...For the Whole World to See
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album|
| name = ...For the Whole World to See
| type = studio
| artist = Death
| cover = Forthewholeworldtosee.jpg
| alt =
| released = February 17, 2009
| recorded = 1975
| venue =
| studio = United Sound[http://soulfuldetroit.com/web01-soulfuldetroit/united-sound.htm SoulfulDetroit - United Sound Systems - Great Soul Music Recording Studios of Detroit]
Detroit, Michigan
| genre = *Proto-punk{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1477709|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic|accessdate=July 23, 2010|title=Overview:...For the Whole World to See|author=Jurek, Thom}}
| length = 26:23
| label = Drag City
| producer = Death
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Spiritual • Mental • Physical
| next_year = 2011
}}
...For the Whole World to See is a studio album by the Detroit band Death, released in 2009 and consisting of various demos originally recorded in the mid 1970s.
Background and recording
In 1975 the band entered a studio to record a 12-song album. After refusing to change their group's name, Death was turned away by Clive Davis of Columbia Records. Only seven songs were completed and the album was never released.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html?_r=1 This Band Was Punk Before Punk Was Punk ] The surviving songs were released as ...For the Whole World to See in 2009 by Drag City.
Just prior to and right after the record's release, the songs on ...For the Whole World to See were performed live by Rough Francis, a band formed by the three sons of Death's original bassist. With the record's critical acclaim and praise from many other musicians, the two surviving members of Death reformed the band with a new guitarist to promote the record themselves.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
Reception and legacy
{{Music ratings
|rev1=AllMusic
|rev2=Pitchfork Media
|rev2score=(7.1/10){{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12673-for-the-whole-world-to-see/ |title=Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Death: ...For the Whole World to See |author=Moerder, Adam |website=Pitchfork |date=February 8, 2009 |accessdate=July 23, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708044448/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12673-for-the-whole-world-to-see/ |archivedate=8 July 2010 |url-status=live }}
|rev3=Sputnikmusic
|rev3score={{Rating|4|5}}Butler, Nick. [http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=33001 ...For the Whole World to See review] sputnikmusic.com. 2009-10-21. Retrieved on 2011-08-14.
|rev4=Tiny Mix Tapes
|rev4score={{Rating|4|5}}Woodbury, Jason P. [http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Death ...For the Whole World to See review] tinymixtapes.com. 2009-02-19. Retrieved on 2011-08-14.
}}
Initial critical response to ...For the Whole World to See was positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 76, based on 8 reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/for-the-whole-world-to-see/death |title=Death: ...For the Whole World to See (2009): Reviews |work=Metacritic |publisher=CNET Networks, Inc |accessdate=2009-03-19 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321090020/http://www.metacritic.com/music/for-the-whole-world-to-see/death |archivedate=21 March 2009 |url-status=live }}
Jack White of The White Stripes related his first reaction to the album in a New York Times article: "I couldn't believe what I was hearing. When I was told the history of the band and what year they recorded this music, it just didn't make sense. Ahead of punk, and ahead of their time."
The song "You're a Prisoner" was featured in the 2011 film Kill the Irishman.Soundtracks for Kill the Irishman (2011) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1416801/soundtrack
The song "Freakin Out" is played in the main action sequence on the sixth episode of the Starz show Ash vs. Evil Dead.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
The song "Keep on Knocking" was used for the soundtrack for the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
The song "Politicians in My Eyes" was covered by the band Black Pumas in the deluxe release of their debut album (2019).{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
The song "Freakin Out" was featured in the 2022 film Wendell & Wild.Soundtrack for Wendel & Wild (2022) https://m.imdb.com/title/tt5181830/soundtrack
In 2024, Ultimate Guitar named the album as one of the greatest proto-punk albums. Staff writer Greg Prato wrote: "What's interesting about this selection was while the other entries on this list were pointed to by many for decades as important punk stepping stones, this release did not enter the public's eye until 2009. The story goes that this all-black Detroit trio had entered the recording studio in 1975 to record an album for Columbia Records, which ultimately was shelved for 34 years. And when it finally emerged, it showed that Death, which is not to be confused with the death metal band of the same name, was one of the first to begin to dial up punk's intensity, and sounded uncannily similar to early Bad Brains."{{Cite web |title=Top 5 Proto Punk Albums |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_5_proto_punk_albums-166545 |access-date=2025-07-05 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com |language=en}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Keep on Knocking
| length1 = 2:50
| music1 = David Hackney, Bobby Hackney
| title2 = Rock-N-Roll Victim
| length2 = 2:41
| music2 = D. Hackney
| title3 = Let the World Turn
| length3 = 5:56
| music3 = D. Hackney, B. Hackney
| title4 = You're a Prisoner
| length4 = 2:24
| music4 = D. Hackney, B. Hackney
| total_length = 13:52
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side B
| title5 = Freakin Out
| length5 = 2:48
| music5 = B. Hackney
| title6 = Where Do We Go from Here???
| length6 = 3:50
| music6 = B. Hackney
| title7 = Politicians in My Eyes
| length7 = 5:50
| music7 = B. Hackney
| total_length = 12:29
}}
Personnel
;Death
- David Hackney – guitar
- Bobby Hackney – bass, lead vocals
- Dannis Hackney – drums
;Technical
- Death – producer
- Tammy Hackney – photography
- Jim Vitti – engineer
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Metacritic album}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:For the Whole World to See}}