(FAT WRECK CHORDS; 2014)
With only three members (none original) of the legendary Ramones still walking the earth, it seems that each is intent on reconnecting with their punk roots of late, as drummers Marky and Richie and, now, bassist CJ have all returned with new music recently, utilizing the Ramone name. To be fair to Marc Bell, he never stopped being a Ramone and, aside from Joey, was the quintessential Ramone. I’d honestly lost track of Richie, who I always considered a footnote in the group’s history, as the mid-’80s output (TOO TOUGH TO DIE, ANIMAL BOY and HALFWAY TO SANITY), though serviceable, was nothing to write home about; Richie released an album called ENTITLED in 2013. CJ reverted back to his real name, leading a metal band called Los Gusanos as CJ Ward for a short time. Now, CJ is back with his second solo record (RECONQUISTA was released in 2012), a solid dose of hard rockin’ punk that is sure to please Ramones fans everywhere.
The set kicks of with the lead single from the album, “Understand Me?,” a powerful mix of old-school Ramones and the heavier tendencies of Los Gusanos. With CJ’s voice sounding strong and assertive, we are off to a great start. “Won’t Stop Swinging” is a basic three-chord hard rock tune featuring a heavier guitar sound, thanks in part to the baritone guitar supplied by guest Martin Beal. The same three chords show up on “One More Chance,” in a punkier style. This is the first track that sounds like it coulda actually been on a Ramones record. “Carry Me Away” has a haunting vibe and a “love lost” lyric: “So carry me away, boys, carry me away/Carry me to my home/’Cause I long for the girl with/The sun in her eyes/Evangaline, I’m coming home.” The twist, of course, is that the song is recited by a young sailor lost at sea… an atmospheric ghost story. This track, in particular, features great backing vocals from guitarists Steve Soto and Dan Root. A slow rocking, early ’60s pop sound flavors “’Til the End,” with sweet girl-group harmony from CJ, Dan and Steve. “Long Way To Go” is a punked up, fuzzed out cover of the Alice Cooper classic, with Tony Cadena guesting on vocals.
The second half of LAST CHANCE TO DANCE (Side two, if you’re a vinyl junkie) opens with a hard rockin’ slow grind ode to guns and revolutions, “Mister Kalashnikov,” named after the man who designed the AK-47 assault rifle: “Mister Kalashnikov/We owe it all to you/Every common man with a gun in his hand/Is what we gotta do.” At just north of four minutes, it’s the longest song of the set. “Pitstop” is sort of a cowpunk tune, with very Ramones-esque vocals and a country-tinged guitar solo. A grinding riff runs through “Grunt” and doesn’t relent for the entire minute-and-a-half length of the track. “You Own Me” is a melodic punk tune with a late ’60s psychedelic pop feel and a vocal melody line that is quite reminiscent of Buddy Holly. The title track is a classic Ramones rocker with a very un-Ramones like guitar solo; a very effective dichotomy of styles. Bordering on hardcore, “Clusterfuck,” at less than a minute long, is over almost before it begins. It feels almost like a throw away song, but I’m sure that it’ll become the centerpiece of CJ’s live show. With a higher profile release than the self-released RECONQUISTA, this could be the record that brings CJ Ramone back into the consciousness of mainstream record buyers after being away for far too long.