Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – Like A Mother Fucker

(Jungle Freud CD 044E)

Newsgroups: uk.music.alternative
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2000 15:13:52 +0000
Organization: Bzangy Groink

Yeah, it’s dead old, ’77 *rock’n’roll* but I haven’t heard some of these tracks in years and I’ve forgotten how much they, er, kick ass! There’s not a duff track on here, they all have choruses to kill for and splendid guitar rifferama. ‘Born To Lose’ opens and the brilliantly hoarse, shouty chorus sucks you in.

I guess if you don’t like classic punk, you’re not gonna like this. Even as a straight-edgeish bloke, I can’t avoid singing along to ‘Chinese Rocks’ (a Ramones cover or co-write, depending who you believe) cos it’s so fucking catchy. Honestly, it shows how pale and insipid most modern schmindie bands are. They may have better recording technology but they just haven’t got *soul*.

Buy this album if the Ramones are your idea of perfect pop. Don’t buy it if you’re looking for sonic cathedrals of expensive reverby plinking.