The Ramones

This 1988 collection of the Ramones' most popular material is pretty much faultless. If you want to nitpick over why songs like "53rd And 3rd" or "Don't Come Close" aren't included, then just go buy the original albums. As far as lunk-headed brilliance, ranging from "Beat on the Brat" to "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg," it's all here.

Begins with "I Wanna Be Sedated" instead of "Blitzkrieg Bop," eh? Odd choice, though it sounds fine, just like everything else they recorded in the '70s, which is why I was hot to lap up the surfeit of this best-of twofer all the way to the third cut, 1980's lamer-than-ever "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" Lessee--forty-five-only mixes, archival 1910 Fruitgum cover, hmm. Look, kids, let me boil it down for you. First Ramones. Then Rocket to Russia. Then Too Tough to Die, which was 1984. After that you're on your own. Have fun. (Grade - B)