Customer Reviews

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables [Vinyl]

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This was the first Dead Kennedys album I bought and it's the best. The others are good, namely Plastic Surgery Disasters, In God We Trust Inc., and Give me Convenience or Give me Death.

Every song on this album is good and I'm not just saying that. As I try to think of highlights I want to mention them all, but I'll just name a few. "Let's Lynch the Landlord" is an awesome song musically and lyrically and is later covered by Mr. Bungle. "California Uber Alles" is probably the most famous Dead Kennedy's Song other than "Holiday in Cambodia" which is also on this album. "Stealing People's Mail" is a feel good song about going through people's mail, and last but not least is an awesome version of Viva Las Vegas with a few lyrics changed. When I first heard this album I skipped to this song first and I knew that the DK's were something special.

To make a long story short, if you're interested in the DK's buy this album and buy it first. This album is a big part of punk history and many people have called the DK's the US answer to the Sex Pistols. These songs were originally recorded in '79 (the year I was born!) and it's really hard to believe that anything this cool could've existed that long ago! When I was a little kid I thought Metallica was the coolest thing around.
Why couldn't have someone told me about these guys sooner? Years ahead of it's time plain and simple.

It has also come to my attention that the ex-DK's have been suing Jello and releasing remastered versions of the albums, so if you can, try looking at the Alternative Tentacles website (Jello Biafra's label) for the album first (http://www.alternativetentacles.com). Alternative Tentacles is the DK's original label with the original recordings and is ran by the DK's vocalist Jello. Alternative Tentacles don't have all the DK albums available, so if they don't carry it just go ahead and buy one from anywhere like here.

One last comment, I see a lot of people giving this album one star because of the DK's lawsuit scandal. Well that's pretty stupid because it's a five star album no matter who puts it out. So go ahead and warn people, but don't give it one star.

First, I have to give my input on the GC fan's review--if you do not like this Dead Kennedys album, you do not like, as you put it "tru punk acts." The Dead Kennedys are a classic punk band, and this is by far their best album. When I first heard "Kill the Poor" and "Holiday in Cambodia," I knew this would end up being one of the best albums I've ever owned. There isn't a single song I didn't like, and the CD is constantly in my stereo. So if you REALLY want to listen to some great punk rock (other than that corporate emo junk) then definitely check out this album, it's one of the best.

The Dead Kennedys are one of the best punk bands ever, and they have this album to show for it. Such a great album as this should be in every punk collection. It's amazing how much energy each song has. This is also the most political band, and Kill The Poor is such a good song. But the best is definately Let's Lynch the Landlord. Jello Biafra is the best punk vocalist ever, even better than Ian McKaye. Listening to this album really makes me wish it were the 80s again so I could see great bands like this and Black Flag and Bad Religion in places like dc space and the Whisky.

Well i generally dont do this but i think ill rate every song on here, but first let me say something. This band has changed my life, but sad to say the only one who never sold out has no rights to the music he helped make. Jello Biafra was slapped with that god awful lawsuit a while back,and now east bay ray and crew get all the royalties. So if you are to buy a dks album anytime in the near future i urge you to find one off the alternative tentacles site so you dont feed the sellouts wallet. with that out of the way ill begin.

1.Kill the poor 5/5 The quintesential dks song
2.Foward to death 4/5 fast throbbing punk rock at its best
3. When ya get drafted 5/5 couldnt agree with the lyrics more, The hell with the whole damn military
4. Lets lynch the landlord- 5/5 My alltime favorite dks song, its so catchy i cant help myself
5. Drug me- 5/5 a good song nothing spectacular though
6. Your emotions- 5/5- diddo
7. Chemical warfare- 5/5 third favorite track off disc
8. California Über Alles-5/5 you like punk you have to like this song if not something is seriously wrong with you
9. I Kill Children-5/5 some would call the context of the song morally wrong(focus on the family) i CALL IT HILARIOUS
10. Stealing People's Mail-5/5 diddo once more
11. Funland at the Beach-3/5 worst song on the cd
12. Ill in the Head-3/5 eh.... okay
13. Holiday in Cambodia 5/5 forst song i ever heard from the dks.....hooked me like a fish
14. Viva Las Vegas -5/5 like landlord this is just fun

This is probably the best punk album ever. It sounds like they're playing with drums and slightly broken chainsaws in a sheet metal shed in the middle of nowhere, and Biafra's vocal stylings are a gloriously-over-the-top mockery of people "who can actually sing." The songwriting is strong, too, although I doubt Jello Biafra ever said "Let's bring pen and paper into this."

Songs like "Kill the Poor," "Holiday in Cambodia," and "California Uber Alles" probably rank as high in the proverbial Punk Hall of Fame and resonate as loudly with punk fans as songs like "Stairway to Heaven" do for fans of old, crappy, overrated dinosaur rock that still gets played on The Idiot Box Sr..

