Audio CD review:
Screeching Weasel - Beat Is on the Brat

Screeching Weasel - Beat Is on the Brat

Band: Screeching Weasel Title: Beat Is on the Brat Rating: Release Date: 1998-11-10 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Blitzkrieg Bop 2: Beat on the Brat 3: Judy Is a Punk - Screeching Weasel, Ramone, Johnny 4: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend 5: Chainsaw 6: Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue 7: I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement 8: Loudmouth 9: Havana Affair 10: Listen to My Heart 11: 53rd & 3rd 12: Let's Dance - Screeching Weasel, Lee, Jim 13: I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You 14: Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World 15: (Nothing's Gonna) Turn Me off (Of You) - Screeching Weasel, Weasel, Ben 16: Pretty Girls Don't Talk to Me - Screeching Weasel, Weasel, Ben 17: I Don't Care Anymore - Screeching Weasel, Weasel, Ben 18: Why'd You Have to Leave - Screeching Weasel, Weasel, Ben

Nothing's Gonna Turn Me Off Of You Ben Weasel's voice goes perfectly with all the songs, it's uncanny! When I hear the words "beat on the brat", I immediately think of this album rather than the Ramones' song. WOW! Screeching Weasel took the masterpiece of the Ramones debut album and gave it a Screeching Weasel touch, they covered the songs, but in no way duplicated them. This album is a perfect mix of Ramones three-chord punk, Ben Weasel's whiny-in-a-good-way voice, teen angst, all that good stuff that makes Screeching Weasel what it is. If you see this around, make no hesitation to pick this up, it's a must-buy!. Its a good idea, at least... Don't get me wrong, I think its very admirable that they spent their resources paying their dues to a fantastic and incredibly influential band that (at the time especially) wasn't really getting the recognition they deserved. I was thrilled to learn that Screeching Weasel had covered the entire first Ramones album, after all, what better band to pay tribute to the Ramones than Screeching Weasel? In practice, its not THAT awesome. But while the act of tribute is very good, the actual album isn't much to scream about, as the band plays it very straight, changing almost nothing and just sounding a little bit faster than the Ramones did back in '76. So if you wanna hear Screeching Weasel play the entire first Ramones LP the same way the Ramones did, go ahead and buy it. I'll just continue listening to "Ramones. " There is one reason you might want to get this CD, and thats because the last four tracks on here are the "Formula 27" EP. Its a very good EP, all four songs are good, especially "(Nothings Gonna) Turn Me Off (Of You)" with its hilarious lyric "I need someone to talk during the Munsters so that I can say 'Shut up' and not get punched even though we all know that the Munsters is a lousy show. " All in all the EP is nice to have, but the albums nothing you're gonna want to listen to more than once. They're forming in a straight line. Screaching Weasel were the first band to do it, recording this cover version of the Ramones first album in one 14 hour session in October of 1992. Several punk bands have covered a Ramones album in it's entirety. The band sticks closely to the original arrangements of the songs, but they play them faster. Some people might criticize them for not changing things up a little, but it works for me. The CD adds four bonus tracks recorded in June 1996, which were originally released as the Formula 27 EP. This is a fun punk album. My Bonzo went to Bitburg!!! Oh! My! GAWD!! The Ramones, one of my favorite band of ALL FRICKIN' TIME!! Played by another favorite band of mine, Screeching Weasel. . and what do you have. . . This record is what you have, now buy it stupid!!!. Four-on-the-floor gunshot rock destruction Had the distinct pleasure of hearing a sampling of these on the "Kill the Musicians" compilation, and it's a joy to see the album released on compact disc finally. Who woulda thunk it? The kindergarten ennui attitude and bare songcraft of the Ramones meets the dynamic Converse-driven heroics of the Screeching Weasel. Turn it up: this one's for bopping. You can see a complete list of all Screeching Weasel discography, or go back to the Screeching Weasel tabs