Ramones - End of the Century
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Free Music Notes for End of the Century
Free Music Review: Another Step In The Ramones Evolution
Hit: 4 Stars
The Ramones' first album was very stripped down (in fact, its more stripped down than many early demos of the same songs). The three subsequent albums, Leave Home,Rocket To Russia, And Road To Ruin, consciously evolve slightly in general song structures and ideas toward pop mainstream (or what should be pop mainstream). With the entrance of Phil Spector, came a giant leap forward, probably too much of a leap at the time. The band's perspective has changed as well. Dee Dee often recalled this as his worst songwriting period. While I still like many of the lyrics, there's definately a change. Besides already feeling nostalgic for the good ol' days (The Return of Jackie and Judy, This Ain't Havana), the Ramones, who had always written from the heart of their environment (previously the streets of NY and Germany)were now in a very different place (mainly on the road touring and doing record promotion).Danny Says could never have been on a previous release. They also now speak directly to us about change (Rock'n'Roll Radio), which detracts a bit from their previous "every guy" personae. Of course, the most notable difference is in the production. I personally like it, but also feel it took something away from the Ramones. Instead of being a pop record, the album just comes off as weird. Some quieter songs (Danny Says, Baby,I Love You)are ear shattering, while some obvious louder songs are played very quietly (especially Affected). Even Blondie could've blown out the speakers with that one! Its well known that Phil Spector loved Joey's voice (similarities to his ex wife, Ronnie's is pretty obvious. She has covered several Ramones songs and was later produced by Joey). While I am a huge fan of Joey's vocal talents (only he could make Pet Sematary sound so heartfelt and deep), I do feel like the Ramones lost a little something that they rarely got back...unity. While there are choruses here that do have chants with background vocals (Rock'n'Roll Radio, Rock'n'Roll High School), which to me make it sound more like the the Ramones rather than a Ramone, this is the official begining of Joey Ramone the singer. The future would not quite sound the same (While Pleasant Dreams' The KKK Took My Baby Away roars with a pack, where are the backgrounds, at least Dee Dee, on Subterranian Jungle's Psycho Therapy?).The way I ramble on, you'd think I hated this album. While I do think think that Pleasant Dreams succeeds where this fails (pop record) and the guitar overdubs are cheezy at best (heck, I like cheezy!), this is just a great record. As much as they tried, they just couldn't screw it up. If you look back, most fans of the day considered the band to have departed on Road To Ruin (punks dig counrty ballads!) So while The Ramones can't seem to get thinks right, they never really seem to get it wrong either. This isn't simple music and never was. Classic songs on a Classic album by a Classic band. Classic! Classic! Classic! P.S.: The bonus tracks are not to be missed. I've yet to figure out how they decided what made it and what didn't on their records. R.I.P.DeeDee&JoeyFree Music Review: Please allow me to explain why this is their best album
Hit: 4 Stars
Look, the Ramones, no matter how you slice it were basic, pop, bubble gum music. You know, Beach Boys music, amped up and made to go faster. They never said they were punks...they loved 50s and 60s music. They had nothing in common with the Brittish punkers or New Yrok scene. They were not mad about anything.
In hindsight, they ended up being cultural icons. Their music is played at sporting events and for commercials. The Ramones have a popular acceptance that most bands do not. They are clearly in the mainstream.
"I wanna be sedated", "Sheena is a punk rocker" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" are so catchy, so hummable, so COMMERCIAL that they can be almost condsidered like children's music.
That is why, in hindsight, "End of the Century" was their perfect album...instead of treating them like punks (they were not), tough guys (please!) or dispensable artists, they were treated like significant and comtemporary artists. It was considered a goof, for such a band to get a real producer back then but, in hindsight, it truned out to be proper. Theer is nothing indie, off the dial, or odd about the Ramones.
You had the most control freakish producer try to develop a commercial apsect out of the band...and it worked beautifully.
