Dragstrip Riot (album)
Dragstrip Riot is an album by the American punk rock band the Flesh Eaters, released in 1991.[2][3] It was their first studio album since 1983's A Hard Road to Follow.
Dragstrip Riot | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Genre | Punk rock | |||
Label | SST Records[1] | |||
Producer | Chris D. | |||
The Flesh Eaters chronology | ||||
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Lyrics to "Dragstrip Riot" appear in Bruce Harris Craven's novel Fast Sofa, published in 1993. The Flesh Eaters recorded a new song to promote the book, which was included with Fast Sofa as a flexi-disc.[4] "The Youngest Profession" was rerecorded for 2018's I Used to Be Pretty.[5]
Production
The album was made with a new lineup of the band, with Chris D. the only longtime member.[6] It contains covers of the Flamin' Groovies' "Slow Death" and Mott the Hoople's "Moon Upstairs".[7]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [9] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 5/10[6] |
Trouser Press concluded that the new band "proves potent enough to keep pace without clinging to their leader’s tornado-swept coattails, whether the context is quietly malicious delta blues ('The Youngest Profession'), Alice Cooper-via-Jim Thompson power-metal ('Sugarhead and Panther Breath') or stripped-down docudrama (the ten-minute title track), not to mention a handful of territory-defining covers."[10] The Los Angeles Times called the new Flesh Eaters "a more tempered band with a blues and garage-rock sound that sometimes echoes such punk precursors as the Stooges, Television and the Patti Smith Group ... Formerly a ranter and raver, Chris D. now can sing when he wants to."[7]
The Arizona Daily Star wrote that "lead screamer Chris D. has reassembled his semi-legendary L.A. punk band, rediscovered the blues and now occasionally forgoes his trademark from-the-crypt wail to actually sing his lyrics, a combination of beat poetry, pulp fiction and B-movie themes."[11] CMJ New Music Report thought that guitarist Wayne James's "every move is a new extension of L.A.M.F./Link Wray squint-eyed grace; his guitar/co-writing skills are within the bounds of both old Flesh Eaters style and stereotype bad-ass rocker blare."[12]
AllMusic determined: "Overlong, but after over a decade they're in great shape."[8] The Encyclopedia of Popular Music thought that the album "saw the band crashing out riotous swamp rock of a virulent, Cramps-type character."[9]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Tomorrow Never Comes" | |
2. | "Youngest Profession" | |
3. | "Soul Kiss" | |
4. | "Dragstrip Riot" | |
5. | "Bedfull of Knives" | |
6. | "My Baby's Done Her Best" | |
7. | "Sugarhead and Panther Breath" | |
8. | "Out of Nowhere" | |
9. | "Dove's Blood Ink" | |
10. | "Take My Hand" | |
11. | "Agony Shorthand" | |
12. | "Agony Sorehead" | |
13. | "Buried Treasure" | |
14. | "Moon Upstairs" | |
15. | "Slipped, Tripped, Fell in Love" | |
16. | "Slow Death" | |
17. | "Fur Magnet" |
References
- Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). "Goldmine Record Album Price Guide". Penguin. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Google Books.
- "The Flesh Eaters Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
- Ngaire (May 4, 1991). "Albums -- Dragstrip Riot by the Flesheaters". Melody Maker. 68 (18): 34.
- Miller, Trudi (7 Jan 1993). "Flesheaters' new song-one for the books". Chicago Tribune. Billboard. p. 11E.
- "The FLESH EATERS are back!". No Depression. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 150.
- Boehm, Mike (23 Feb 1991). "Flesh Prince of Feeling Talks From the Heart". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 2.
- "Dragstrip Riot - The Flesh Eaters | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24 – via www.allmusic.com.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 499.
- "Flesh Eaters". Trouser Press. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- Armstrong, Gene (January 10, 1992). "Craftsmanship, songwriting won in 1991". Arizona Daily Star. p. 15F.
- "Flesh Eaters Dragstrip Riot". CMJ New Music Report. 25 (226): 2. March 8, 1991.