Ratt – Ratt & Roll 8191

It's missing 5 songs from the CD. (Which is understandable considering a 76 minute CD needs to go down to a single 60 minute vinyl). But this record sounds amazing. I remember growing up with my walkman and listening to this cassette tape over and over again thinking how great it sounded. (Especially the last half of the album). Turning up this vinyl with some headphones on brings back that same experience. If you like Ratt and find this album at a decent price, you won't be disappointed.

I have a new sealed copy for sale... $75 shipping included in USA. PM if interested

I have a new sealed copy for sale... $75 shipping included in USA. PM if interested

I've got a copy for sale. 55 plus shipping from Spain. Pm if interested

cobohall76 Jun 19, 2024
Hi there. I just got my hands on this but after shame shame shame, the sound on my copy gets weird. The audio slows down then picks up. Does this happen to your copy or whoever reads this, does it happen to your copy. Thanks.

First track has a bit of sibilance, but the record keeps getting better and better sounding as it goes. Probably because the later tracks were recorded with better equipment. Good bass, clear mids and highs with good separation of instruments. This record ain’t easy to find, but if you come across one, get it! All the best tracks here, with one exception, No “You Think You’re Tough” which was on the cd. Still very happy to own this

For an unofficial release it sounds alright, maybe a bit on the quiet side, but just turn it up. So many hits

Combining aggressive, sleazy Aerosmith boogie, Van Halen virtuosity and the slick studio sheen of Def Leppard, Ratt's reverb-and-riff-drenched brand of rock gained traction right off the bat. Optimized by Robbin Crosby and Warren DiMartini's sizzlin' twelve string slashings and Stephen Pearcy's suitably raw vocals, not to mention the lockjaw rhythm section, solid songwriting and bright production, there was no question that they were headed for the top. Akin to their closest rivals, the prototypical Sunset Strip band Mötley Crüe, Ratt started out as young, justifiably confident indie underdogs with plentiful pop crossover potential. Hitting big and scorching up the charts with the remarkably live-sounding, melodic crowd-pleaser "Round and Round", which did nothing to win over the naysayers, Ratt caught the public's interest before the "hair metal" boom took hold and widespread criticism had an impact on its popularity. Perhaps a little biased in their vitriol towards any post-Kiss visual theatrics, misogyny and hedonistic exploits, the inky press, still smarting from the downturn of classic rock, NWBHM, prog and blues, accused these newbies of being barely able to carry a tune and lacking in personality and depth. Much to the dismay of the rock elite, Ratt were part of a new wave of genetically blessed, insouciant hip-shakers given a foot-up by very canny major labels without having to pay their dues or prove themselves. However, in 1984, an incident occurred that proved the expansion of glam metal was happening whether critics liked it or not - British blues belter David Coverdale (who would later go stratospheric after hooking up with Tawny Kitean, Crosby's ex and early Ratt cover model), teased up his newly blond hair and steered Whitesnake in a new direction: pop-oriented hard rock. From that moment, hair metal was born, and for a while it appeared to have more staying power than any other metal offshoot in the post-MTV era.

Ratt had all the attributes to capitalize on their newfound MTV and radio prominence and transpose it into a long career, but faced with the prospect of prettier upstarts intruding on their territory, they came up short, making records that paled in comparison to their rough 'n' ready platinum-plus debut and its fine-tuned follow-up. Apart from very strong and energetic moments here and there, Ratt's post-"Invasion of Your Privacy" material was largely disappointing and too glossily produced. That being said, even the under-performing singles from this era, though less catchy and dynamic, are above-average groove-laden, brash and swaggering hard rock fare, inadvertently giving future compilers the goods to assemble their most even record. "Ratt & Roll" arrived rather opportunely, hitting the shelves right before grunge dethroned hair metal as the dominant form of rock music on MTV and radio. As comprehensive career overviews go, this platter of 19 grinding slammers and party rock anthems is beyond compare, standing firm as the most consistent, durable and listenable collection from the L.A. quintet, containing all the defining top-tier pop-metal tunes they accrued across a ten-year period. Uncommonly for a hair metal-centric best-of, AOR-style ballads are few and far between, though it is worth noting that this was never the group's strength - blazing guitar filth was their speciality, which explains why the gritty rock monsters and rowdy fan favourites from their salad days are given the most weight herein, with the welcome addition of "Nobody Rides for Free" from the "Point Break" OST. All in all, this is one treasure trove of anthemic hard rock that no self-respecting headbanger should be without.

RATING: 5/5

Does anyone else's copy have a similar (but slightly different) matrix and mould IFPI?