Classic Vinyl Re-Issue on CD -- Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram

Ram Jam had a huge hit with the song Black Betty in the late 70s. Their self-titled debut album, Ram Jam, also included a few other gems. The follow-up album, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram, however, failed to make any kind of forward motion for the band, primarily because there were a lot of behind the scenes issues going on that threatened to dissolve the band. They were dubbed one-hit wonders and relegated to the bargain bin.

Too bad, though, because Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram was really a good album, and a worthy follow-up to the debut. The album quickly disappeared and has been a must-have for collectors ever since. While the tracks on Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram have been available on a CD entitled The Very Best of Ram Jam for many years (the CD included both Ram Jam albums in their entirety), it was re-issued in the UK in 2006 in its original running order and with original artwork.

Good news for die-hard fans.

The album is full of electrifying 70s rock, much of which has a distinctly Aerosmith feel to it. In fact, a couple of the songs could have been Aerosmith songs, particularly Pretty Poison, and The Kid Next Door. Other tracks that stand out on this album are Gone Wild and Saturday Night.

The album isn't as good as the debut album by any means, at least as far as I'm concerned, but it is pretty good, and for those who have searched high and low for Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram for decades, it's now available on compact disc for your listening pleasure.