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The album contains 12 covers and 1 original. Most of the writers of the songs are pretty well-known (Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, etc), but there are also some more obscure songwriters involved (J.J. Barnes, Johnnie Bristol and a certain “L. Bright”). “Chains of Love” immediately sets the party tone: Collins has an impressively gritty soul voice (not unlike Otis Redding), and the track is a fine example of bouncy party-soul. It takes some time to get used to the ever-present fuzz (which sounds as if trying to imitate a dentist’s drill), but after a while you’ll accept it as a part of the deal, and it works. Other joyful-sounding tracks are Smokey Robinson’s “If You Can Want,” which has jangly guitar chops, a fuzz solo, handclaps and crowd noises you also hear on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On”; and Sly Stone’s “Underdog,” a rave-up with infectious “yeah yeah yeahs” and with Collins proving he can play a mean soulful guitar, which is one of the album’s highlights. Collins’ own song, “Your Love Belongs Under A Rock” sounds like a lost Nuggets-track, with upfront a typically cheap-sounding organ. Another Nuggets-track could be ‘The Thing,” a raunchy and wild track that’s over before you realize it. That Collins & Co. do not only play songs by American 60’s and 70’s soul icons, is proven with a song of Irish black man Phil Lynott; “Ode to a Black Man,” a hard-rocking and simple track that’ll have you in a good mood in a split second (and just listen to those three bass notes before the bands kicks out the jams).The album’s not all soul-punk, however, as the band frequently slows down to incorporate some more mellow stuff (George Clinton’s “I’ll Wait,” which has great 60’s Motown backing vocals, and Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up”), some more mid-tempo stuff (a soulful version of Stevie Wonder’s “Livin’ for the City” that stresses the grittiness of Collins’ voice and has an amazingly melodic fuzz-solo), and an extended slab of noodle-soul (Curtis Mayfield’s “Kung Fu,” with fine ‘chicken scratch’-guitar and percussion, but in a version that should’ve been a bit shorter). The album ends with two tracks full of sexual innuendo: a sensual cover of Barry White’s “I’m Qualified to Satisfy You” (that really makes me wanna check out the original version), and an hilarious version of Johnnie Bristol’s “Do You See My Love (For You Growing)”.The best thing to come out of Detroit the past years, The Dirtbombs’ infectious brand music is guaranteed to keep your lower and upper parts moving. Some may wonder whether this album (or the entire band) isn’t style over substance, but after just one listen you’ll realize that’s not the case. Moreover: some people in this band reinstated that kind of music in the first place (and undoubtedly influenced lots of Detroit and non-Detroit garage bands, like the White Stripes, The Von Bondies, Swearing At Motorists, etc), so how could they be followers? With Ultraglide In Black, The Dirtbombs have just proven they’re the Motor City’s prime party band.

Note: I saw them play live in Belgium, somewhere in the summer of 2002, and I don’t think I ever saw that high a percentage of people shaking their asses off during a concert. Amazing.