more could you ask for?

Latest Purchase - The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs - We Have Your Surrounded (In The Red Records)

 

My love for The Dirtbombs just keeps growing. The two records I bought recently have been getting a lot of plays and have made me curious about the back catalogue I can see on Discogs.

This is an album of mainly original material, as opposed to the covers albums I've bought so far, but this is no bad thing as it demonstrates that they are just as comfortable and capable creating from scratch as they are at re-interpreting other folk's songs.

There are a lot of songs I really like on this record and it is a bit more rocking and possibly a little more polished sounding production-wise than Ultraglide in Black or Party Store. It is pure joy to get another top class album by a new favourite.

I've finally caught up with February. It's been a bit a mad month in terms of the amount of new vinyl I've added. Plus my computer is getting more and more cranky making posting a really frustrating process, which I let myself get really behind on. I've been posting like mad for a wee bit, covering about 3 weeks of solid spending, but this is my most recent and I only picked it up on Saturday. (2 days ago). March is looking good already as I've already got a couple in the post and there are known new releases that I'm waiting for and a trip to Manchester that will include shops to look forward to.    

Latest Purchase - The Detroit Cobras

Detroit Cobras - Original Recordings (Munster Records)

Detroit Cobras - Mink, Rat or Rabbit (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

Detroit Cobras - Life, Love & Leaving (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

Detroit Cobras - Baby (Rough Trade) 

Ok, I'll admit it. I went a wee bit mental. I'd had a few drinks on a Saturday afternoon after a slightly disappointing trip round the shops. I'd been listening to Ultraglide in Black and was keen to hear if there was more stuff in a similar vein around. Discogs was clear and recommended nothing but a selection of Detroit Cobras albums and I'd heard the same from my DIrtbombs fan workmate.

It didn't take much internet magic to get to hear a enough of these records to get very excited by the soulful, rocking covers of obscure old tunes with awesome female lead vocals.  This really is my idea of pop music, in that I can never believe that anyone wouldn't like it. I reckon even my mum would enjoy the Detroit Cobras.

I think they might write a few songs of their own, but there is a wild selection of different songwriters credited for most the tracks, many of them a total mystery to me.  Maybe need to start digging. 


Each of the albums has a slightly different sound, but its more about the production than a change of style I think. I've only listened to the albums through a couple of times and now can't resist just jumping around between my many favourites. 


I know when I get this excited about something it can end up being fairly short lived, especially when I play the songs too often too quickly, but I'm pretty certain that there are a few tunes on these albums that will be bringing a smile to my face for a while to come.

Latest Purchase - Octave One

Octave One - Revisited Series 2 (430 West)

New remixes of old favourites Octave One including a version from current crush Sandwell District made this a very tempting package. One that I had no inclination to resist.

Regis and Function take on I Believe for the Sandwell District Remix. I had a listen to the original again to get a bit of perspective. I think it is Octave One's first single. The Sandwell boys have really reworked this tune with typical quality Sandwell bass, rhythm programming and atmospherics to start with. This leads on to the whole vocal and a big whiff of the best synth sounds from the original. I guess if you just heard this and didn't know all the info you could easily take it that Sandwell District had just taken a leap and put a vocal on something, but I reckon this is a top quality remix.

The original track for the flip side is drawn from one of my favourite Detroit singles. I remember before it came out there was hype about it being specially created for the tracks to really complement each other when mixed. Its true as well, they do sound great mixed and you can really play around with them.

For a record nerd like me, the fact that this record has 2 catalogue numbers and is somehow on 2 labels that I like was enough to make it noteworthy, nevermind that it was belters by UR and Octave One on either side.

I love both sides of the split single, but I had always prefered the one with the big sticker that said Aztlan.

However, listening to the new remix and looking at Discogs again has enlightened me to the fact that I've had these the wrong way round the whole time as I had no idea that the original single was mislabeled. Which has somehow unsettled me a little and belatedly added to my esteem for Octave One. 


I don't know much about Aril Brikha. I initially thought I'd prefer if he'd taken his ideas and developed them as a whole new song, but I am warming to his rework of Daystar Rising. I think I'm always a bit resistant to remixes of favourite tunes but I reckon this remix has enough going for it that I won't always reach for the original instead. Sweet, smooth techno with a busy bassline and some choice elements from the original plus some unusual synth lines that I guess are Brikha at work. Might need to check his stuff out.






