American Beauty is CJ Ramone’s third solo album and was recorded again with Steve Soto and Dan Root, with Pete Sosa (Street Dogs) taking over on drums. This effort crackles with the spirit of ’76 and once again, the sound and vibe of classic Ramones records. CJ and his band toured the world extensively in between albums. Playing shows with the new generation of bands wasn't lost on CJ. He lent backing vocals to a track on a Night Birds album, and now, on his own record, got contributions from Big Eyes frontwoman Kate Eldridge and the horn section of Mariachi El Bronx on an unexpected and moving cover of Tom Waits’ “Pony."