Too Tough to Die (Deluxe Edition)

Reuniting with original producer Tommy Erdelyi and adding new drummer Richie Ramone, the Ramones approached Too Tough to Die with a strongly defined sense of purpose. Their once minimalist approach and strict, quick, short tunes were abandoned in favor of greater variety. Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone sported their hardcore-punk-influenced side with the speedily charged “Wart Hog” and “Endless Vacation” (which also featured Dee Dee on vocals), while the group also worked up fully fleshed-out compositions that broke the four-minute mark. Their pop instincts are in full force as “Chasing the Night,” “Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)” and the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart-produced “Howling At the Moon (Sha-La-La)” illustrate. “I’m Not Afraid of Life” ticks with a Hitchcockian sense of foreboding, while the title track, “Planet Earth 1988” and “Human Kind” address mortality and current events with serious implications. “Durango 95” is the band’s one and only instrumental. The expanded edition includes a compelling collection of extras, including a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” and additional tracks featuring Dee Dee on vocals.