With
the Ramones' original drummer,
Tommy Erdelyi, producing, the group returns to simple, scathing punk rock on
Too Tough to Die. The group takes the big guitar riffs of
Subterranean Jungle and makes them shorter and heavier. The Ramones' rhythms are back up to jackhammer speed and the songs are down to short, terse statements. The results read like a reaction to hardcore punk, but
the Ramones are more melodic than any hardcore band, as well as smarter than most. Apart from the occasional foray into pop, such as the surprisingly effective
Dave Stewart-produced "Howling at the Moon," the album is a sterling set of lethal punk, the best
the Ramones had made since the end of the '70s. It was also the last great record they would ever make. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine