Search - Ramones :: Ramones (Dlx)

My Personal Fave!

K. Brown | Walnut, Ca USA | 09/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The debut Ramones album reigns as my personal favorite, although all their other 70s recordings come in a close 2nd place. No doubt it's an "apples & oranges" call amongst any Ramones fans, but if this aging music fanboy were to try and introduce the Ramones legacy to some Blink182'd youngsters who never heard of these legends before their time, this is definitely the album I would point them toward. The music is raw yet catchy, and in my uneducated opinion best embodies The Ramones desire to play fun, energetic rock & roll with lyrics that carry no overbearing messages. These songs have the innocent beat of early rock, but coarse, edgy and fun lyrics that were shocking for 1976. My personal favorite come from "Havana Affair," "PT Boat On the Way To Havana/I Used to make my living, man,pickin' the bananas!" with a close 2nd place favorite being from "Judy Is a Punk:" "They both went down to Frisco/Joined the SLA/ Ohh I don't know why/Ohh I don't know why/Perhaps they'll die!" Any group who can take a tagline from the folk novelty "There Was an Old Lady" and modernize it into something all their own is A-OK by me! Dig into these songs, this album is solid from beginning to end.The bonus tracks are plenty of fun for avid Ramones fans like me, but I'm not certain they 'll offer much for those who are just getting familiar with the group.What do studied and accomplished musicians think of The Ramones? It doesn't matter; really, it doesn't. The Ramones made music that was fun, and you'd catch it in your head faster than a winter cold. Their music is the ultimate audio-adrenaline rush, and no matter your age or status,I highly recommend this particular CD in the morning along with a serious cup of coffee.....BLAST OFF! HEY-HO! LET'S GO!"

The shot heard 'round the world

Jon T. Fassnacht | Reading, PA United States | 06/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In retrospect, it's easy to overlook how revolutionary and different this album was when it hit the streets in the second half of the '70s. Just play a Yes album, a Styx album, or an Emerson, Lake & Palmer album beside it to try to get an understanding.Recorded for barely over $6,000, The Ramones' debut album broke all the rules of pompous '70s rock and a new type of music was "invented" in the process: punk rock. Not very different from '50s and '60s rock, just a lot louder and faster. No solos, just a bunch of power chords and catchy melodies. Not counting the bonus songs, there are 14 songs on this album. None of them are longer than 2:32, and many of them come in at under two minutes. It's all over in less than half an hour. But there's more packed into those 30 minutes than many bands pack into an entire career. The sound quality is very raw. However, the remastering has made the lows a bit lower and everything a bit crisper, making everything seem even more powerful than before. Dee Dee's bass is shoved into the left speaker, Johnny's guitar screams from the right, and Tommy's drums thud relentlessly in the background. On top of this, Joey spits out his lyrics with his unique accent and equally unique delivery.And even though this album would have been a landmark just for the aforementioned qualities, the songwriting is strong as well. Everyone knows "Blitzkrieg Bop (Hey Ho Let's Go)," but every one of these tracks is fantastic. "Judy is a Punk" is my personal favorite, with three verses, three choruses and an instrumental break all packed into 90 seconds. After this album was released, a whole new batch of bands started up. Suddenly, it didn't matter if you couldn't play like Keith Emerson or Steve Howe, all that mattered was how much you believed in yourself and your music. The Ramones were probably the first somewhat popular band to use its limitations in a positive way, and many other soon followed: The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, Talking Heads, U2, etc. Had it not been for The Ramones, these bands might not have formed, let alone have been signed to a major record label.Quite simply, one of the most important - and fun - albums ever made."

A great first album, that is pure Punk Rock.

Jon T. Fassnacht | 07/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Punk is not neccessarily politics, or a fashion statement. It's a state of mind, and the Ramones show this in their original release. All of the album is great, fast Punk, or Rock, whatever you want to call it,(just not Metal!!)it has all of the favourites. This is an absolute must have for Ramones fans, or people who want to get into real Punk, not that Blink 182 and Good Charlotte crap."