"Do you remember Rock and Roll radio" is a wonderfully warm and nostalgic song. The horns worked perfectly. LIsten to the song today and it places them in a different light. They proved that they can sound good in a more sophisticated element.
"Danny Says" is nice b/c it starts out soft and then gets louder. Once again, it makes them sound a bit more sophisticated yet still retains the Ramones charm.
"Chinese Rocks" is a cover of a Johnny Thunders song. It does not sound like it got the Phil Spector treatment although it is a very non-gritty song about heroin.
"Ballad of Jack and Judy" has a Ronnettes charm to it. It combines the Ramones muscular sound with 60's girl group charm. It works.
"Baby I love You" is perfect. This shows how much Joey loved the music of that era. It was the first song to truly feature his very under rated voice. This song was ironic/prophetic since Joey produced Ronnie Spector's best solo work (She Talks to Rainbows) and was one of her closest friends.
"This Aint Havana" is a classic, sterotypical Ramones song showing that they did not lose their edge.
"Rock and Roll High School" is along the lines of "Do you remeber Rock and Roll radio", a wonderfully nostalgic sounding song. If this song would have been written by a more mainstream group from the era, then this certainly would have become a radio and dance floor staple.
Phil Spector and the powers that be that put this together seem clairvoyant. They were able to see the Ramones for the what they were, not a weird, talentless "flash in the pan" but rather a group that understood that hummable, catchy music could be revved up and played with distortion.
This is an overlooked winner.
Free Music Review: Ramones bastard child album.
Hit: 4 Stars
No Ramones record created more of a stir than End of the Century, which alone made me give it a half-star more than I should have. Any record this controversial, had to have something going for it! Ramones fans know the story: On the heels of their brilliant, cult movie, Rock n' Roll High School (another Ramones project that never got it's due until long after the fact) Joey wanted to realise his long-time dream of commercial success for the band. Sire records, also wanting to sell records, went out and got Phil Spector and his "Wall of Sound" to produce. It really was a project doomed to failure, since the Ramones were ALREADY a wall of sound. They didn't need the help of Spector, whom I consider one of the worst producers of all time. (See the Beatles Let it Be for confirmation). Spector managed to take the Ramones beauty of minimalist recording and add layer after layer of production. But, the fact of the matter is- you cannot kill the Ramones! These songs were good enough to survive Spector's tinkering. "Do You Remember Rock n Roll Radio?"- Just a great song. "I'm Affected" is so good, I never knew why they abandoned playing it shortly after 1981-82. I am fortunate enough to have video footage from some old TV show, of them playing it live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and it is pure punk! But, the real killer tune here is "Danny Says". A sort-of ballad, which is an autobiographical description of life on the road. A road that was becoming less and less fun for the four "Bruddas". The way the song starts as a cute little melody (Ramones cute????) and then evolves into a hard-slamming tune is great!
There's the Spector remix of "Rock n' Roll High School" which was actually the version that most of us grew up on, since the movie version was not widely available. Radio stations that actually played it, went with this version. The classic "Chinese Rock" is also here. Interestingly the name of the song was always "Chinese Rocks" but obvioulsy that title made record execs in 1980, nervous. A drug song, they tried to hide it by dropping the 's' from Rocks...funny how little things like this happened in the 80's.
Other strong tunes are "I Can't make it on Time", "High Risk Insurance" and "Let's Go". The most controversial Ramones song ever, "Baby I Love You" opened side two (again vinyl years). This is the song that started all the rumours about Spector and the Ramones relationship. Depending on which Ramone you listen to, Spector actually pulled a gun on the boys to force them to put strings on the track. There's no way of knowing who's telling the truth, and frankly it's all rock n' roll legend at this point, so who cares!!!??
The Rhino released CD version of this album is a gem! They include bonus tracks of songs from EOTC, such as "Danny Says", "I'm Affected" and "Rock n' Roll Radio" before Spector "added" his Wall of Sound. Are they better? You be the judge by buying this album!
