This is no mere tribute album. It is exuberant classic-rock scholarship. Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott and members of the English band the Quireboys cover, with bang and bite, rare tracks associated with British hard-glam legends Mott the Hoople — including solo obscurities by singer Ian Hunter and spangled punch from spinoff bands. Elliott keeps the eccentric drive of songs like Hunter's "Overnight Angels," adding modern sheen and the true fan's swagger in his voice — just the right ­touches to send you hunting for the originals.

“Ambling Alp”

The "Ambling Alp" was the nickname of the six-and-a-half-foot-tall Primo Carnera. Though the song is named after the Italian-born 1930s heavyweight champion, Yeasayer are actually paying tribute to boxing legend Joe Louis with this first-person psychedelic dance-rock tune. “I was always interested in writing a song that had boxing mythology in it,” Yeasayer’s Chris Keating said. “It’s pretty fascinating: There were so many amazing characters, and it was so closely entwined with 20th century history.” Yeaseyer also invokes German champ Max Schmeling and hints at the historical significance placed on the historic bouts between the Nazi-era boxer and the African-American Louis.