Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Hated listening to it from the start. Lyrics were fascinating at first but then they just got fucking weird

I wish I could give this one 6 stars.

There are few albums in my life more important to me or why I like and listen to the music I do. Ever since I heard this album in high school (20+ years ago), where it blew my mind, I have been chasing that same feeling. I'm don't think I even try to listen to all 1001 albums if it wasn't for hearing this one.

The DKs mix punk and hardcore with lyrics that are funny with a powerful message. It's everything I like in music.

super political is how i like my punk and i hit the jackpot

Before today, the only exposure to Dead Kennedys I had was hearing Police Truck on Tony Hawk Pro Skater, and Holiday in Cambodia on Guitar Hero 3.

For the purposes of this review, I enjoyed the album so much that I listened to the extended edition of it.

Dead Kennedys have a really unique sound, mixing surfer rock with hardcore punk, and lacing in their political views (which are sadly still relevant today). Jello Biafra's vocal delivery sounds like the B-52's. Their version of Viva Las Vegas may be better than Elvis'! All of the members of the band are super talented! These guys pushed their message unapologetically, and largely without representation. I Kill Children, and Funland at the Beach both have roots in Alice Cooper style shock rock, really taking the listener by surprise when they start into them.

Overall, a phenomenal punk record. The fact that this is a debut album is insane! I thoroughly enjoyed this deeper dive into their back catalog. I will definately listen again!

Favourite songs: Police Truck, Too Drunk to Fuck, In-Sight, When Ya Get Drafted, Holiday in Cambodia, California Uber Alles, Chemical Warfare, Let's Lynch the Landlord, Forward to Death, Kill the Poor

Least favourite songs: The Prey, Drug Me, Ill in the Head

4/5

Shouty, shouty, a tour de force of punk rock!

I'm a bit hit or miss on older British punk but Dead Kennedys are one of the good ones. Instrumentally complex enough to remain interesting and catchy, witty, politically savage lyrics.

I have a soft spot for the DKs. One of the first punk bands I kind of got into. Jello Biafra is kind of an enigma to me as well...really hard to tell in his lyrics if he is just being ironic or laudatory in any way. 4/5

So, that's the thing about shock rock. It's trying to satirically shake people loose from their complacency long enough to get them thinking. Problem is the other, more likely, reaction is for a knee jerk reaction because they think it's literal. Offended and now further entrenched, they remain complacent and bolsters in smug judgement.

But yeah, this is punk through and through!

This one really knocked me on my ass, clearly a big influence point for a whole bunch of bands I like a ton.

El punk era esto. Aquí hay inspiración de más de una banda. Temazos como "Kill the poor" o "California Uber Alles". Esto si hay que escucharlo al menos una vez.

Good, very Sex Pistols, completely unsurprisingly.

Great, with a couple of benchmark punk tracks and the others all very very good.