Death - N.E.W.
by Mark Rowland
published: 8 / 6 / 2015
Label:
Drag City
Format: CD
intro
Rediscovered proto-punk band Death release their first album of new material in nearly forty years
It’s been seven years since Death’s long lost debut album, ‘For the Whole World To See…’ was re-issued to great acclaim. As an all-black rock band with such a morbid name, Death received minimal interest from record labels and from audiences in their native Detroit, which was very much divided along racial lines. Formed by the Hackney brothers (Bobby, David and Dannis) in 1971, their music was powerful, ahead of its time, punk before punk was punk. A cult audience for the band’s only single release built online, and, upon discovering that their father and uncles were in such a rocking band, bassist/singer Bobby’s sons formed a Death tribute band to spread the word further. Death reformed not long after that, with new guitarist Bobbie Duncan (David sadly died before the band was rediscovered). After a touring the old songs for a while, the band started writing new material, sowing the seeds for ‘N.E.W.’ Broadly, the music could be classed as garage punk, but that doesn’t really do it justice. This record mixes bits of punk, metal, soul, funk, psychedelic rock, reggae and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll in a way that isn’t a pastiche of the old. It’s all been mixed subconsciously, because it’s what the band members love. It doesn’t always work – there are moments that feel slightly dated in a hippyish sort of way – but for the most part, it feels like a very forward-looking piece of work. ‘Relief’, previously released as a single, is garage rock with a Sabbath-ish edge, a love letter to Detroit rock. It’s one of the more straightforward songs. ‘Look at Your Life’ fits a hell of a lot into its four minutes, a pop song with stop-start rhythms, thrashing drums, a complete left-turn in the middle, and two guitar solos. ‘Who Am I’ sounds like a more organic TV On The Radio, with a simple, driving beat, distorted funk chords, and a soulful vocal performance from Bobby Hackney. ‘You Are What You Think’ emulates math rock with its complex and frequently changing time signatures. It’s a fierce and energetic comeback for a band whose heyday came 40 years to late. It’s heartening to hear that Death has a life that stretches beyond its past glories.
Track Listing:-
1 Relief2 Look At Your Life
3 Story Of The World
4 The Times
5 Playtime
6 At The Station
7 Who Am I?
8 You Are What You Think
9 Resurrection
10 Change
Band Links:-
http://www.deathfromdetroit.com/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_%28protopunk_band%29
https://vimeo.com/deathworldwide
https://www.youtube.com/user/DEATHWorldWide
https://www.facebook.com/deathworldwide
https://twitter.com/TheDEATHBand
Label Links:-
http://www.dragcity.com/https://twitter.com/dragcityrecords
https://www.facebook.com/dragcityrecords
interviews |
Interview (2014) |
Mark Rowland chats to long lost 70's Detroit garage rock outfit Death about their sudden emergence from obscurity to cult act and their recently released third retrospective |
most viewed articles
current edition
Cliff Richard and The Shadows - CommentSuzi Quatro - Photoscapes
Beach Boys - Film
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - Peter Perrett Part One
Garfunkel and Garfunkel Jr. - Interview
Eagles - Co-op Live, Manchester, 7/6/2024
George Harrison - Living in the Material World
Sukie Smith - Interview
T Bone Burnett - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, 19/11/2024
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - Peter Perrett Part Two
most viewed reviews
current edition
Morgan Wade - ObsessedSnow Patrol - The Forest Is The Guide
Camila Cabello - C.XOXO
Bleachers - Bleachers
Ashley Reaks - The Body Blow of Grief
Charli XCX - Brat
Jack Savoretti - Miss Italia
Pixies - The Night The Zombies Came
Hannah Wicklund - The Prize
Slambovian Circus of Dreams - A Good Thief Tips His Hat
related articles |
Papernut Cambridge: Interview (2014 |
Ben Howarth chats to Death In Vegas and Rotifer member Ian Button about his band Papernut Cambridge's second solo album, 'There's No Underground' |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart