Ratt
Ratt & Roll 81-91

RATT - RATT & ROLL 8191 (1991, ATLANTIC)

TRACK LIST:

01) TELL THE WORLD
02) YOU THINK YOU’RE TOUGH
03) ROUND AND ROUND
04) WANTED MAN
05) BACK FOR MORE
06) LACK OF COMMUNICATION
07) LAY IT DOWN
08) YOU’RE IN LOVE
09) SLIP OF THE LIP
10) DANCE
11) BODY TALK
12) WAY COOL JR.
13) I WANT A WOMAN
14) LOVIN’ YOU’S A DIRTY JOB
15) SHAME SHAME SHAME
16) GIVIN’ YOURSELF AWAY
17) ONE STEP AWAY
18) HEADS I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE
19) NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE

In 1991, a massive collection of hits marks the epitaph of one of the most important hard rock bands of the '80s, a group capable of producing genuine hit singles while following in the footsteps of legendary acts such as Aerosmith and Van Halen with a distinctly personal touch, influenced in the string department by the impact typical of the NWOBHM.

A refined melodic taste, skillfully combined with sharp and powerful riffs created by the guitar hero Warren DeMartini (who in the future would also collaborate with David Coverdale's Whitesnake), managed to bring to life memorable tracks that earned the band over fifteen million copies sold worldwide, with numerous platinum records to their credit.
Disappointed by the negative commercial outcomes of their last studio work (the misunderstood yet valid “Detonator”, which settled at around 800,000 copies sold), Ratt released this anthology that soon became a gold record. The compilation, meticulously executed, embraces the entire discography of the great San Diego band (active since the '70s under the moniker Mickey Ratt), also including an unreleased track. The eponymous debut EP is represented here with the two tracks “Tell The World” and “You Think You’re Tough”, both exuding energy from every single note. The same exuberance can be found in the following four tracks from the masterpiece “Out Of The Cellar,” among which the mega-hit “Round And Round” and the captivating “Back For More” stand out unmistakably. Next are the two singles from the double platinum album “Invasion Of Your Privacy,” namely the excellent “You’re In Love” and the explosive “Lay It Down,” where Warren DeMartini carves an unforgettable opening riff in the rock. The album “Dancing Undercover” (also well over a million copies sold) is then showcased with three highly effective tracks, draped in a typically glam atmosphere, highlighted by “Dance” and the street-smart “Body Talk.” The blues of the hit “Way Cool Jr.” and the brazen energy of “I Want A Woman” remind us of the good quality of the platinum “Reach For The Sky,” while the grand “Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job,” also soaked in typically blues influences, leads us to rediscover the much-understated “Detonator,” an album of great potential, rich in ideas and ingenious moments. Following this explosive track is the equally dynamic “Shame Shame Shame” and the wonderful power ballad “Giving Yourself Away,” the only slow track composed by Ratt alongside the remarkable “I Want To Love You Tonight,” found in “Reach For The Sky.” The reflective “One Step Away,” a mid-tempo with drummer Bobby Blotzer in the spotlight, and the sleazy “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose,” featuring singer Stephen Pearcy in an applause-worthy performance, follow. To conclude this titanic anthology, we have the unreleased song “Nobody Rides For Free,” a little gem also included in the soundtrack of the movie “Point Break – Breaking Point.”

The spiritual testament of an excellent group, composed of some of the greatest talents of the entire Californian hard rock scene, such as singer Stephen Pearcy, the aforementioned DeMartini, and the powerful drummer Bobby Blotzer (later working with Contraband, the supergroup with Tracii Guns and Michael Shenker), this beautiful anthology represents the quintessence of Ratt, a band that, along with Motley Crue and Dokken, revolutionized the way the word glam was understood in the early '80s. (Enrico Rosticci)