Party Store

With former Gories frontman Mick Collins leading the charge, <i>Party Store</i> is a loosely linked sequel to the band’s <i>Ultraglide in Black</i> LP. Released 10 years earlier, it told the story of Collins’ childhood years, a time spent sifting through such stone-cold classics as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye. This time around, we’re knee-deep in the ‘80s/early ‘90s, watching Collins and company connect the dots between oil-slicked dance music and rust-encrusted rock ’n’ roll. In some cases, the pairing comes across like a blue-collar version of disco-punk (the locked groove of “Sharivari,” the bar brawl backbeat that sends “Alleys of Your Mind” right off the rails). That’s all well and good but <i>Party Store</i> really comes alive on “Bug In the Bass Bin.” A literal duet between yesterday and today, it marches off into the sunset alongside the synth washes of Carl Craig (he originally released the song under his Innerzone Orchestra alias), Collins’ violent guitar spasms, and a rhythm section that sounds like it’s scoring a battle scene. And like the best techno tracks, it doesn't loosen its grip for at least 20 minutes.