RAMONES

Leave Home: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 9/10 Da Brudders’ gorgeous second album beefed up for 40th anniversary

For their follow-up to Ramones, the Ramones offered a repeat performance, just with a more pronounced sense of humour and romance. Leave Home has short, catchy songs about mental illness, war, horror films and glue, but with more of Joey’s glorious puppy-dog love songs throw in – the album highlights are arguably “What’s Your Game” and “Oh Oh I Love Her So”. The Ramones always believed in their formula, and on Leave Home added a few vital elements – the chant of “gabba gabba hey” that opens “Pinhead”; the first appearance of their logo on the back cover. This three-disc, 40th-anniversary celebration from Rhino features two versions of the album – a remastered version of the original and a fresh anniversary mix – a second album of outtakes, and a third featuring a 1977 show from CBGB. The 2017 anniversary mix from producer Ed Stasium focuses on the band’s power, placing Joey’s vocals slightly behind the instruments, giving Johnny’s thundering guitar more of the lead. The out-takes offer insight into process – a “psychedelic” mix of “Pinhead”; a “sane” mix of “What’s Your Game”; an even more doowoppy “You’re Gonna Kill That Girl” – while the live album is frantic and sweaty. Extras: 8/10 Available as limited numbered edition with hardback book featuring interviews with Danny Fields and Ed Stasium.