Mick Collins, the Dirtbombs’ frontman has been threatening that their next album would be a bubblegum pop-inspired album over the past decade, and in some way fans and critics have treated it as a bit of a joke, as the band has released a couple of albums of (mostly) originals, a compilation of singles, and an album of Detroit (the band’s hometown) techno covers. Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey is the long-threanted and long-awaited bubblegum-pop inspired album of original songs, which In the Red Records will release on September 17th. And there are a few things about really well done bubbleum pop — the songs are well written and are infectiously catchy or they’re moody and gorgeous. 

The second and latest single off the funnily named album, “Girl on the Carousel” is a pretty song with subtle hints of moody psychedelica. The narrator seems to be mourning for the pretty girl he saw riding on the carousel. There’s quite a bit of novelistic detail in the song’s lyrics – from the cloud’s parting when he sees his love smiling as he’s watching her; you can picture what may be the world’s prettiest woman riding on the carousel with a gleeful smile, and you probably can’t help but fall in love yourself.