Never Breathe What You Can't See - Jello Biafra & The Melvins > Reviews > "A Prank A Day Keeps The Dog Leash At Bay"

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	It's Great, Jello is making music again
Disadvantages:	Only doing a few dates in the US

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For someone who is fairly unknown in the Mainstream Jello Biafra has accomplished quite a lot in his time, musically he is the former lead singer of the Legendary Dead Kennedys, current lead singer of Lard, and has released albums with punk rock legends Nomeansno and DOA and recorded a country album / near death experience with the legend that is Mojo Nixon. He has released seven or eight spoken albums from his numerous lecture tours on which he speaks on everything from the choosing names for bands to the current abysmal state of the world, these albums are worth digging out as he uses a wide range of news sources that you would never have heard off, and it is also good questioning material. He once ran for major of San Francisco, promising to open up an office of bribery, and came in 4th as well as being nominated as a green party candidate in the 2000 presidential election. On top of all that he is the owner of Alternative Tentacles records through which he has been responsible for releasing some truly unique and ground breaking bands such as Alice Donut, Nomeansno, DOA, Wesley Willis, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Butthole Surfers to name but a few….. he has also been a constant thorn in the side of the American right, so he is ok in my book.

The Melvins have been equally unknown and legendary, Kurt Cobain was their roadie, and their drummer even played on the first Nirvana album. The specialized in producing oppressively slow and heavy music, try and slow down Black Sabbath and add a chunk of Tom Waits and you are there.

When word broke out that these two entities were going to record an album together I instinctively knew that it was going to be astoundingly good. It is advertised as sounding nothing like anything either artist has released before, and in the case of The Melvins I think that this is certainly true, but with Jello it is debatable as he has a tendency to make every band that he works with sound like the Dead Kennedys, not necessary a bad thing in my book. Buzz Osborne from the Melvins did say that the music he wrote on the album (He wrote about half the music, the rest of the music being written by Jello) was made with Jello’s influences in mind, which would make it easier for Jello to get his head around them. The end result is like a heavier version of the Dead Kennedys and a bit faster than The Melvins are normally.

For those of you familiar with the music of these artists I have certainly said enough right now for you to make an opinion, but for those of you who aren’t here goes the obligatory song by song run down:-

Plethysmograph (Music and Lyrics:- Jello Biafra)

All I can say is that this is pure Punk Rock wonderful riffing abounds, and lyrics about the more sadistic side of government sponsored aversion therapy, could easily be what the DK’s would have sounded like today.

McGruff the Crime Dog (Music:- Buzz Osborne, Lyrics:- Baifra)

Opens up sounding like very heavy surf punk i.e. a heavy version of the Dead Kennedys, then continues into some great punk/metal crossover. Lyrically about being watched by the government using global terrorism to justify increased surveillance on the population.

Yuppie Cadillac (Music and Lyrics :- Biafra)

Jello hates yuppies and SUVs’ (Sports Utility Vehicles) this song attacks both and again is great punk rock with a bit of a rockabilly influence, by this time I am bouncing around the place enjoying the experience. After the first 3 songs it is already on my list of greatest albums in the world……

Islamic Bomb (Music and Lyrics :- Biafra)

This song questions where certain countries and organisations got their WMD material from and the reasons why they got them…… It has some great punk surf playing on it along with relentless tribal drumming a bass playing…… astounding stuff….

The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism (Music:- Osborne, Lyrics:- Biafra)

An interesting twist here a song about the pleasure government officials get rummaging through our personal belongings…… and a great bit of fast paced punk rock, sounding in parts unbelievably like the Dead Kennedys.

Caped Crusader (Music:- Osborne, Biafra Lyrics:- Biafra with “help” from M. Atta & J. Ashcroft)

About suicide bombers amongst other things, this is the second most Melvins like song on the record slow, heavy and menacing.

Enchanted Thoughtfist (Music:- Osborne, Lyrics:- Biafra)

Possibly my favourite song on the album musically as it sound least like anything from either artists back catalogue, great pop punk rock. Lyrically for its’ sheer honesty especially the line “Don’t Just Question Authority, Don’t Forget to Question Me”.

Dawn of the Locusts (Music:- Osborne, Lyrics:- Biafra)

The most Melvins like song on the album, and lyrically all I am giving away is the line “ Sacred Corporate Logos, Are the New Swastikas”

Ok this is definitely one of the best albums of 2004 it is not everyone’s cup of tea but a definite treat for any Punks out there, infact anyone with more than just a passing interest in alternative music should give it a try go on you know you want to……..

Dedicated to the memory of John Peel without whom I’d never have heard of Jello Biafra or The Melvins and a whole heap of other artists. I am really gonna miss him.