If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve [Box set]

Jello Biafra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 27, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Alternative Tentacles/AK Press
• ASIN: 1902593049
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,186 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The fifth of Biafra's legendary biting and poignant spoken word albums. Tracks include: Depends on the Drug, Wake Up and Smell the Noise, Murder of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Clinton Comes to Long Beach, Half Time, The Hex Files: Space Shuttle Sequel, The New Soviet Union, Talk on Censorship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill the poor., January 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve (Audio CD)

If you didn't get the summary and for some reason actually took it literally, then you've probably never listenned to the Dead Kennedys. Well, ex-Kennedy lead singer Jello Biafra has taken his razor blade-like social awareness and criticism to spoken word. You won't believe what you learn, and worst of all you'll never be able to pledge allegiance again(OH NO!!). Buy this. Yeah, yeah. I know that's all you hear every evening as you vegetate in front of the new opiate of the masses, i mean television, but this might actually wake you up. Besides, if you've found your way to this review than you must have some interest in Biafra or the Dead Kennedys. If you just stumbled upon this as a poor innocent good citizen, well, good. You need this. It's like Viagra for the brain. Arm the homeless!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most economics-oriented of Biafra's albums, December 24, 2004

By 

Eric N. Gross (Eugene, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve (Audio CD)

Jello Biafra pontificates on a number of issues that I personally find important: the need for teenagers and young adults to have free access to entertainment, music and media of their choice; the banality and anti-aestheticism of "mainstream suburbia" and the suit-and-tie, Christmas-shopping, pro-sports mentality fed to us in the media (that's how their corporate sponsors make money after all).

But here Biafra is much more concerned with the economics playing behind the scenes. Rather than "whine" about Tipper Gore, the PMRC and their efforts to deny people under a certain age certain types of albums (and movies, video games, possibly even live concerts), here Biafra goes into a much more powerful threat to freedom and democracy: corporate power and the DE FACTO censorship and authoritarianism it brings. You could best think of this album as a rebuttal to conservative economist Milton Friedman's book CAPITALISM AND FREEDOM.

This album was recorded in late 1997/early 1998, the era of anti-gang paranoia, the Newt Gingrich regime, NAFTA, drug wars, welfare reform, and Wall Street uber-alles. Biafra clearly points out President Clinton's repeated concessions to the conservative right, not just the Wall Street right but also cultural reactionaries (one of which would have been first lady had the Supreme Court not handed the 2000 pres election to Bush). This frustration over pro-corporate, pro-suburbia, anti-marijuana, anti-musical freedom "liberal" Democrats was certainly at least part of the fuel behind Ralph Nader's 2000 campaign.

Biafra points out, very honestly, that the corporate media deliberately blames society's problems on everything except the real cause (how screwed up our economic system is (this is a verbatim quote)), which not only unnecessarily scapegoats innocent people like Marilyn Manson and divides the nation among race and culture lines, but assures that the real problems will never be solved.

Of course, to inspire the people for social change, he also gives examples of how Russians and Eastern Europeans overthrew their communist-by-name-only regimes and set up democracies run, in some cases, by rock musicians! Granted, neocapitalist fervor has been pushed too hard on the ex-"communist" countries, but the basic idea of a mass of people overthrowing a corrupt and elitist political regime is definitely something that a democratic socialist like myself can wholeheartedly support!

After listening to this album you too will be inspired to renounce the capitalist economic ideology and dream of the day when America will experience a general strike. Even if you don't agree with Biafra's (or my) quasi-socialist philosophy of wealth, work and property, you will be forced to admit that America is going down the tubes and that "It's the economic system, [...]"

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jello does it again, July 25, 2006

By 

ashley (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve (Audio CD)

You can't go wrong with Biafra's fantastic sense of humor, especially in conjunction with his ever-scathing political commentary.
This is a highly listenable and entertaining set of cds, which is not to undermine their importance. They are challenging and thought-provoking, addressing contemporary social and political issues, and weave together a perfect blend of satire and seriousness.