Free Music Review: Great album, bad production
Hit: 4 Stars
Now this is probably my favorite ramones album, song wise, and I think had they had a different producer it would be untouchable.I don't think phil spector was right for the ramones, for the fast ramones anyway, He did a great job on "Danny says" and "Baby I love you". But for songs like "I'm Affected" and "Lets go!" and "all the way", his production just sounded muddy.
"Rock n Roll radio"- This is a ramones classic, should have been all over the radio, this song is great and the lyrics are great too, they really hold true to todays rock scene (or lack of)
"we need change and we need it fast, before rocks just part of the past, cause lately it all sounds the same to me" thats sooo true!
"I'm Affected- Maybe my favorite ramones song, the production really takes away from the song though, I love listening to the live version on the "we're outta hear" video, thats the way the song should have sounded.
"Danny Says"- this is a mighty fine song, one the best, on this one phil spector was actually doing his job, great song/
"Chinese Rock"- this song rocks, cool lyrics "everything is in the pawn shop" I mean come on, anyone who's ever known a crackhead knows thats totally true. Classic. And This song is not a "cover" like the review up top says, Dee Dee and Johnny Thunders wrote it and both the Ramones and the Heartbreakers played it.
"Return of Jackie and Judy"- I'm not to fond of this song, maybe its because "judy is a punk" is so good, that I expected more. oh well, its not a bad song.
"Lets Go!"- Definetly one the ramones most rocking songs, its got a very cool riff that makes the song very cool, I like this one.
"Baby I love you"- a little different for the ramones, and although its a cover it sounds like it should be a ramones song,
very poppy, but I really like this song. vocals are great.
"I cant make it on time"- I love this song, Phil Spector did not do a bad job on this one, very upbeat and catchy, one of my favorites on the album.
"This Aint Havanna"-Very cool tune, doesn't really stand out, but I really enjoy it.
"Rock n Roll High school"- I actually like this version better than the original, how can you deny rock n roll high school, its classic.
"All the way"- again very upbeat and catchy, the song is all about being in a band and being on the road, its great, definetly one of my favs.
"High risk insurance"- ehhhh.....its definetly not bad, its just there, I don't know, its a cool song and all, but its one of the weaker songs.
Very Cool album by the greatest band ever!!!
Free Music Review: The Grand Experiment
Hit: 4 Stars
Phil Spector had never been far from the world of the Ramones. Both "Ramones" and "Leave Home" delivered some obvious homages to the "wall of sound." So when the notoriously reclusive producer and the four punks from New York announced their plans to do an album together, many eyebrows were raised. After all, weren't the Ramones already a wall of sound on their own? What could a fogey like Spector bring to the table?
The answer was obvious as soon as the multilayered thunder of Marky's drums exploded out from "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio." It was a song that would have been a classic in anybody's canon, but the swirling organ and Joey's insistent "Rock and roll radio, let's go!" raised the stakes in a way that "Road To Ruin" had only hinted at. The boys from New York were growing up in public.
It made "End Of The Century" a pretty wild ride. When it worked, it was absolutely stunning. The steady build of "Danny Says" makes it the perfect marriage between the band and producer, as does "Radio." There are also times when this album falls utterly on its face, like the string laden "Baby I Love You" remake. Quite likely the most unlikely song the Ramones have ever recorded, it was also the most divisive at the time of "End Of The Century's" release. Spector also overcooked "Rock and Roll High School," which doesn't hold a candle to the movie soundtrack version. When Spector seemed to be using a lighter touch ("All The Way," "High Risk Insurance"), the songs sound more like the Ramones' previous four albums. There are also a pair of duds here. "This Ain't Havana," despite the memorable ba-ba-bannana chorus, finds the band mining a familiar vein one too many times, and "The Return Of Jackie and Judy" is a forgettable sequel to "Judy Is a Punk."
Still, "End Of The Century" was the Ramones' grand statement that they were not a joke band and had more on their plate than two minute explosions. It may not have been the commercial breakout that the band (and their record company) obviously yearned for, but the fifth album in their still young career remains a pretty amazing chunk of rock music.