Frankenchrist

Where some punk bands were content with the usual sloppy playing and shock-value stage antics, San Francisco icons Dead Kennedys considerably upped the ante. They combined exceptional musicianship with thought-provoking lyricism, taking aim at dirty-dealing politicians and various social ills. Frankenchrist is the DKs' third album and continues in that tradition, sounding off against society's fascination with rednecks ("Goons of Hazzard"), soulless suburban sprawl ("This Could Be Anywhere"), the growing menace of mass-produced pop music ("MTV Get Off the Air"), and Washington, D.C.'s ongoing shadiness ("Stars and Stripes of Corruption"). While slightly slower, tempo-wise, than most of Dead Kennedys' earlier work, it also showcases more stylistic experimentation from the musicians (East Bay Ray, D.H. Peligro, and Klaus Flouride) with some surprising elements like trumpets and keyboards added to the mix behind Jello Biafra's one-of-a-kind warbling vocals. It's still a classic, as topical and relevant today as it was in 1985.