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Ramones - End of the Century
Music CD CoverArtist: Ramones Brand: RAMONES Edition: Music CD Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered CD Release Date: 2002-08-20 Music Label: Rhino Soundtracks: - Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?
- I'm Affected
- Danny Says
- Chinese Rock
- The Return of Jackie and Judy
- Let's Go
- Baby I Love You
- I Can't Make It on Time
- This Ain't Havana
- Rock & Roll High School
- All the Way
- High Risk Insurance
- I Want You Around (Soundtrack Version)
- Danny Says (Demo)
- I'm Affected (Demo)
- Please Don't Leave (Demo)
- All the Way (Demo)
- Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio? (Demo)
Free Music Notes for End of the CenturyFree Music Review: Ramones' greatest 'hits' plus a lot of punk. 9/10 Hit: 5 Stars
Having listened to Ramones' first three studio albums plus this one, I'd say that this one is pretty much Ramones' greatest hits, volume 1. Volume 2 would be their debut. When I got the cd of their debut album, I was disappointed with where the guitars were in the mix. On "End of the century", the guitars are right where they should be in the mix...to the fore. All the band's best pop punk songs are here but there is much punk as well, for those who disdain pop infused punk. Not sure why people would disdain that...Ramones began that genre on their debut...the best songs, like "53rd and 3rd" were already pop infused. My complaint about where the guitars are in the debut's mix are rectified on recent issues of their 2nd album..."Leave home", where there are bonus live tracks off of their debut album...and the guitars are up in the mix to what they should have been on the studio album. On first listen I gave "End of the century" 85/100 but on 2nd listen I bumped it up to 90.
The Classic:
Rock'n'roll high school - my first exposure to Ramones came via this song on "Countdown", here in Australia. Loved it back then and age hasn't wearied this pop-punk classic in the meantime. It's infectious pop-punk, bookended by ambient noise. Good lead guitar and great multi-vocals.
The greats:
Danny says - has a "Sloop John B" vibe to it (Beach Boys), with a pretty string intro and a nice guitar lick in the middle...maybe you could call it a solo...lovely in any case. Has some rock riff to it and a nice bass guitar to it. The bonus version of this song on the album is more straight rock in approach, without the pretty plucked string sounds etc.
Chinese rock - originally written by Dee Dee Ramone but deemed controversial enough by the rest of the band to let the Heartbreakers do it instead (due to it having a drug abuse theme). In that sense, this is a Ramones' cover version. Both versions are great but the Ramones have the more polished version. Has a driving rhythm guitar and pounding drums. Cool lead guitar squeals and a catchy chorus.
Next best:
Do you remember rock'n'roll radio? - ambient intro/outro. Orchestral arrangement with piano and brass instruments. The latter is catchy. Lyrics name drop Jerry Lee and T.Rex, I think. Distortion on the vocals is a negative aspect to this song. Looks unintentional. Bonus version has a cool drum intro to it and slower tempo vocals. A good song to listen to for the drums in any case. It's a 'vanilla' version of the studio album version...no orchestral flourishes here. Names checked here include Jerry Lee, John Lennon, Blue Cheer and T.Rex.
Let's go - aggro sound/guitar. Guitar riff sound is of the classic punk variety...their debut should have had the guitars sound like this! Nice drum solo in the middle. Outro reminds me, I think, of the intro to Metallica's "One".
Not bad:
I want you around - mostly semi acoustic steel string guitar used, I think. Nice. The first of six bonus tracks, demo type stuff. Sound quality on these songs is good.
The rest:
I'm affected - has some steel string acoustic guitar, I think. Interesting drum tone...reverb to it, if that's the right word. "Spacey" would be another word for it. Not sure, but roto toms may be used...but I'm no expert on drums. Bass. Has the lyric "When I look into your big brown eyes and I feel like I'm in paradise", which reminded me of another song that I couldn't think of in my notes, but now that I'm writing this review Shakin' Stevens' great song "You drive me crazy" pops into mind, for the similar lyric (from memory): "And when I look into your big brown eyes, I start a floatin' round in paradise". Also a bonus track on this release.
The return of Jackie and Judy - Jackie is a punk. Judy is a runt. Excellent sound quality on this song. Has handclaps, lead guitar and interesting drumming...not the simple variety.
Baby I love you - a 1950s/1960s style song with a tv show theme feel to it. Features violins and piano. Joey's vocals are double tracked. Bass.
I can't make it on time - has stronger sounding guitars here...more punk. Tinkling piano. Catchy pop-punk.
This ain't Havana - punkiest sounding song on the cd. Sing-along-able chorus and has the amusing rhyme "Do you like bananas?".
All the way - punky. Bonus track version is smooth, like all the alternative version bonus tracks on this cd. Bassy punk rock.
High risk insurance - a classic punk guitar sound and riff.
Bonus songs (not already mentioned above):
Please don't leave - good drum fills and has a droning guitar riff.
[Easter egg] - you hear one of the commercials for this album which was used at the time to promote it...haven't heard anything like that until I recently checked out 1960s garage pop-rock compilations like "Pebbles".
Recommendations:
Ramones: Ramones (for the different style pop-punk songs...more of a 1950s/1960s pop feel to them); Leave home (for the bonus live tracks of some of their debut album's songs...with the guitars more prominent in the mix).
The Saints: (I'm) Stranded (their debut album. The most seminal pioneering punk album in my view...co-inventors of punk with Ramones). Eternally yours (has some nice and pleasant non-punk songs on it, which have a "Nuggets" type influence on them...that's another 1960s garage pop-rock compilation series...the original and the best. Also has the greatest punk song of all time, in my view, with "Know your product"). Prehistoric sounds (if you enjoyed the live bonus songs on "Leave home", the bonus tracks on the re-issue will be a treat...really full-impact performances from their 1977 debut album).
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers: L.A.M.F. Has "Chinese rocks" and is a good punk rock album.
New York Dolls: New York Dolls. Johnny Thunders' band before The Heartbreakers. Has some punk type songs that would evolve from punk...possibly like stuff from The Cramps (haven't explored that band though).
The Stooges: The Stooges. Proto-punk band. Their debut has their most memorable songs, in my view.
Blue Cheer: Vincebus Eruptum. One of the bands name checked by Ramones on this album. Arguably the first heavy metal album here, with a Jimi Hendrix influence apparent at times.
End of the Century PosterNo Description Available No Track Information Available Media Type: CD Artist: RAMONES Title: END OF THE CENTURY Street Release Date: 08/20/2002 Domestic Genre: PUNK
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