Music Review: Dead Kennedys Discography

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)

Dead Kennedys’ debut album is fast, furious, and pissed off. From the first note of Kill the Poor you know you’re listening to something new and exciting. The appeal of the Dead Kennedys is they don’t sound like the other hardcore bands you’ve listened to. This unique sound doesn’t just make them stand out from the crowd, it makes them stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

The strongest appeal of Dead Kennedys is their strong lyrical work, they have a clear message, and the lead singer, Jello, shows he isn’t afraid to spit it in your face. Instead of hearing about how hardcore they are or how bad they can beat you up, you get political commentary intertwined with satire and rapid fire historical context.  It’s refreshing to hear hardcore punk that has something important to tell you about social issues foreign and abroad.

Also unique is the music craftsmanship of the album. East Coast Ray melds a surf guitar sound with rapid fire beats to form the Dead Kennedys’ distinct sound.  Klaus supplies bass in perfect doses; typically staying on root notes, but walking out just enough to demonstrate he knows how to handle his bass.

Even the album’s filler songs feel fresh and lively, you never feel they mailed a performance in. Songs such as Stealing People’s Mail and Funland at the Beach are easily forgettable, but pass by so quickly you may not have time to hit the next button. It’s as if Dead Kennedys realized they needed one more song for the album and instead made two half songs to fill the space.

By far the worst song on the album is their Viva Las Vegas cover. The song tries to take the classic song and update it with Dead Kennedy’s political lyrics, but it feels too forced to be a viable track. Luckily it’s at the end of the album, so it’s easy to hit stop after Holiday in Cambodia.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables is the perfect introduction album for Dead Kennedys. It’s quick and to the point yet offers enough hooks to make you want to hear more.

Grade: A

Best Song: Kill the Poor
Worst Song: Viva Las Vegas

In God We Trust, Inc. EP (1981)

After their explosive debut Dead Kennedys experimented with new ideas and sounds on In God We Trust, Inc. their follow-up EP. This album is short and exciting, only two songs are over 2 minutes and one clocking in at 38 seconds, but never feels like a Dead Kennedys album.

While not as coherent as their other work, the lyrics remain pointed at the usual suspects. Religion, Nazis, pesticide, and Reagan are targeted. The Reagan attack comes in the form of a jazz rework of California Über Alles” that slowly builds into a hardcore punk cacophony.

In God We Trust, Inc. proved to skeptical punks that Dead Kennedys had the chops to play just as fast as the other punks bands while interjecting social commentary and humor, but overall it doesn’t work as well as their other albums. The album feels forced and awkward.

The breakneck speed of the album overshadows their message of anti-conformity, thus losing impact. I prefer Dead Kennedys at speeds I can comprehend lyrics and hear their melding of surf and punk sounds. This is a pure hardcore punk album that could have easily been made by any generic punk band of the time.

Grade: C+

Best Song: Religious Vomit
Worst Song: Dog Bite

Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982)

Dead Kennedys’ sophomore album takes the the ideas of Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and runs with it.  The Dead Kennedys’ signature mix of surf rock with blistering hardcore punk is prevalent through out the album.

Lyrically Plastic Surgery Disasters continues to display a higher caliber of writing ability that other punk bands simply can’t match. Jello’s distinct nasal voice wobble became more pronounced on this album, but not to the point of being distracting. It simply becomes a part of their signature sound, almost becoming an instrument in its own right.

Jocks, poser punks, politicians, and yuppies continue to be squarely in Jello’s cross-hairs. The lyrics weave satire, metaphors, and direct attacks into scathing verses that rip apart anything and everyone that gets in the band’s way. You’ll find yourself listening to the lyrics in a way you don’t do for other bands. This is because of the message they contain, but also to witness the expert wordplay that makes them so biting.

Behind Jello, the rest of the band congeals better than on the previous releases. This is evident by the perfectly timed starts and stops used throughout the album. Sudden bursts of noise and silences show the band is comfortable together and have a supreme handle on what they’re doing.  It’s nice to know some punk bands practice their songs before recording.

Grade: B+

Best Song: Terminal Preppie
Worst Song: Riot

Frankenchrist (1985)

Continuing their assault on all things corporate Dead Kennedys slow things down a bit on Frankenchrist and refocus their musical weapons. While they retain their signature sounds, new elements, such as the horns on M.T.V. - Get off the Air, begin to creep into their recordings.

While being the most diverse and experimental of Dead Kennedys albums, it’s still obvious who you’re listening to. The lyrics are shocking and humor filled as expected, but the music reaches levels not hit on previous albums. Ray’s spaghetti western influenced guitar work mixes so perfectly the the punk influences, you will wonder why other bands don’t copy it note for note.

The swan song of the album has to be M.T.V. - Get off the Air. Here Jello pulls no punches and goes straight for the jugular. He attacks record companies who make musical decisions based on money and not art and the mindless cookie cutter bands who have nothing to offer except “endless doses of sugar-coated mindless garbage.”

It’s obvious that as the life of Dead Kennedys continued, Jello became increasing upset at his surroundings. His songs become more attacking and focused, much to the pleasure of us fans. As Jello’s frustration increases, his songs become better.

Grade: A-

Best Song: M.T.V. - Get Off the Air
Worst Song: Hellnation

Bedtime for Democracy (1986)

Returning to the sound of their debut album, Dead Kennedys released Bedtime for Democracy shortly before breaking up and it stands apart as their best album. By this point Jello was so angry and upset that he attacked everything from conformity to over population with amazing results.

The songs on Bedtime for Democracy range from short romps like Shrink to longer anthems like Cesspools in Eden. Throughout the album you’re hear Jello’s signature voice, but the real standout is Ray’s guitar work. Every track details his expert surf punk fusion and displays his amazing ability to create guitar hooks on even the most acerbic songs.

The only lackluster track on the album is the skit track “A Commercial.” While I’m all for parody, I expect music on a music record. It serves only to breakup the great music on the album, thus making me hate it even more.

Overall Bedtime for Democracy is a great Dead Kennedys’ album, and by far my favorite. No one is safe from Jello’s attacks, and the music hits all the right notes behind him. Other than the one skit blemish, it’s the perfect album.

Grade: A

Best Song: Shrink
Worst Song: A Commercial

Grade Summary

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980) A
Bedtime for Democracy (1986) A
Frankenchrist (1985) A-

Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982) B+

In God We Trust, Inc. (1981) C+