Growing up in the 80's, I listened to a lot of different bands. Punk rock was my choice. So, being a teen in the 80's, I heard a lot of Ramones songs. I never owned an album, but I considered myself a Ramones fan.
What is the sound that the Ramones had? Beach Boys meet Buddy Holly? With a punk flare? Why am I going on about the Ramones? All of these questions will not be answered in this review.
The Ramones had a sound of their own. Now that they are no longer making records, some group needed to fill that void. It's no secret that the Huntingtons stepped up to the plate.
The first song on Plastic Surgery, "I Want to be a Ramone," brings a thought to mind. If the Huntingtons want to be like the Ramones, they have to stop practicing. The Ramones had a raw, edgy sound. Some songs on Ramones' albums sounded as if they were barely practiced, if at all. The Huntingtons practice. It shows on the CD. Tighter, more in time songs.
Track one through track 5 are of Ramones style. Number 6 breaks away with a real skate punk style. Just in time to keep all of the CD from sounding the same. 7 through 13 are more of the same, with titles like "Growing Up is No Fun" and "Now I'm Alright." Track 14 is an instrumental called "Mutiny Monster Beach Party." Every time I hear this I think of the B-52's. Why, I don't know. Synthesized keyboard with a catchy guitar line is almost "Rock Lobster"-ish.
With tracks 6 and 14, I wonder what these guys would do on their own. They do the Ramones thing well, almost too well. I would like to see a more creative, out of the box approach. Not so Ramones, but more themselves.
This band is a big maybe for me. I waited several times in the past to hear their next release. It never seems to go any further. The talent is there, they should find a sound of their own. But, that's my opinion.
Other coverage for this album
Bandoppler 2000Reviewed by Earl CampbellSomeone tell the new guy about the Huntingtons' obsession with the Ramones. This is probably the band's fifteenth release, or something like that, and it sounds like all the ones before it, except surely better in some abstract or technical way. Good production, good melodies, obvious confidence in their formula, and fun to listen to at night while doing email, pirating mp3's off Napster, or…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by ConradThis is the eighth record Huntingtons have released in the past two weeks. Fortunately they've been steadily getting better and more catchy. Of course these songs are pretty much like Ramones influenced punk. Very simple. Power Chords. Lots of "Uh-Oh," kind of singing. This release is better than their last one that I gave a B+ to. Sonically this CD is great. I'm pretty sure Cliffy and Mikey did…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Tom BastianThe Huntingtons do it again. They put out yet another great pop punk album. This album tends to be a little more poppy than "Get Lost", but thats what I really liked about this one. I think the Huntingtons strong point is their ability to write catchy pop punk tunes filled with energy. Probably the most surprising thing about the album is that two of the songs were very different for the…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by OrvillePlastic Surgery is the Huntingtons millennial debut and boy did they rip into 2000 with this one! It's no surprise that they started off the year so fast after a very busy 1999 which included massive touring, a live album, a cover album, and a ground breaking full length called "Get Lost". For Huntingtons fans "Plastic Surgery" serves as the best of both worlds. You have the vocal and musical…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Michial FarmerThe first song on The Huntingtons' new album Plastic Surgery is named "I Wanna Be a Ramone." That pretty much sums it up. Over their past five albums, the New England-based foursome has tried their darndest to carbon-copy Joey and the boys, and for the most part have succeeded. Unfortunately, this latest album does not quite live up to the standards they have set for themselves in the past. Don't…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Todd BallardIt is easy to find one's self in a love/hate relationship with the Huntingtons. They make no bones about being a "wanna-be" band with songs like "I Wanna Be a Ramone" off their second release in less than a year, Plastic Surgery. Although they may sound just like the Ramones, they are doing something with the bubble-gum punk sound that the Ramones themselves never achieved. Plastic Surgery boasts…Similar sounding releases
2000Ghoti HookTwo Years to Never
2005SnuffSix of One, Half a Dozen of the Other
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2005OrangeWelcome to the World of...
2002Authority ZeroA Passage in Time
2005Alkaline TrioCrimsonMore from Huntingtons
1997Fun and Games
1998High School Rock
1998All the Stuff (And More) Vol. 1
1999The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
1999Get Lost
2001Songs in the Key of You
