The name Rancid seems to be viewed, by many, as punk encapsulated. ‘…And Out Come the Wolves’ was one of the first punk albums I bought (yeah that’s right, i’m relatively new to it all), and is possibly responsible for my appreciation of most music today. But what is it about this particular album which spawned a thousand copy bands and thousands of admirers of the quartet?
The answer is that it combines everything which a rebellious, angst ridden generation needs to get out of their system; skilled musicians, lyrics with a message and carefully crafted songs. On to the track list then, and immediately we are treated to the foreboding of ‘Maxwell Murder’ which spontaneously explodes into a runaway base line with Armstrong and Frederiksen’s vocals struggling to keep up; the scream at-the-top-of-your-voice “dial 999 if you really want the truth” preceding what becomes one of the most accomplished base solos i’ve ever had the pleasure to hear, bringing this 1:25 gem to a crashing end. ‘The 11th Hour‘ slows it way, way down yet brings out a similarly profound chorus “Do you know where the power lies? It starts and ends with you”; running almost seamlessly into the excellent ‘Roots Radicals’, which has a distinctly unapologetic air to it, bringing with it an attitude of defiance which adds infinitely to the appeal of the album.
The infinitely appealable ska fest ‘Time Bomb’ keeps up the standard of the album, with the instantly recognisable first few chords projecting a care free attitude which is maintained through the rest of the song, with a chorus just begging to be chanted “Black coat, white shoes, black hat cadillac – the boys a time bomb..” It’s strength lies in its originality, and was a genuine departure from anything I had ever heard before (it was in the middle of someone’s mix tape in a car). Following on, Olympia W.A keeps the album flowing well, and, surprise surprise is another cracking tune; only in my opinion to be eclipsed by the ace ‘Lock, Step & Gone’ with backing vocals in abundance, as the vocals change tone and bend (listen and you’ll understand), which the lyrics seem tailor made for.
‘Junkie man’ opens with strings of notes and turns into a relatively amusing song about a guy obviously off his head – demonstrated perfectly by the wacky interlude where his ramblings make absolutely no sense whatsoever. ‘Listed M.I.A’, ‘Ruby Soho’, ‘Daly city train’, the list of excellent songs goes on and on. The truth is, I can’t find any filler on here; from the excellent opening of ‘The Wars End’ to the distinctly heartfelt sincerity of ‘The Way I feel’ which is a personal favourite. The shouting doesn’t stop for many of the songs, yet this album blends ska and punk rock perfectly in a way I haven’t heard elsewhere.
Should you get this album? Yes, and without hesitation; it is easy to see why Rancid are held on a pedestal by many purveyors of punk rock; yet this music isn’t so far removed as you might think from the post hardcore pop punk of today; despite the rough vocal style they employ, the music isn’t incredibly fast, nor is it hard – some of the content is undoubtedly about the female species, but admittedly is blended with more political undertones – which makes for an enjoyable album to suit any mood. There aren’t many albums that get the coveted 5 stars, but this is definitely one of them.
nick