Thursday, September 22, 2022

Geoff Palmer - Standing In the Spotlight


I must admit that when I first heard that Geoff Palmer was covering Dee Dee Ramone's rap album in its entirety, I thought it was a pretty insane idea. But the more I thought about it, the more I warmed up to the concept. Standing In the Spotlight, released in 1989 under the moniker Dee Dee King, is certainly one of the most polarizing albums in the punk rock canon. Not everyone likes it. A great many hate it. But those who love it really love it. Fans of this record will argue that within the Ramones universe, it's highly underrated. Palmer would go as far as to call it a classic, and his version (out now on Stardumb Records) comes from pure love. And that's what has really won me over. A lesser artist may have treated this project like a joke, but Palmer was determined to pay genuine tribute (he even released the album on Dee Dee's birthday). The vocals, arrangements, and musicianship are of the same high standard you'd expect from any Geoff Palmer album. And as a rapper, Palmer can more than hold his own. Palmer clearly has affection for these songs, yet he manages to interpret them in his own unique style. Obviously the target audience is people who are already huge fans of Standing in the Spotlight. But I'm thinking more than a few people will hear this release and give the original another chance — or maybe even listen to it for the first time. 

Typically, I approach a Ramones cover album expecting to love it but ultimately just find myself wishing I were listening to the original. I've had a different experience with Geoff Palmer's Standing In the Spotlight. I kind of thought I might not like it. Then as I kept listening, I thought to myself, "This is actually really good!" Of course Palmer and friends hit "Baby Doll," "Emergency," and "The Crusher" out of the park. But I love what they do with some of the album's less-celebrated tracks. "Mash Potato Time" is tremendous fun and features special appearances by Hayley Crusher Cain on backing vocals, Reid Cain on glockenspiel, and Mass Giorgini on sax. "Poor Little Rich Girl" is a genuinely successful mashup of rap and pop-punk. "German Kid," featuring excellent vocal performances from Hallie Bulleit and Kurt Baker, is a funky and infectious delight. 

I'm sure a lot of people assume that Palmer made this record for shits and giggles. Nothing could be further from the truth. He's a Standing In the Spotlight super-fan, and he took seriously the task of celebrating the album even as he made it his own. He loves this record and hopes you'll love it too. I'm not sure if Palmer will manage to bring any Standing in the Spotlight haters over to the dark side. But if you're like me and were on the fence with this album, Palmer's version just might have you reconsidering your stance. Sweet t-shirt, dude!

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