Thursday, May 9, 2013

Ramones - Brain Drain

If you read my review for the Acid Eaters album, you'll have noticed a small part about my picking up the last four Ramones album in one great buy. Also, due to now a new work schedule my regular readers will notice a small drop in my output.

However, this article isn't about my life, it's about Brain Drain. A Ramones album I really wish I would have picked up years ago. I could see tons of fans of the band being upset that this album is a little mellower than normal, but I love it.

It starts off decent and slowly builds into a very strong and solid album. There is a bit of a taper off towards the end of the album, but it's forgiveable.

I Believe In Miracles opens up the album. I love this song. I don't know if it's just the lyrics, or if it's the whole feel, but this is one of my favourite Ramones songs. "I used to be on an endless run. / Believe in miracles 'cause I'm one. / I have been blessed with the power to survive. / After all these years I'm still alive. / I'm out here kickin' with the band. / I am no longer a solitary man. / Every day my time runs out. / Lived like a fool, that's what I was about, oh / I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you. / Oh, I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you. / Tattooed your name on my arm. / I always said my girl's a good luck charm. / If she can find a reason to forgive, / Then I can find a reason to live. / I used to be on an endless run. / Believe in miracles 'cause I'm one. / I have been blessed with the power to survive. / After all these years I'm still alive. / I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you. / Oh, I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you. / I close my eyes and think how it might be. / The future's here today. / It's not too late. / It's not too late, yeah! / I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you. / Oh, I believe in miracles. / I believe in a better world for me and you." To me this is a fantastic way to kick off the album.

After that is Zero Zero UFO, which has it's own cool and interesting vibe that sets it apart from the typical Ramones song. Don't Bust My Chops has a great rough and tumble vibe to it. It's like listening to Joey Ramone all of a sudden really growing a pair and releasing the beast within.

Punishment Fits The Crime is a Dee Dee Ramone sung song. I don't mind when Joey and Dee Dee switch off on vocals during a song, but I don't like when the bassist is the only one singing. Aside from that this is a pretty good Rock song. It sounds stock on this album, but I think a band like Poison or Motley Crue could really do something with this one.

All Screwed Up is another song that's just a really decent Rock song. I also totally can relate to the lyrics. "Without you baby's like suicide / I need you baby, that I just can't hide / I miss you honey when it's cold outside, oh yeah / I miss your body, baby, next to mine / Ooooh, baby, yeah we sure felt fine / I miss you honey, oh yeah / I say baby, baby I'm all screwed up / I miss your body and I need your love / I miss you honey when it's cold outside, oh yeah / Baby, baby I'm all screwed up / I miss your body and I need your love / I miss you honey when it's cold outside, oh yeah / I said baby, baby / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, oh yeah (oh yeah) / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, aw ahhh / Baby, baby, oh yeah, oh yeah / Without you baby's like suicide / I miss you baby, that I just can't hide / I want you baby when it's cold outside, oh yeah / I miss your body, baby, next to mine / Ooooh, baby, yeah we sure felt fine / I want you baby, oh yeah / I said baby, baby / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, oh yeah (oh yeah) / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, aw ahhh / Baby, baby, oh yeah, oh yeah /Baby, baby, baby can't you see / You don't know what you're doin' to me, aw yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah / I need you baby, baby can't you see / You don't know what you're doin' to me, aw yeah, oh yeah, oh / I love the music business but it makes me sick / Everybody's beautiful and full of it / Ooh, I love the way that you shake your hips, oh yeah / I miss your body, baby, next to mine / Ooooh, baby, yeah we sure felt fine / I miss you baby, oh yeah / Baby, baby / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, oh yeah (oh yeah) / Baby, baby, aw ahhh, baby, baby, aw ahhh / Baby, baby, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah".

Palisades Park is hurt by how far forward the snare is in the mix. However, other than that this is a really fun track. It has a circus theme in some parts, while the experience is being translated into the music. It's a really fun song. It's also a cover.

To this day I will usually state that I Want To Be Sedated is my favourite Ramones song, but the one that I love the most is Pet Sematary. Until I picked up this album, I only knew the studio version through a karaoke version, which I've sung the shit out of. Other than that it's always been the live version from We're Outta Here. But everytime this studio version comes on, I just want to crank it up and howl my little heart out to the heavens.

Learn To Listen is the last song on the album with Dee Dee Ramone credited as a writer. Until this point he is listed on every song from the start. This is the only one that faulters for me. It's a little too typically Punk.

The last four tracks on the album are almost all exclusively written by Joey Ramone. The first one is Can't Get You Out Of My Mind. This one has a very mid sixties, West Coast, LSD inspired feel to it. Jefferson Airplane comes to mind first.

Ignorance Is Bliss is interesting because of the musical performance, but on the whole I'm not a fan of the track. This is the only track with a co writer in the last four tracks, and that is Andy Shernoff.

Come Back Baby is a basic slow Ramones song. I'm not overly impressed with the vocal performance, compared with the rest of the album. This track seriously sounds like Joey Ramone trying to use a song to get his baby back.

The album ends on a cheesy note, but I like it. The last song on the album is Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight). It's a Ramones Christmas song. What more can be said. It's a great closer.

I'm not saying this is the Ramones' best album, but it is really good. Even with my not being overly impressed with the latter third of the album, I would still suggest this album to Rock fans. There's some real quality material on here, and just a little camp.

My only complaint about this album is that the production sounds exactly the same as it had in the 1970's, only with a clearer tone. Of the four albums that make up the set I bought, this one has the most pulled back sounding production value. There is some real production value to individual tracks, but the overall sound is thin and weak.

8/10 - content

6/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

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