''Spiritual • Mental • Physical'' is a retrospective album by the

proto-punk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music played mostly by garage bands from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock movement. The phrase is a retrospective label; the musicians involved were generally not originally associated wit ...

band

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

consisting mainly of demo tracks recorded in their home rehearsal space between 1974–1976. Many of the songs on the set display a raw and spontaneous character, which anticipates the punk rock movement that was just around the corner in New York and London. Death's ranks consisted of brothers David, Bobby, and Dannis Hackney, who were African American, and came at the tail end of the Detroit rock movement which had produced powerhouses such as

MC5 MC5, also commonly called The MC5, is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The original line-up consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals) Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred "Sonic" Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass), and Dennis ...

and

the Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

. In addition to the group's home demos, they also went to Detroit's United Sound Studios to record seven tracks, which now appear on the album, '' ...For the Whole World to See'', however, it is the band's demos that are spotlighted on this outing. The set begins in characteristically energetic fashion with "Views", whose lyrics, according to the album's liner notes, are about a rock & roll star's relationship with his management and fans.. DC477C (album liner notes) The next cut, "Masks" echoes the melody of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' "

Got to Get You Into My Life "Got to Get You into My Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, first released in 1966 on their album ''Revolver''. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is a homage to the Motown Sound, wit ...

", but on the "punkiest" terms, as the song breaks out into fast thrashes following each verse. "Changes", which features the late Dave Hackney on guitar, is the only cut on the album recorded during their professional sessions at United Studios, and it marks a marked change of mood to the more meditative and contemplative side of the group, as Hackney experiments with tape loops and sound effects. "World of Tomorrow", a medium-tempo piece, breaks out into climaxes after each verse, and on the next cut "Can You Give Me A Thrill???", the band switches back into "full throttle" rocking form. The song eventually leads up to a mock ending, but then goes into an encore before its finale. The three chords to "People Look Away" echo " Do Ya", by

the Move The Move were a British rock band of the late 1960s and the early 1970s. They scored nine top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any real success in the United States. For most of their caree ...

, which later became a hit for

the Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop, classical a ...

. The last several cuts are mainly instrumental jams, such as the dissonant "The Storm Within". "David's Dream (flying)" reprises David Hackney's early cut "Changes". "Bobby Bassing It" features Bobby Hackney on bass and the closing cut "Dannis on the Motor City Drums" is a snapshot of Dannis Hackney practicing on drums.

Track listing

#"Views" 3:02 #"The Masks" 3:11 ''(Bobby Hackney)'' #"The Change" 3:45 #"World of Tomorrow" 1:41 #"Can You Give Me a Thrill???" 5:43 #"People Look Away" 2:14 #"The Storm Within" 3:01 #"David's Dream (Flying)" 2:01 #"Bobby Bassing It" 1:28 #"Dannis on the Motor City Drums" 2:14

Catalogue and release information

* 'Spiritual • Mental • Physical' (Drag City DC447CD, 2011)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spiritual Mental Physical 2011 compilation albums Death (proto-punk band) albums Drag City (record label) compilation albums