Album Reviews

Voghera, Italy’s Retarded are back with a new album, appropriately titled ‘Same As The First’. It’s the band’s first new album in almost eight years and compared to 2016’s ‘Goes Louder,’ it sees them dialing down the glam influences and returning more to the Ramonescore sound of… you guessed it, their first album.

The end result? 13 Ramonescore tunes that will sound instantly familiar to anyone who has ever spent any time listening to the über-punks. There’s still the occasional glam rock riff here and there, but most of the time this is straight-up, unadulterated punk rock. Produced, mixed and mastered by Mass Giorgino (Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, Queers), ‘Same As The First’ sounds crunchy in all the right places.  Thrown in some 1-2-3-4’s along with some ooh’s and aah’s and you end up with an album that will jumpstart your next party.

Same As The First track list:

1. Rock 'N' Roll Tonight
2. I Follow My Pride
3. My Heart Is Burning
4. Therapy
5. Locked Down City
6. Funny Face
7. The Kids Have Gone
8. Goodbye To You
9. Mr. Bunny
10. Same As The First
11. Just Do It
12. Same Old Story
13. Driving In The Sun