The Dirtbombs

I've been working quite a bit on the Oxford campus as of late (several grad students' oral exams, research in the library, working with this year's MAT class as they finish their Teacher-as-Researcher projects), which has given me commute time in the car to enjoy the latest release from Detroit's own Dirtbombs. If You Don't Already Have a Look is a massive, 52-song set comprised of a disc of originals and a disc of covers, and the songs run the gamut from one-minute punk rave-ups a la The Minutemen to the garage-noise-art they're most known for to funk-soul remakes of Stevie Wonder ("Maybe Your Baby"), the Stones ("No Expectations), and bands you've never heard of (the rest of disc 2). The diversity is a blast--no surprise if you know their full-length records, one of which is a soul record, one of which is a punk record, etc.--and justifies the two-disc format. Oh, and the songs for the most part come from their 45s, which frontman Mick Collins explains in the liner notes is a format he prefers and hence places his best songs there. He ain't kidding. Good stuff, and a reminder of the great music that fills the town I'll call home in three short weeks. Side note re: Detroit music...I see upcoming shows from Sleater-Kinney and The Gossip slated for the motor city--both bands that regularly skip the 'Nati. Welcome back to motown!