The Ramones were pioneers; that much is fact. Taking the sonic blueprint of classic rock'n'roll, they imbued their music with an unpolished air that meant they were instantly embraced by the kids on the street. Inspired by the amateur aesthetic, those kids went out and formed the next legion of bands.
And, before anyone cries 'cash-in', it's worth pointing out that these reissues of the band's first four albums had been planned for some time before the tragic loss of singer Joey in April. All are packaged in replica slipcases, with copious bonus tracks, and extensive sleevenotes and photos. Now onto the music…
1976's self-titled debut kicks off with the insidious 'Blitzkrieg Bop' with its legendary "Hey ho! Let's go" refrain, and hurtles through thirteen other classics, including 'Judy Is A Punk', 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend', 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue' and the cover of Chris Montez's 'Let's Dance'.
Twenty-five years on, it still sounds like a frenzied adrenaline rush of blurred chords and Joey's detached nasal whine. The reissue adds seven demos of tracks that sound like they were recorded in someone's basement. While this album as a whole now displays its age in terms of sound, it still has a thrilling quality and remains one of the most definitive statements in rock history. (5)
1977's 'Leave Home' introduced a bit more melody into the equation, meaning the songs had more definition rather than just blurring into one insane rush. The inane lyrical preoccupations of tracks like 'Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment', 'Carbona Not Glue' and 'Commando' fit perfectly with the two-minute thrashes.
The slower 'I Remember You' and 'Oh Oh I Love Her So' show a debt to The Beach Boys with their harmonies. Although the original studio album is not as good as their debut, the reissue gets bonus points for its inclusion of an entire concert from 1976 at The Roxy in Hollywood.
Featuring the highlights of their two albums, it captures the band in superbly raw form on a relentless blast of tracks, right from Dee Dee's opening cry of "1-2-3-4" to the conclusion of 'Let's Dance'. The live tracks ensure that this is an essential purchase as well. (4.5)
The same year's 'Rocket To Russia' is an improvement on its predecessor and features its fair share of Ramones classics - 'Cretin Hop', 'Rockaway Beach', 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker', 'Teenage Lobotomy' and 'Ramona' - and better production values.
The slower 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow' and the raw guitar and backing vocals of 'I Don't Care' provide two welcome respites from the intensity of their trademark style and successfully steer the album away from monotony.
The consistent quality of the songwriting puts it up as one of their best albums, with or without the rather superfluous extra tracks included on the reissue. (5)
By 1978's 'Road To Ruin' the band's albums were in danger of becoming mere retreads. Aware of this, they began incorporating acoustic guitars into the mix and slowed down a number of tracks.
Indicative of this new approach was their cover of The Searchers' 'Needles & Pins'. The album includes an undisputed classic in 'I Wanna Be Sedated' but the novelty was fast wearing off.
Luckily, this reissue compensates for the album's patchier moments by including their contributions to the Rock 'n' Roll High School soundtrack, including the crazy five-track medley of some of their finest moments. (4.5)
