Marky Ramone And The Intruders

Having the drummer as the leader of a group (if even in name only) is a practice usually reserved for the jazz world, but if the drummer in your punk band happens to have been in the Ramones, you don’t have much choice but to appropriate this custom. The Intruders, who would probably be a solid band regardless of their association with Marky, churn out modern punk that sounds a like a rawer, Ramones-ier version of Rancid. This makes perfect sense as The Answer To All Your Problems is produced by self-confessed Ramones fan, and Rancid member Lars Fredrikson. This is musical cross-pollination taken to the extreme. The lyrics on the record deal with personal issues like suicide (“One Way Ride”), social success (“Nobody Likes You”), agoraphobia ( “Peekhole”) and how tough things are in general (“Life Sucks”). Other notable songs include the ’50s inspired duet with Joan Jett, “Don’t Blame Me,” and a revved up cover of the Beatles’ “Nowhere Man.” A release heavily geared toward the compulsive Ramones collector and/or fans of ’90s-style punk rock.