Ramones
Halfway to Sanity

THE REVIEW

I started listening to the first albums that included various hits like "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Cretin Hop", "Rockaway Beach", "Gabba Gabba Hey", and many others. Then I discovered their subsequent extraordinary works, "End Of The Century", "Pleasant Dreams", "Animal Boy", "Brain Drain"... I was completely captivated by this American band, which for me had an edge over the Pistols. They are incisive, convincing, cynical, and memorable right from the first listens, something that other punk bands don’t show and don’t have. Their short and fast songs are incredibly amazing and totally convincing. If prog bands needed fifteen minutes to play a beautiful track, the Ramones took two and a half!! They encapsulate the whole essence of punk and rock in a very short time and with three chords... a lesson that still holds true today! The ability to churn out hit after hit with an absurd simplicity truly fascinated me, so much so that I immediately got the album "Halfway To Sanity". And it is precisely this CD that I want to talk to you about.

The Ramones, coming off the surprising and famous "Animal Boy", crafted this album, which is considered to be one of the best of the eighties. The quartet had overcome the difficult and contentious times of the early eighties, and at this moment, they couldn’t afford to fail. After confirming their success with the hits "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg", "Something To Believe In", and "I Wanna Be Sedated", the Ramones kick off their next album with "I Wanna Live". The single, besides being another great song, turned out to be quite successful, which helped boost the CD’s success.

The Ramones maintain their classic "trademark", which is pure fast punk rock, short songs, and a lot of energy and passion. And this is precisely what’s great and makes the band stand out, namely resisting fashion changes and still showing so much heart, anger, and skill. Remember, we’re at the end of the eighties, in 1987, and punk is almost over... the only bands remaining are Clash and Ramones. This is consistency!

The Ramones, like other artists, earned their success and money through talent, NOT with style changes and today’s various nonsense! "Halfway To Sanity" kicks off with the famous "I Wanna Live", introduced by Johnny’s chords and Joey's unforgettable characteristic voice. The track boasts a very good melody, which develops into a sensational chorus, supported by the band’s technical skills. Johnny’s solos are excellent, once again showing him as one of the best punk guitarists. The second track is "Bop ’Til You Drop", where heavy and compact riffs, almost metal, dominate, and Joey’s unique voice, which is still in great shape. The guitarist’s performance is also good as he continuously churns out classic distorted riffs, making the track even harder and more powerful. In two minutes and fifteen seconds, the Ramones show everyone the "recipe" for playing an incisive and fast punk rock track!! "Garden Of The Sinner" is introduced by a sensational riff that reminds me of "Fire Woman" by the Cult, which subsequently gives way to Joey’s vibrant voice, full of melody and vigor.

"Weasel Face" is a very engaging song, thanks also to the sustained rhythm section by Dee Dee, Richie, and Johnny. It’s a short track characterized by the wild voice of the singer and the angry and powerful refrain. A track that revives the successful and old patterns from the beginnings! The following "Go Lil Camaro Go" is quite a catchy song and less fast than the previous ones. The charge returns with "I Know Better Now", equipped with a refrain that recalls the anthemic choruses of the band’s earliest songs.

"Death Of Me" has a riffing that resembles "I Just Have Something To Do", and indeed the song proves to be the perfect heir to that famous seventies track. The chorus is, as always, the strength of the Ramones’ songs, showcasing both energy and the inevitable skill. "I Lost My Mind" could be summarized as pure madness and speed.

"I’m Not Jesus", with its very strong title, I would define as a nice attempt to play an almost punk hardcore track with Richie’s pounding drums supporting Johnny’s classic three distorted chords. "Bye Bye Baby", a melodic sixties song, is a really successful cover, keeping the album on a high level. The finale is entrusted to the furious and schizophrenic "Worm Man", which with its speed, concludes the Ramones’ "Halfway To Sanity" perfectly.