Customer Reviews

Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"We make Ratt n' Roll music for Ratt n' Roll people" -- Stephen Pearcy circa 1990.

This is the best Ratt greatest hits to date. You have 20 tracks all re-mastered. This is the perfect soundtrack for 80s rock lovers! A few of the tracks are from the 90s, but are in the same sonic tradition.

I like how the set list is in non-chronological order. And I like how their biggest hits are spread across the cd. Unlike, older Ratt best of compilations "Round in Round" doesn't appear at the beginning. I give them credit for starting things off with "Dangerous but Worth the Risk." An excellent song that never had a video or was played on the radio.

The only gripe I have is they included the clunky "Head I Win, Tails You Lose" again. So many better songs they could've picked. They should've scratched that and included a ballad like "I Want to Love You Tonight" or "Giving Yourself Away."

Also, because this is primarily the Atlantic years era there is nothing from their legendary self-titled e.p. Fingers crossed that the entire back catalogue gets revamped and reissued. A big cheese Ratt box set with rarities and live tracks would be sweet too.

I saw these guys live this summer and I can't wait for many more years of Ratt n' Roll!

Not a bad compilation, though it could have been a bit better. How? Well, while a lot of the biggest hits and best cuts are featured, such as WANTED MAN, ROUND AND ROUND, BACK FOR MORE, LAY IT DOWN, YOU'RE IN LOVE, DANCE, SLIP OF THE LIP, CITY TO CITY, I WANT A WOMAN, LOVING YOU IS A DIRTY JOB, SHAME SHAME SHAME, and others, there are some shortcomings on this compilation.

On a minor level, SHAME SHAME SHAME is "sans intro", which for me, the mellow prelude is what allows a better appreciation for when it finally kicks off and completely rocks out. On a larger level, I find it ironic that this collection bears the title of one of the tracks from the EP ; a release that has no material from it featured here at all.

While the 1983 EP may not have been an Atlantic release, nor were RATT (1997) and COLLAGE (1999), but tracks from those latter albums (OVER THE EDGE and STEEL RIVER respectively) made the cut. Seems a "shame shame shame" to forsake the EP tracks, especially (the aformentioned collection's title) TELL THE WORLD, YOU THINK YOU'RE TOUGH, SWEET CHEATER, and the longer, pre-CELLAR version of BACK FOR MORE.

However, in spite of these minor flaws that only a Ratt fan might nitpick over, this is a great starter album for those just discovering Ratt. This album, in conjunction with 1992's RATT'N'ROLL 81-91 (the previous hits collection which DOES feature two EP tracks) makes the best overall collection of Ratt Traxx for one's library - short of having the entire Ratt catalogue ("Ratt-alogue"?) altogether, that is.

WTW

If you already own the first of Ratt's greatest hits "8191", there is not much difference on this new release. 5 songs out of the 20 are different. The 5 being tracks 1,7,18,19, & 20. One thing to take note of, the above song track listing is correct, EXCEPT for the last track. It is not 'No One Can Stop Us Now', it is an MTV Unplugged version of 'Way Cool Jr'. The CD is still a good one to buy, if you don't own a greatest hits from Ratt already.

This is a nice compilation, albeit to me disjointed and lacking in some areas. First off "Dangerous But Worth The Risk" (?). My favorite album track from Invasion Of Your Privacy is "You Should Know By Now", even "Give It All", and "What You Give Is What You Get" are better choices than "Dangerous", but oh well. Invasion was the first Ratt CD to have a little filler IMO, but most Ratt fans should have Out Of The Cellar for sure by now, because all 10 songs on it are keepers.

I also prefer the chronolgical order of 8191, and any Ratt comp has to have "Nobody Rides For Free" and that's here too. This one also stears clear of the EP, and for that it separates itself somewhat, no not nearly enough for my taste. And of course I heard about the new track not being included, so there goes another reason not to get this, but it's okay.

During the halcyon days of Los Angeles Glam Metal, Ratt became one of the major success stories. Sporting a strong frontman and vocalist in Stephen Pearcy and a guitar master in Warren DiMartini (and second guitarist Robbin Crosby was no slouch, either), Ratt took advantage of the exploding MTV years and took a hard rock single Top 20. "Round and Round," featuring Milton Berle in the comic video, remains the band's high water mark, a single that captures the LA scene in less than four minutes.

