Disco de Dead Kennedys: “Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death”

... but there are hit's nonetheless. Don't be discouraged after seeing many familiar titles in the track listing. Any "hits" from other albums that appear on this album have been rerecorded for this album. This album is more like a collection of b-sides and rerecordings that are not available on any other album. It doesn't have the continuity of a regular album, but it is still very good.

Of course I'm not going to review every song one-by-one like some people do, but I will tell you about a few highlights. Police Truck is awesome and great musically, I Fought the Law is awesome too and in this version the law doesn't win, Kinky Sex is a prophetic spoken word/noise track about the US and UK teaming up to start a war and it's hilarious, Night of the Living Rednecks is a very funny story about Jello being chased down by some dumb rich rednecks, and finally Buzzbomb from Pasadena is musically the same as the original Buzzbomb, but this time it's about an old lady and sung in an old lady's voice for a humorous and creepy feel.

This is one of the best three DK albums, so just go ahead and buy it. Also, it has 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 Tenticles website (Jello Biafra's label) for the album first (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.

I remember having many of these songs on seven inches and twelve inch EPs (45 RPMs instead of 33 RPMs, fewer songs, usually extended versions, remixes or singles deemed worthy of the extra work and effort) before this first came out. This has everything, plus various items not released on LPs (or taken off, like Police Truck).

Probably the key releases to me are Police Truck, Too Drunk to F***, Life Sentance, A Child and His Lawnmower, Saturday Night Holocaust, Pull My $tring$, Kinky Sex Makes the World Go 'Round, The Prey and Night of The Living Rednecks (more a signal of what he would become than as an actual tune). But the rest of the tracks are good to excellent also.

A necessary release for any DK fan, and worthy for those learning about the band.

When I see people lavishing hero like worship on Rage Against the Machine, I just point them to Jello and the boys and say this is everything Rage wants to be. Not only are the Dead Kennedy's as political as Rage Against the Machine, but they do it in a more original, funny and smart way.

Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death is a collection of some of the most smart ass and funny songs they ever produced. This collection focuses mainly on non-album tracks, making it a must own for any fan of the band.

The material on this album ranges from standards like California Uber Alles and Holiday in Cambodia, presented in different versions than on their first album, to live performances like the Knack riffing Pull the Strings, and the funny as hell as improvised Night of the Living Rednecks. Not to mention I Love Short Songs, any punk fan will not be disapointed.

If your just getting into the Kennedy's, I would recommend Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables first, but after that move on to Plastic Surgery Disasters or this album. Great collection of songs from a great band. Screw emo and Sum 41, this is a real punk band.

The Dead Kennedys were a band who's very name provoked a reaction from almost anyone who heard them or even OF them. Arguably the most (in)famous band in the rising California hardcore punk scene of the '70's and '80's, the band rode a tide of underground hero-dom with it's wacky mutated surf-guitar of East Bay Ray and the biting sarcasm and pull-no-punches social commentary of Jello Biafra, who's political leanings are just slightly to the left of, oh, say, Abbie Hoffman.

Now, considering my inclinations toward black/death metal as well as my admittedly right-leaning Reaganite Republicanism, theoretically, I should find all this about as appetizing as toe jamb. But man, I gotta admit it, they got me with their catchiness and groove. The DK's were one of the few bands of their ilk that actually wrote CATCHY hardcore punk; songs you'd listen to and find yourself humming all day long. And it's to their credit that their material has held the test of time considering the now-irrelevancy of some of their lyrics (referrences to Gov. Jerry Brown, Pol Pot, the assasinations of George Moscone and Harvey Milk, etc.).

All the classics are here, like "California Uber Alles" and "Holiday In Cambodia", arguably among the most famous punk songs of all time, as well as some harder to find gems like "Police Truck" and "Too Drunk To F**k" (love those sound effects at the end!). There's also some more obscure stuff on here such as a cleverly-rewritten cover of "I Fought The Law" (Twinkie defense, anyone?), "Night of the Living Rednecks", a live recollection by Jello while Ray was changing guitar strings, and the sheer speedblast of "A Child and His Lawnmower" (short, simple, and hilarious); all of the material predating the lackluster 'Frankenchrist' album, the point where I felt the band lost their musical direction and Jello started getting way too preachy for my tastes.

Admittedly not for everyone, the Dead Kennedys were nonetheless one of the most influential bands of their time, and if you're looking for a good place to discover them, you can't go wrong with this CD.

Sure, Jello's voice takes some getting used to, but honestly; what punk fan isn't sick of the same ol' raspy voice mumbling unintelligibly? Jello's insight as well as his voice provide interest in a genre where the message is often lost in translation.

And Insight has to be one of the best songs that the Dead Kennedys have recorded.

Hell, I popped in one of his spoken-word CDs last week and it was eerie how appropriate Jello's words were, even though he was speaking of the corrupt president over a decade and a half past.

Give this album a listen as well as checking out some of his spoken word albums.