Picked this up last week after Chicago label Drag City's rerelease was universally praised. Death were three black siblings from Detroit who released this single 7" proto-punk album before disappearing to New England. Apparently they reappeared decades later as a gospel outfit. It's a pretty crazy story behind the music, but in all honesty, I was in at "3 black dudes playing punk rock."In fact, listening to ...For the Whole World to See did faintly remind me of Bad Brains, which is pretty cool when you take into account this album was released at least 5 years before any Bad Brains release. However, Death had much more in common with fellow Detroit products MC5 and the Stooges....if either band cared about how tight their rhythm sections were. If they exist somewhere out there (which is not likely, but who knows), it would be interesting to hear any Death recordings after this album, as this brief album sounded as if the constraints of the "typical" punk sound of the time bored them.
Download - "You're a Prisoner"
Youre A Prisoner - Death
Download - "Politicians in My Eyes"
Politicians In My Eyes - Death
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There is definitely that hint of Michigan Stooges and MC5. There's a touch of Jimi Hendrix in the guitars. An air of Thin Lizzy on 45rpm (a bit more if you can jiggle the switch toward 78 without committing to it). And the recording is nice and bright, Ramones-y, with a sense of space for each instrument, which is weird for demo material. Reminded me of pre-Bad Brains, The Black dots, recordings. Reminds me of all these things, yet they pre-date virtually all of these things. The re-release of 2009, bar none. An amazing document of great, raw American punk rock music.
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