 

Latest Purchase - The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs - Party Store (In The Red Recordings)

 

I got a call in the forenoon today that I struggled to understand in my morning fog, but I eventually grasped that Mono were calling me to tell me that this record that I had ordered had arrived.

I pretty much bolted out immediately to pick it up as I have been looking forward this set of guitar band covers of Detroit techno tunes. Featuring versions of Cybotron, Rhythim is Rhythim, Inner City, Aztec Mystic, DJ Assault, Carl Craig and A Number of Names, this would make a quality compilation just in terms of the source material.

There are a few immediate stand out tracks, particularly Sharevari and Jaguar, but I really like the sound of the whole thing and am already on to another playthrough.

I guess that there is a risk that this record could sound like a bit of a novelty, but that just isn't the case.  Some songs are more succesful than others, but I reckon that if you were a guitar music fan who didn't know or like the connection to Detroit techno then you'd still find something here.  The Dirtbombs have managed to make this sound like these songs are their own and yet they are still recognisable if you know the originals.

I'm looking forward to finding out how this is received by my mixture of friends some  of whom would like and know the originals, but maybe not the rock stuff and the boys who like the Dirtbombs, but not dance. I'm also pretty certain that this will be a fixture in my DJ bag.

First proper 2011 release for me as the others so far were out the end of last year and this is definitely the first that shows 2011 on the sleeve. I don't know why, but I always like to see this new number on records for a while.

 

Latest Purchase - The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs - Ultraglide In Black (In The Red Records)

I must confess that before a few weeks ago I had no idea who the Dirtbombs were until a casual conversation in work revealed to me that there was Detroit garage band whose next album was a set of covers of Detroit techno tunes. I've got to say that I was immediately interested. 

This album is much older and I was told about it when I stormed into Mono looking for the techno covers album. This is basically another set of cover versions, but mainly soul type stuff this time featuring songs by Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton and Marvin Gaye among others.  Fuzz laden and live sounding, this really is exciting, hair raising gear which I can't get enough of.

I know I am prone to exaggeration and tend to get carried away, but I like this record so much and I am so excited by what I know of the coming album that I think I may be developing a new favourite band.

Latest Purchase - Model 500

Model 500 - OFI/Huesca (R&S)

I have to say that I was very excited when I first heard of this release, the first new Model 500 record in over 10 years. The truly legendary innovator Juan Atkins has been releasing records on his Metroplex label since the mid 80s and a number of them are among my all time favourites.

Add to that the fact the Mad Mike has joined in along with some of his Underground Resistance acolytes and I really didn't need any more convincing. I was so certain it would be good that I bought it without listening to it first.  I was not disappointed. I picked it up in rubadub almost a week ago now and I have been playing it over and over since.  

OFI shows the new line up have updated the classic Model 500 sound of bassline, processed vocals and electro percussion.  But what a bassline this time!  Only UR make this kind of wonky electronic funk, and it's been a while since it was as fine as this. 

The breakdown comes from nowhere and disappears as fast, but the melty synths that come in are so sweet. Then it's back to the bassline and the boom. This all adds up to a stunner for me, if a little odd in places.


Mad Mike remixes OFI on the same side where he strips it back, boosting the vocals and arpeggios and a adding a wee bit of acid burble.  Very Kraftwerk. Very good. I love the way he twists the arpeggio around, it sounds a bit like he could be playing guitar to me, but who knows?

On the other side you'll find Huesca, which sounds so Detroit it hurts.  It's more 4:4 than OFI, and the overall effect puts me in mind of top notch Red Planet or Galaxy 2 Galaxy, but still with a distinct Model 500 flavour. Right up my street.

This is a fucking awesome single and I really hope I don't have to wait another 10 years for the next one. This collaboration has brought the best out in everyone and reminds me why I love Detroit music so much.

Latest Purchase - Aaron Carl

Last one I'm going to mention from today's discogs package.

Aaron Carl - E:\ectro-bytes.exe v.2.1 (Afrosyntrix)

Detroit electro/techno or technobass or somesuch from a few years back.  I used a borrowed version of this to have the track Backslash on a mix years ago, so I couldn't resist this at less than the price of a pint.