10 More Near Perfect Punk Rock Albums
7. Ramones: Rocket To Russia (1977)
By 1977 punk rock was in full swing. The Sex Pistols had a politically charged angst; the Clash had a social awareness and a raw musical talent. Arguably, the Ramones were somewhat lacking in both of these departments.
What they did have was a sound quintessentially their own. Their debut dropped almost out of the blue, They staked their claim on music with punchy melodies and lyrics documenting New York's underbelly. They didn't feign to have social or political insight; their sound was juvenile and carefree and enjoyable.
Their third record heard the group leaning far more on the sounds they were raised on. They took the sounds of rock 'n' roll, surfer rock and pop and fed it through a filter of New York grime. They sounded like the Beach Boys fuelled by amphetamine and a lust for life.
The Sex Pistols were pissed off at just about everyone, and the Clash strove to shine a light on social injustice. But the Ramones just wanted to have fun.