First and foremost, be forewarned. All of the material on Beat is on the Brat has been previously released. The majority of the material on this collection consists of the band's covering the Ramones' first album in its entirety. This was done as a lark in October of 1992 and the results were provided in limited numbers (only 2,000 copies were pressed) in unconventional form (our good friend, vinyl). Not surprisingly, these originals were quickly spoken for.

So, to quell the demands of unfulfilled fans far and wide, Screeching Weasel placed a smattering of the tunes on their b-sides compilation, Kill the Musicians. These four songs were enough to indicate to the average listener that the entire recording needn't be a heavily vied- for possession any longer. Despite bolstering the tempo somewhat, the Weasels remained stubbornly true to the originals in the same type of way-- sometimes compelling but mostly unimpressive-- that a child imitates an adult. Nor was the band's intention to reinterpret the songs in any groundbreaking sense. After all, as frontman Ben Weasel rightly considers, "How could we possibly improve on the songs?" Impressively honest about the material, Ben recognizes its re-release is "primarily for completists; the casual fan will likely be unimpressed."

The final four tracks contained on Beat is on the Brat originally hail from the band's Formula 27 EP which, incidentally, is still in print. These songs, recorded after the band's Bark Like a Dog sessions, represent the last ones (at this point) recorded with on- and- off members Vapid and Panic, and generally represent some the band's strongest efforts since their temporary recess post, 1994's How to Make Enemies and Irritate People. On a personal note, these songs, upon their release in 1996, built within me hopeful expectations that were sorely mismatched by the band's recent Television City Dream, which is to say in my needlessly qualified way that they're darn good!

And so, with a final sweeping caveat, I bid the avid collectors among you not to expect much more than a proper positioning in your record collection if you insist on purchasing this product, and to the others, remember the Formula 27 EP is cheaper, and still in print.

-Kevin Ruggeri