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Ten years after the first posthumous release from the larger than life lead singer of the Ramones, comes …Ya Know?
Made up of left behind demos and ideas the album was finished off and moulded into a finished article by Joan Jett, Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos and E Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt.
The idea of 14 unreleased tracks may sound like heaven to Ramones fans everywhere, but the sad truth is that the album does not sound like a Ramones one.
Party Line is one of the few exceptions. Stripped back, with Joey’s signature bleat reminding us of what a unique talent the man was.
And early rock ‘n’ roll tribute, I couldn’t Sleep, is a catchy reminder of the man’s love of this period.
But tracks like Rock and Roll is the Answer and New York City just hit you as tracks that were unreleased or unfinished for a reason, with the power chords and added instruments not helping the cause.
Over produced and far too long, …Ya Know does not live up to the legend and really is a case that sometimes unreleased material should just stay that way.