Continuing my tour of critically-acclaimed albums of 1980, I arrive at yet another punk rock band, though this one hails from America. Dead Kennedys released four full-length albums between 1980 and 1986 before disbanding. They reformed in 2001 minus lead singer Jello Biafra, but only to tour.
Biafra has repeatedly accused his bandmates of selling out, for everything from releasing a greatest hits album to licensing their music to a Levis commercial and a Robert Rodriguez movie.
Dead Kennedys’ debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, is considered their best, and a defining record for the hardcore punk genre.
Biafra’s clever screw-the-man lyrics are a high point of the tracks I sampled, but once again, I can’t take the music. I’ve always said that hard rock is the one genre I can’t appreciate, but I think I can add punk to that list.
They’re blasting disco down below
Says “I’m doubling up the rent
Cause the building’s condemned
You’re gonna help me buy City Hall”
But we can, you know we can
But we can, you know we can
Let’s lynch the landlord man
I tell him “turn on the water”
I tell him “turn on the heat”
Tells me “All you ever do is complain,” yeah
Then they search the place when I’m not here
But we can, you know we can
Let’s lynch the landlord
Let’s lynch the landlord
Let’s lynch the landlord man
There’s rats chewing up the kitchen
Roaches up to my knees
Turn the oven on, it smells like Dachau, yeah
Til the rain pours through the ceiling
But we can, you know we can
Let’s lynch the landlord man
Meet Me In Montauk 
I recall the goth crowd in high school getting into the Dead Kennedys, but I took a pass then and have no regrets.