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Brats On The Beat: Ramones For Kids
Various
Go Kart Records
Because The Ramones' "bam bam bam bam"rallying call is so infantilizing, it's no surprise that kids love them so much. That being said, Brats On The Beat is a gathering of the punk tribes that finds everyone from Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba to Greg Attonito of Bouncing Souls tipping their hats to the punk legends. But while Skiba and Attonito and the rest of the lot may be grown up punks, every track here is backed by the Gabba Gabba Hey Singers (the house band features members of Goldfinger, Eagles of Death Metal and The Shocker), a chorus of punk kids who enthusiastically fill each song with youthful charm. Skiba's take on "Rock 'N'Roll High School" summons the surge that comes from skipping sixth period; The Donna's Brett Anderson makes "California Sun" as ebullient as ever and Josie Cotton's take on "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" comes with all the reckless and tasty abandon of a prom queen gone wrong-or is that gone right? Later The Adolescents' Tony Reflex steps into "Cretin Hop" and T.S.O.L's Jack Grisham imbues "Bop Till You Drop" with a sneering crunch. Of course this is all tons of fun, and while maybe you would never have wanted The Dwarves' Blag Dahlia near your kid, his reading of "Rockaway Beach" is as innocent and joyful as they come. But the best part of all of this? A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Brats On The Beat will go to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals.
—Alex Green (Carousel Exclusive)
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