Archive Review: Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon’ Prairie Home Invasion (1994)

At long last! A full length Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon CD! Thank-you, Jesus! Hallelujah!

Folks, I’ve played this disc until my ears bled, then I played it some more. I’ve even masturbated to this CD; it’s that good. Thirteen kick-ass songs, poking fun at everything from lumberjacks to atomic power, McDonald’s, liberals, Jesus (again, thanks Jesus!), truckers, Nashville, even “nostalgia for an age that never existed.” The music is way cool pseudo-country that wouldn’t sound too out of place on most of Nashville’s radio stations; the lyrics, however, would probably get said radio station burned to the ground if any of the locals really listened to what was being said. 

Jello does most of the singing, with Mojo’s vocals taking a lesser role. Mojo plays instruments on a few tracks, though. The backing band is Mojo’s Toadliquors (of course). Notably absent is ex-Beat Farmers’ Country Dick. The CD insert was constructed by John Yates and Jello, with contributions from a whole slew of folks, including regular Biafra collaborator Winston Smith. There are a few Tom Tomorrow cartoons scattered about the insert as well. 

As for Prairie Home Invasion, three thumbs up, way high in the air. Throttle your local music store salesperson if they don’t have it. Play it at 300 dB when you get it! The whole shebang was recorded in the Promised Land – Austin, Texas. Mojo wants you to send him UFO, hillbilly, & ninja information at P.O. Box 620-816, San Diego, CA 92162. Hallelujah! (Alternative Tentacles Records, released 1994)

Review originally published by R.A.D! zine, July 1994