Review Summary: In what I believe, I rest, that this is one of the best punk albums of all time for sure, and amazingly strong and rich with guitar solos. Jello Biafra sings his heart out about random crap which may sound like baloney, but it's all in the name of fun,sa
Jello Biafra's voice does not tremble. In the opening of it all with the first song, Kill The Poor, you can see Jello will rant on about anarchy and politics, but boy does he have a snarling voice. Punk. Jello is a smart one. With signs of surf rock on the guitar, on Kill The Poor, and a catchy chorus. A show of what's to come.
Kill The Poor-4.5/5 An amazing opener, with Jello repeating the chorus over and over with a sick riff near the middle end, and lovely drumming. A solo accompanies it all in the end and closes with a fury.
Forward to Death-5/5 My favorite DK song, a happy-go-lucky pessimistic rant about hating life, it's such a bittersweet song, but the riffs are beautiful here. Such are the lyrics with Jello saying, "I don't need this ***ing world/This world brings me down/Gag with every breath/This world brings me down." A classic DK song for you.
When Ya Get Drafted-4.5/5 When the opening bass line starts, your left to wonder," What the hell is this?" Then you hear the next guitar riff come in and it takes you away. For sure, this isn't Jello's strongest song, but the deadly riff in this reminds me of Halloween.And aliens.
Let's Lynch The Landlord-3/5 The album starts dragging down here. My least favorite DK song, not catchy much, sucks. It's still got the signature DK sounds, through buzzed guitars with solos continuing that try to reach for the moon.
Drug Me- 4/5 A very fast song, sounds like your epitome of Hardcore Punk. The lyrics are depressive like the title says. I like the bass in this song, it has some nice rhytmn to it, so do the drums. All in all, a powerful song somewhat
Your Emotions- 5/5 What punk should sound like. A in-your-face, anti-everything, anti-religious rant about life being boring. It's a classic.
Chemical Warfare-4/5 Surf Rock? I'm not sure, but Biafra gets on my nerves, a bit in here, with him talking about rabbits? and being crazy? He sounds like a hillbilly communist, leftist who wants to run for Governor. Which he did try doing.
California Uber Alles-4.8/5 The signature Dead Kennedys song, about governor Jerry Brown, and politics, usual Kennedys stuff. Without much knowledge, you should know that this is a very well known Dead Kennedys song and thus, is amazing, but it's not perfect, and I still place other songs above it. The drums are especially nice on this one.
I Kill Children-5/5 A sarcastic song. Ultra funny, ultra corny/cheesy whatever. But it's rough and menacingly evil, the way it sneaks up on you like a drug, and if your a true punk, you can't stop loving this song. "I wanna hear them scream/Feed 'em poison candy/To spoil their Halloween." It's funny, the way true music should be, and I love the Dead Kennedys because of this song.
Stealing People's Mail-3.5/5 - I think it's a song about money. Raving on and off about taking things and keeping them, this is a cool awesome song, but not the best.
Funland At The Beath-4/5- A thumping loud song.
Ill in the Head-5/5- "In a desperate mind/Little gardens grow/They grow very wide/They grow very tall"
I'm not sure if the Dead Kennedys did drugs, but this is a very strong song, and full of power. The spindling riff in here is one of my favorites in this record.
Holiday in Cambioda- 5/5 five out of ***ing five. My vote hands down, for one of the best songs of all time. That intro with the guitar, is so killer. This song sucks the life out of me. I just want to dance, to the solo that goes throughout the whole song. Pol Pot. Pol Pot. A ***ing miracle of a song for punk standards. The ultimate song for a fan to hear. The story is about a rich boy or a leech going to vacation to Cambodia or any foreign country, to try to fit in, only realizing, how poor people really are and how they suffer. A kicking, chill, monster song. With the ending of the solo.
Viva Las Vegas-4.5/5 Maybe the best cover, of all time, after the famous Elvis Presley song, this is a bass/drum rhytmn driven-moved song. You can really groove to this one. A party song, if all the DK songs were, this one really is a party song. Jello's vocals are at a all time high.
