Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (Special 25th Anniversary Edition)by Dead Kennedys

When considering the greatest punk albums of all time, albums by the Clash, Ramones, and Sex Pistols are the ones most often looked upon with the most fondness. No matter how great those releases are, though, the first Dead Kennedys album, 'Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables', will always be the first album in my mind when I think of "punk" as a genre. It was not only my first punk album, but I've yet to hear any punk record as catchy, punctual, manic, humorous, and consistent since then. It also is a very important stepping stone between '70s punk and '80s hardcore as evidenced by the faster tempos and increasingly nihilistic lyrics.

"Kill the Poor" begins with Jello Biafra's off-kilter, wavering warble of a singing voice. After a faux patriotic intro, the song launches into crazed verses and a gleeful chorus. "Forward to Death" is a shorter song written by the band's former guitarist, 6025. The equally short "When Ya Get Drafted" is a satire on war-hungry politicians with a funny guitar solo parodying spy movie music. "Let's Lynch the Landlord" has a '60s garage rock feel to it and a surf rock-esque guitar break. "Drug Me" is one of the most frenetic songs ever recorded, featuring warped jack-hammer guitar riffs and some insanely fast singing. "your Emotions" is the albums shortest song and is about never questioning authority. "Chemical Warfare" is one of the more epic songs on the album (as far as "epic" punk songs go). It doesn't sound much different from the rest of the album before an abrupt part with bizarre vocals and a matching guitar melody which soon descends into absolute madness before returning to the song's chorus one last time. "California Über Alles" is actually the first Dead Kennedys single (presented here in a re-recorded version) and is similarly apocalyptic. It too is darkly hilarious, sung from the perspective of California's governor, Jerry Brown, envisioning his dictatorship of the United States in which he forces everyone to become hippies. "I Kill Children" is about a child serial killer (in case you couldn't figure that one out...). "Stealing People's Mail" is the album's funniest song, being about bored kids who steal people's mail instead of going out on the weekend. "Funland at the Beach" is a song about dangerous amusement parks. "Ill in the Head" is perhaps the album's weakest track, but it's still far from bad. "Holiday in Cambodia" is probably the most famous Dead Kennedys song and is also the album's longest track. After an ominous intro, the lyrics compare the relative snobbiness of America to Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, culminating in an extended guitar break and repeated recitation of the name "Pol Pot". The album closes with a fun take on the Elvis classic "Viva Las Vegas".

Although 'Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables' contains excellent musicianship (by punk standards) and pioneering vocal styles, the songs are the album's real strength. You'd be hard-pressed to find a punk album with as many great songs as this album and the same amount of filler (meaning none), as I have been. Essential to punk fans, especially those looking beyond the most obvious classics.