"Fresh Fruit..." is all the right notes in all the right places, nothing more, nothing less, like any great punk album. (See also: Nirvana.)

By the way, for a group of people who listen to "thinking man's" old school punk like the Dead Kennedys, many of you seem to have trouble grasping the concept of "satire" when it isn't spelled out for you beforehand. (Cough, cough, Fred Durst's Numba One Fann, cough, cough...)

Just like the sheep who listen to Good Charlotte and think it's "punk" because someone told them so, you are missing the point. Whenever you manage to extricate your foot from its hibernation place in your throat, consider suicide.

This great album is a total waste of money on 180G vinyl.

It's the same ultra-compressed, non-dynamic mix as on the CD - and totally grating on the ears. (google for 'loudness wars')

You will not be able to listen to this all the way through.
What a stupid thing to do - releasing a "mp3" quality mix on 180G vinyl!

If it says "Digitally Remastered", "Mastered by John Cuniberti at The Plant Mastering with East Bay Ray" DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.
Released on Cleopatra Records MFO 42907

The pressing is 'OK', slightly greyish tinted vinyl (not jet black, suggesting somewhat lower quality vinyl) and also you can see the run-out section is not smooth - like the vinyl pellets are not melted all-the-way.

I just received it today and am going to have to sell it for $2 at the local record shop.

First of all...if you check all the reviews, you'll find 'Fred Dursts Numba One Fann'. wow...i have never seen so much bullsh*t in my life. Good Charlotte punk?!?!?...more like pop with no talent guitars. I seriously hope you are just being sarcastic...with the clay aikien remark, because thats kinda scary. And DK is late 70's-80's band. They wouldnt be playing at the warped tour or, (out of nowhere) ozzfest.Now, to the review...

After hearing "Chemical Warfare", "Holiday in Cambodia", and "California Uber Alles", I knew this was 1 album for constant listening. If you want to get into REAL punk rock, this is the best start, besides the sex pistols, ramones, or the casualties. But if you want to just get 1 DK cd, i actually have to recommend 2 other DK cd's; "Give me Conveniance or Give me Death" and "Plastic Surgery Disasters". "Give me Conveniance or Give me Death" is a greatest hits-type cd, which actually fulfillz alot of DK's best work. "Plastic Surgery" is just a mix of alot of great, and rare songs. Peace

I just want to say that this album helped me appreciate the DK's more than any other album, and I own them all. It wasn't the first one I bought, but it is definitely my favorite. So if you are haven't bought this album, then do so immediately. If you have bought it, then you already know what I'm talking about.

The review from the Good Charlotte lover is so ridiculous its laughable. The statement "Yo peeps, how are ya this evening??" indicates an interest in the likes of Britney Spears and Ricky Martin more than anything else. Some of the bands "Ghetto from Guam" listed aren't bad, compared amongst themselves (as wannabe, poser "punk" - I use that term EXTREMELY loosely). My friends, we all know that the DK are the best of the best, the originals! There never will be groups like them or the Sex Pistols again; hardcore punk, raw and unreahearsed! Long live Jello Biafra, King of Punk! OH yah, "Support TRU Punk Like Good Charlotte" -- that STILL has me laughing!! " Plus the lyrics are about cheesy political scandals and govenment business stuff that no one in my crowd cares about!!" -- just what the H3LL does he think true punk is about anyway? Idiot! Peace out my homeys - ha ha ha ha ha ha <moron>

This is the CD that got me into punk a few years back. I remember being blown away by it as Jello sung so easily what I had been trying to say for years. This right here is classic Hardcore-punk at its best. The lyrics are intelligent, insightful, and the whole CD has this great creepy old-school feel to it. The audio on the older Dead Kennedys CDs aren't the best, but you must keep in mind that this CD is over 20 years old. It sounds just fine if you crank up the volume on your stereo.

Some say you should only buy Dead Kennedys CDs on Jello's Alternative Record label. If you don't mind the higher prices and rareity of the albums then go for it. If not its OKAY to buy it on this label. Stop being so judgemental everyone. If someone is just starting to listen to punk how else are they going to get this CD? They are quite expensive to get on the A.T. label as the CDs have become scarce. At least be happy they are listening to the good stuff and hopefully will take it to heart.

If anyone doesn't know what happened, basically Jello Biafra(vocalist) got screwed over by the rest of the band when they wanted to use the song "Holiday In Cambodia" in a Levi's Dockers commerical. Listen to this song, then come back and tell me you can't see why Jello was outraged by this idea. Jello no longer is a part of Dead Kennedys, and lost all his songs(he wrote 99% of them). Visit Alternative Tenticals... website as they can fill you in more on what happened. Its the sad story of a true punk getting kicked around by greedy (...) because he wouldn't sell out. Don't worry though. Jello is doing fine on his own unlike the rest of the Dead Kennedys.