The Riverdales - Storm The Streets (Honest Don's, 1997)

I've seen these guys dogged too many times in zines for "sounding too much like the Ramones." Wow! What an observation. Maybe it has something to do with Ben Foster (AKA Weasel) fronting this three-piece. I'm largely unaware of all the bullshit surrounding Mr. Weasel, and frankly, I don't care to know. The Riverdales lay all the cards on the table, by listing in their thank-you section, "...and, of course, the Ramones." Note that Ben's former band, Screeching Weasel, covered the entire self-titled Ramones album. All things understood, Storm The Streets is a near-replica of the sounds from the Bowery Boys' glory years ('76-79). With songs about boys in plastic bubbles, cementheads, mental retards, and, of course, the mandatory "Wanna" number ("I Don't Wanna Go To The Party"), you'll be "Gabba Gabba Hey!"-ing in no time flat. One of the best Ramones albums not recorded by the Ramones.