Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist

Finally available again! This digitally remastered (by the original sound engineer) reissue of their classic 1985 DK album! This 2001 Manifesto release features 10 tracks. Album Description

Intriguing American punk-Tex Mex mixed with the B52s!

I bought this cd because I remembered a flatmate having an LP of this title. Can't exactly remember if I listened to it then and if I did whether or not I was freaked out by it [maybe the album I was freaked out by was Metallica's "Master Of Puppets" which I've also reviewed here].

Anyway, listening to this cd now I must say how surprised I am by the sound of the music. It didn't really strike me as hardcore. Like I say in the header here, the music sounds a bit Tex Mex to me [hopefully that's the right word!] as well as having a similar sensibility to the B52s [think their classic song "Rock lobster"].

The reason I'm giving this cd around 3 stars out of 5 [3.5/5, if you inisist!] is because it doesn't really have a couple of killer songs to complement the otherwise good songs on this album. The Saints, punk pioneers which hail from Australia, had "Know your product" on one of their early albums from the mid to late 70's, whilst the Sex Pistols had "Anarchy in the UK" and "God save the Queen". All these songs are classic, nevermind the genre. The Dead Kennedys don't have a song in this class on "Frankenchrist".

The sound quality of the cd is very good as is the musicianship. Lyrics to all the songs are helpfully provided as I found it hard to make out the subject matter. It's not that the singing is indeciphable...it's just not easy keeping tabs on it, if that makes sense.

If you like the sound of the bass guitar, this album will provide you with your fill. It's easy to identify and boogie along to. The lead singer, Jello Biafro, is a competent singer, in the Peter Garrett mould, of the incomparable Australian social/political pop/rock protest group Midnight Oil [I've reviewed stacks of their cds here]. In other words, he has an "everyman" kind of voice. Occasionally he gets theatrical in songs-lisping, or getting mock heroic, or the kind of singing you identify with punk music. The guitars sound mostly Tex Mex/surfy.

The biggest drawback to this album is that it sounds kind of samey, which isn't to say all the songs sound the same. The guitar sound is pretty consistent in style, though it does change-sometimes sounding ethereal, to great effect.

There are a couple of songs that I would highlight as being amongst the best on this album: "This could be anywhere", which, without having read the lyrics, sort of sounds like a punk version of "Little boxes" [one version of that song is used on the terrific US comedy/drama "Weeds"]. This song has some fast drumming, with a military flavour, perhaps, and an intriguing, cool guitar for the intro.

Perhaps my favourite song from this album is "MTV-Get off the air". It has a slow tempo intro, prominent bass guitar, and a really cute, 1950's style backing vocal bit. Not sure, but I'm gussing that the band didn't intend the average punk fan to like that intro, but I did. It's a highlight of the song. As is the bit towards the end of the song-which features a beautiful horn melody on a few occasions. After the 50's style intro, the song goes punk.

A few of the songs on this album aren't your typical 2 to 3 minute punk ditties. The Dead Kennedys make some songs on this album run from around 5 1/2 minutes to around 6 1/2 minutes. One song doesn't even make it past 2 1/2 minutes.

Other observations on songs on this album:

"Soup is good food"-the best exemplar, perhaps, of my comment on the guitars sounding Tex Mex/surfy on this album. The song is political [er, aren't they all?]-about the working class/poor.

"Hellnation"-a more typical "speed" punk song, with a cool, clangy guitar sound as well as some intricate lead guitar work.

"A growing boy needs his lunch"-had a Black Sabbath vibe to it [which I've also reviewed here], intricate lead guitar work, and a vocal sound which most reminded me of Peter Garrett [who is now a minister in a Labour government here in Australia].

"Jock-o-rama"-prominent bass guitar, and perhaps the most B52s sounding song on this album-the bass perhaps being part of the reason for this. Jello parodies a Southern accent in the intro and mocks the sporting fixation of American college life.

"At my job"- sounded a bit Daft Punk to me-electro, rhythmic. The bored sounding melody reflecting the subject of the song-being a working stiff.

Lastly, "Stars and stripes of corruption" may be a song which grows on me. Has bass and is a fast tempo song. Seems to be an attack on people with a holier than thou attitude to patriotism-i.e. that being a "good American" is nothing more than waving the red, white and blue flag.

Whilst not having a killer track, I think this album is a good buy for something a little different.

Other albums I've reviewed here which may interest you:

Midnight Oil-especially "10,...,1", "Diesel and dust" and "Red sails in the sunset".

The Saints "Know your product"

The Sex Pistols "The great rock'n'roll swindle"

Patti Smith "Horses"-an arty, poetic album from an American punk pioneer. January 9, 2008

The best of all DK albums

Ok I say this is the best of all DK albums because this was the first I ever heard all those many years ago. Soup is good food just hooked me. I had heard plenty of 'anarcho punk' or 'political punk' bands before but never a band who played such good music and had such an intelligent message too. Only Subhumans/Citizen Fish could come close.

Some people dislike this album saying the tracks are too long, maybe so most of them last about 4-5 minutes but dont let that put you off as another reviewer pointed out, stars and stripes of corruption is probably one of the best political songs you are likely to ever hear. This not just your average boo boo government but someone who has actually thought about the problems facing society and looked for solutions.

July 3, 2007

Dead Kennedys are still one of the best

I would buy this album for the title "United States of Corruption" alone. It is one of the best punk songs I've ever heard. It evokes a level of emotion like hardly any other punk song I've listened to before. For hard hitting lyrics, the Dead Kennedys still own. I don't see how anyone could give this album a one star. Like other reviewers have stated, do not pay attention to the cover. I think the cover is kind of funny myself with the Shriners in little cars in a parade, but some people might think it's lame. Oh well. It just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover, because the music on the disc is great. May 28, 2007

dead kennedys fan

This album is probably there best, as far as expressing political and social issues, all around it's humourous sarcasm. The cd points out the corruption of politics and big business, especially in rock music. Plus it points out like the song, Jock O' Rama, how people are puppets to goverment, and the neo conservitives controll everything. Buy this its worth it as a dead kennedys fan. November 22, 2006

Boring album..

The Dead Kennedy's had a pretty stellar discography with the classics fresh fruit and In god we trust under their belts. THey were young, fresh, and were one of the most interesting bands in the hardcore scene... and then Frankenchrist came out. Jello was always political on his albums but he had a sense of humor to it and some interesting music to go along with it, but frankenchrist, was little more than a series of speeches/rants with some boring guitar riffs behind it. While Jello does have some interesting things to say... they aren't on this album. Everything is exageratted so much that you stop taking him very seriousley and almost start thinking of him as some unremarkable conspiricy theorist. All and all this is a hard listen. Five minute rants with (on this album at least) an uninteresting, washed up jam band backign them doesn't make for good music.. it makes for a boring dissapointment from a previousley great band.. avoid this album and Bedtime for Democracy unless you are a fanatic. If not.. Stick with Fresh Fruit, Plastic Surgery Disasters/in god we trust, Live at the Deaf Club, and The b-sides collection give me convenience or give me death they are much more interesting listens. July 9, 2006

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