The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs have returned with an album that consistently fires on all cylinders. From the floor-rattling blast of opener "It’s Not Fun Until They See You Cry” to the closing pop bliss of "La Fin du Monde,” the Dirtbombs cruise down dark streets with steady hands on the wheel. Front-man and underground rock guru Mick Collins covers desolate terrain with anxious visions of a world collapsing in many of the lyrics. The entire group kick up a tornado of stirring movements on songs such as "Ever Lovin Man” and "Pretty Princess Day,” and deliver taut covers of tunes by Dead Moon and Sparks. On "Leopardman at C&A,” the band graft lyrics written by graphic novelist Alan Moore to a charged, percussion-heavy stomp. Despite the passage of five years since the Dirtbombs released their previous full-length, they perform at peak form on We Have You Surrounded. Apocalyptic sentiments never sounded so good.