"Tell The World" makes the strategic decision to bury that song halfway into the CD, making you listen to a chunk of lesser songs before hitting the payoff. Like many of the bands from this period (think Motley Crue), Ratt worshipped at the altars of Van Halen and Aerosmith, but still liked the gritty, sleazy feel of Los Angeles. The first two albums, Out of the Cellar and Invasion of Your Privacy, went top ten and multi platinum on that basis, and deservedly so. Songs like "You're In Love," "Lay It Down" and "You Think You're Tough" (inexplicably absent from this set) made for decent hard rock singles.

However, like many bands in the genre, Ratt was of limited ideas. The next three albums delivered diminishing returns, with the dopey lyrical sexism becoming tedious and repetitious. When pressed, they could still deliver a good single (the stuttering riffs of "Dance" and the jazzy hard rock of "Way Cool Jr"), but filler was becoming predominant. By the last album for Atlantic records, they were resorting to hired hitmakers like Desmond Child ("Shame Shame Shame" and "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job" being the two best of the crop), and took a hiatus soon after.

"Tell The World" picks up where the previous "Ratt and Roll" left off, with a pair of songs from reunion albums ("Steel River" and "Over The Edge") plus an OK unplugged version of "Way Cool Jr." If you already have "Ratt and Roll" or Rhino's Ratt Essentials, you're probably set. If not, "Tell The World" is the best Ratt Trapp so far.

Hey if you like good rock and roll you can dance to, and not the new yell over a loud guitar because it's stealing all the sound. Then you will like this Ratt cd because it's got all their best songs, and you won't get a headache.

I used to listen to White Zombie, Limp Bizkit etc. Now I know how much they suck compared to 80's rock. And it will keep sucking until people start returning to the way rock used to be. Rock ain't supposed to be how angry you can get, we don't want to hear about your sad life in a broken home, go get some psychiatry for that. Music is supposed to be having a good time, dating women, fighting, and drinking.

Now it's all downer music that makes you feel depressed when it's done. Music is supposed to lift you up and put you in a better mood then before.

Thank you I won't be here all week.

Hello, I dated a girl that absolutely love these guys. Ever since I always have a bottle of Jack and some Ratt on hand, you never know!

The song selection here is not as good as "8191". Where is "Giving Yourself Away"? That song was a radio hit and should have been here instead of the MTV version of "Way Cool Jr". Anyone can gripe about songs being left off compilations, but if you're going to put album cuts on a best of, then all the hits should be there, as well!

Buy the other "Tell The World" that is in stock. I don't know what the purpose of this one is.

I don't get it with Mark Prindle. At all. He comes on like some hard rock dude but, take a look, no reviews for Cinderella, Motely Crue, Poison, Bon Jovi, Warrant, or Ratt. Missed an ENTIRE genre keeping up with grunge, punk, indie and, er, King Crimson. Way to go, Mark!

Anyway, gawd, the Eighties. I was there (age 20-30), spending a quarter of my time chasing women who didn't want me, a quarter of my time avoiding women I didn't want who were chasing me, another quarter bartending and, sure enough, the last quarter of my time bending on the other side of the bar. I had one foot in the post-punk and the other in the hard rock. I remember exactly when my Eighties ended, too -- after I was banned from every bar in the city. Including the one I worked at! But, until that moment, WOW!

Stephanie, I will NEVER forget your awesomeness!

Now then. Business at hand. Ratt. This comp is the perfect place to make your aquaintance with the band. Great remastering, generous set. It's kinda hard to explain what makes them so great. They have a limited emotional range and a compressed musical agenda (many songs are extensions of others) but, if you like what they do, then you're fine throughout. It's kinda an Alice Cooper voice, raunchy lovin' lyrics, with an early Aerosmith groove updated with buzzing Motley Crue riffs. Guitarist DeMartini conjures sick progressions. NO BALLADS. Sexy party tunes.

Such a cool sound! Catchy tunes. A few change-ups but, basically, Ratt knows their sweet spot and stays there. If you like the Crue, then Ratt's a MUST.

And if you're Mark Prindle, well, just stay with Tool or U2 or the Turtles and, hey, it'll always be the ironic 90's. How hip is that? GET WELL SOON, dude!