Ram Jam

by Donald A. GuariscoThough it may seem like ordinary 1970s hard rock, this album is interesting for a few reasons. The first is that it was produced by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, the producers behind a string of classic bubblegum hits like "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" and "Chewy, Chewy." The other reason is that the group leader Bill Bartlett was formerly a member of the Lemon Pipers, a psychedelic bubblegum group who scored a hit with "Green Tambourine" (which was produced by Kasenetz and Katz). All three men put behind their bubblegum past on this album of hard-driving rock & roll. Ram Jam is best known for its hit single, "Black Betty"; this electrifying update of a Huddie Ledbetter blues tune layers on plenty of searing electric guitar riffs and a steady 4/4 drum beat that turns the song into a strange but exhilarating blend of heavy metal and disco. None of the other tunes on Ram Jam surpass the bracing standard set by "Black Betty," but there are some other worthwhile moments for hard rock fanatics; "Keep Your Hands on the Wheel" is a stomping, driving-themed rocker in the vein of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and "Overloaded" is a swinging rocker built on a taut bassline and a catchy, cowbell-driven chorus. The album also features "Too Bad on Your Birthday," a mid-tempo rocker with a sing-along chorus that was later revived by Joan Jett. The one real downside here is that it suffers from a samey production style that makes the songs run together on first listen. Despite this problem, all the songs on Ram Jam presents a sturdy blend of guitar fireworks and pop hooks that any hardcore fan of 1970s hard rock will enjoy.