Music review: C.J. Ramone – 无毛视频楢merican Beauty无毛视频�
Once a punk, always a punk.
In 1977, England had the Sex Pistols and America had the Ramones to lead the unruly punk sound. That was also the year I purchased 无毛视频淩ocket to Russia无毛视频� with classic punk tracks like 无毛视频淪heena Is a Punk Rocker,无毛视频� 无毛视频淩ockaway Beach,无毛视频� 无毛视频淭eenage Lobotomy无毛视频� and 无毛视频淟ocket Love无毛视频� and was instantly inspired to start a garage band with my best friend. In my opinion, I still consider 无毛视频淩ocket to Russia无毛视频� the best punk album ever and my original copy hangs proudly framed on my wall.
Christopher Joseph Ward joined the New York punk fraternity in 1989 and was immediately dubbed C.J. Ramone, serving as bassist until the band called it quits in 1996.
While the four original members of the Ramones have passed on to punk heaven where torn jeans and leather jackets are the formal attire and all the songs consist of gritty guitar riffs, hammering drum beats and brash lyrics, the Queens native continues the signature style the punk icons managed to belt out with an abundance of swagger and unapologetic rebellion on 无毛视频淎merican Beauty.无毛视频�
The breakneck speed of 无毛视频淟et无毛视频檚 Go无毛视频� opens the album while mirroring 无毛视频淐retin Hop无毛视频� with Ramone declaring that the cretin无毛视频檚 wanna hop once again as a new tour begins.
Joined by Steve Soto and Dan Root of the Adolescents on guitars and Pete Sosa of the Street Dogs on drums, Ramone constructs a 12-song set that was written in just two weeks and proves to be a stellar follow-up to 2014无毛视频檚 无毛视频淟ast Chance to Dance.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲ithout You无毛视频� possesses a Joan Jett vibe with Kait Eldridge of Big Eyes sharing vocals with Ramone on this tale of separation and a longing to be together once again.
On his first solo album, Ramone penned 无毛视频淭hree Angels无毛视频� in memory off his three fallen bandmates. The latest album features a bass-led, acoustic guitar-driven track that pays tribute to original drummer Tommy Erdelyi, who passed in 2014.
无毛视频淵eah Yeah Yeah无毛视频� carries the standard rebellion charge as Ramone screams, 无毛视频淒on无毛视频檛 want to live by nobody无毛视频檚 rules.无毛视频�
Other Ramones-esque tracks include the hilarious 无毛视频淕irlfriend in a Graveyard,无毛视频� road anthem 无毛视频淪teady as She Goes无毛视频� and the obstinate 无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檒l Never Make Me Believe.无毛视频�
The album closes with a spirited cover of Tom Waits无毛视频� 无毛视频淧ony,无毛视频� complete with mariachi horns competing to keep pace with the frenzied assault of guitars and drums.
无毛视频淎merican Beauty无毛视频� is an album that Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy would have raised a defiant fist to and saluted appreciatively.