The Ugly Beats

Under "education," in the hilarious vital statistics grid from the booklet to the fifth full-length from local garage janglists the Ugly Beats, each member lists one of the first five Ramones LPs. Which may seem peculiar unless you recall the Buddy Holly-oid covers of JohnnyJoeyDeeDeeTommy hits like "Suzy Is a Headbanger" that chief Ugly Beat Joe Emery scattered through the sets of his Nineties band Death Valley. And sure enough, "Boy You're in Love," "Take Your Time," "Janie," and John Felice's "She Come Alive" demonstrate enough of the Forest Hills chainsaw pop ethic that you'd swear the group grew bowl cuts and bought leather jackets. You also get eight varieties of jangle. Beginning with psychedelic opener "All In," the Ugly Beats veer from the Lyres ("Heidi," "In Her Orbit") to near Merseybeat ("Wake Up Tomorrow," "What Was One") with a Ramones-like verve.