''A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die'' is the second album from American punk rock band

the Flesh Eaters The Flesh Eaters are an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, United States, in 1977. They are the most prominent of the bands which have showcased the compositions and singing of their founder, punk poet Chris Desjardi ...

. Released in 1981, it is perhaps their most acclaimed work. The band's roster on this album comprises

Dave Alvin David Albert Alvin (born November 11, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former and founding member of the roots rock band the Blasters. Alvin has recorded and performed as a solo artist since the late 1980s a ...

(guitar),

John Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are often ...

(bass),

Chris D. Chris D. (born Chris Desjardins; January 15, 1953) is a punk poet, singer, writer, rock critic, producer, actor, and filmmaker. He is best known as the lead singer and founder of the early and long-running Los Angeles punk/death rock band the Fle ...

(vocals, maracas),

Steve Berlin Steven M. Berlin (born September 14, 1955, Philadelphia) is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs, the Blasters, and the Flesh ...

(saxophone, rhythm sticks),

D. J. Bonebrake Donald J. Bonebrake (born December 8, 1955) is an American musician who first emerged as the drummer of the punk rock band the Eyes (also featuring Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go's). He is best known as an original member of and drummer for punk ...

(maracas, snare, marimbas) and Bill Bateman (drums).

Critical reception

Reviewing the album in 1981 for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'',

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

wrote, "this eschews the no-speed-limit egoism of El Lay punk convention for a more matoor view of the world, based on the idea that horror movies are worth taking seriously. Not bad for a laff."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Patrick Kennedy later called it "a classic album of trashy-noir darkness, seamy Hollywood dreck, campy blues horror, and Stax-influenced, stripped-down guitar punk". In the 1995 ''

Spin Alternative Record Guide The ''Spin Alternative Record Guide'' is a music reference book compiled by the American music magazine '' Spin'' and published in 1995 by Vintage Books. It was edited by rock critic Eric Weisbard and Craig Marks, who was the magazine's editor-i ...

'',

Byron Coley Byron Coley is an American music critic who wrote prominently for ''Forced Exposure'' magazine in the 1980s, from the fifth issue until the magazine ceased publication in 1993. Prior to ''Forced Exposure'', he wrote for '' New York Rocker'', '' B ...

gave the album a perfect score and named it "in my opinion, the finest album ever recorded", writing lineup... was absolutely incredible, sliding between roars of punk bombast, American swamp-roots underpinnings, and explosive jazzy improvs like no one before or since."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Chris D. except where noted. # "Digging My Grave" – 4:21 # "Pray Til You Sweat" – 2:36 # "River of Fever" – 3:55 # "Satan's Stomp" – 5:49 # "See You in the Boneyard" – 3:30 # "So Long" – 3:30 # "Cyrano de Berger's Back" (

) – 3:22 # "Divine Horseman" – 7:08 "Cyrano de Berger's Back" was composed by John Doe, and was later covered by his band X on their albums '' See How We Are'' and '' Alphabetland''.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Minute to Pray The Flesh Eaters albums 1981 albums Ruby Records albums