734 Ramones - Road to Ruin (1978)

 734 Ramones - Road to Ruin (1978)

Studio Album - Punk



About the Act:

The Ramones were an American punk band that existed from 1974 to 1996. They were one of the most influential punk bands in the New York punk scene in the late 70s. They have been recognised in many lists as being of the most significant rock bands, well, ever.  

Unlike other punk bands who's style often included colourful dyed hair, the Ramones adopted long hair and leather jackets as a kind of uniform. Also, all members of the band adopted stage names with the surname "Ramone" even though they were not related. The "classic" line-up was Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Tommy Ramone and Johnny Ramone, all of whom are now dead.  

Their music was categorised by fast beats, raw, simple rock and short, abrupt songs. Later, they diversified into more poppy music.

About the Album:

This was their fourth album.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

This album has the depth and substance of a cheap apple pie, the subtlety of a brick, and the imagination of... well... a brick.  I feel like I have put more thought into this opening than they did for the whole of their lyrics. One of the defining characteristics of pop is simple accessibility. This is the rebel version of pop. Pop with overdriven guitars. Actually, it's simpler than most pop.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Directness and simplicity are part of the attraction of punk. Tick. So is energy and a driving feeling of mayhem. Ummm, not tick. A small, partial tick. There are a few songs that have the drive of punk, I would draw attention to "I'm Against It", "Bad Brain" and "I Wanna Be Sedated". All three are decent punk songs. Well, decent-ish. Mixed into the album are a few slower, poppy ballady things, including a cover of Needles and Pins by the Searchers. These are presumably part of the attempt to appeal to a wider audience. To my mind they are basically lame. My least liked track was "She's The One" with some of the cheesiest 12-year-old-pining-in-a-bedroom lyrics I can remember, and the rhymes! Somebody shoot the lyricist! Or at least tell me it is meant to be ironic. The opening lines of the opening track rhyme Second Avenue with Chicken Vindaloo, which I can respect.

I'm Against It was my favourite track, it's basically a list of things he's against, and I quite like a good list song. This is a reasonable list song. Apart from the punkier songs, I found it all to be a bit lame.

6/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1DOoSsLl0B79cl3Ss8bxYj

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBnJv6rImVe9REK60JeqFjn4eVXixCT1a

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Ruin_(Ramones_album)



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

840 Various Artists - The Best of Girl Groups Volumes 1 and 2 (1990)

Image
 840 Various Artists - The Best of Girl Groups Volumes 1 and 2 (1990) Compilation (double) - Girl Group (Soul/Bobby Soxer/Do-Wop) About the Album: This is a highly acclaimed compilation in 2CDs by Rhino Records. It's the sort of thing that in this country you might expect to see at 3.99 in a Garden Centre. My History with this Album: None Review: There are not many multi-artist compilations in this series for reviewing. There is not information about it on Wikipedia, but the reception seems to have been positive. It is choc-full of hits with a smattering of lesser-known songs, and it's hard not to imagine Grease or similar situations - girls with cardigans and white socks, listening to the juke box while sipping milkshakes in the drug store. On one level it's a fun collection of songs that you could use to feel nostalgic, or as the music for a themed party. On another level it's kind of like a cultural artefact. I feel honour-bound to describe it, even though if I drop
Read more

944 Manu Chao - Próxima Estación Esperanza (2001)

Image
 944 Manu Chao - Próxima Estación Esperanza (2001) Studio Album - World Music About the Act: Manu Chao is a French-Spanish musician of Spanish descent who grew up on the outskirts of Paris. In the mid-80s he was in a Spanish/English rockabilly group called Hot Pants. In 1987, with his brother and cousin he founded the band Mano Negra, combining punk and world music influences and playing on the Paris Metro. This band took off and had 4 studio albums. In 1995 Manu "went solo", forming the band Radio Bemba Sound System to be his backing band. The punk elements were less prominent, but he started to make music that "replicates the sound of street music and bar scenes from a variety of cultures". He has been really popular in parts of Europe.  About the Album: This album was Manu Chao's second studio album as a "solo" artist. In Spanish, the name means "Next Station: Hope", after a real station on the Madrid Metro. The album reached top 10 slots
Read more

591 Harry Smith, Ed. - Anthology of American Folk Music (1952)

Image
 591 Harry Smith, Ed. - Anthology of American Folk Music (1952) Compilation Album - Americana About the Act: Harry Smith is not the performer here, he is the collector. He was a film-maker, occultist, and eccentric. About the Album: Harry Smith had a collection of early 78rpm records of various "folk" styles dated from 1927 when such things first started to be commercially available to 1932 when the Great Depression put a stop to the sales of folk records. In 1947 he approached a label, Folkway Records, about releasing a collection of them transferred onto LPs. This they did in 1952, without seeking copyright permission, making this technically a bootleg. It was released as three double-LP boxed sets, and sold very poorly. In the first year it sold 50 copies, 47 to libraries and colleges. It was reissued later, and gained traction and sold better. It now has a reputation for being one of the most influential compilations in the history of Americana, and is cited as being a ma
Read more