Aron Gibson
I had promised to eventually review Rancid’s new release, “Let The Dominoes Fall” back in February when they announced their summer tour. Not only did I miss their shows this summer but I’m about five months late in reviewing their latest record.
Rancid has been putting out great punk rock records for the last sixteen years, with the latest on Tim Armstrong’s indie label Hell Cat Records, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, so being a little late shouldn’t count for much. As an aside, I didn’t know until recently that Epitaph was founded by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz (Guerewitz also produced the band’s latest record to great effect).
My tardiness is made better by the fact that co-founding member Tim Armstrong has been playing punk rock for over 20 years now. First with Operation Ivy back in the 80s with long-time childhood friend Matt Freeman and then through various side projects and solo efforts.
For their latest effort Armstrong collaborated closely with the rest of the band, which includes Lars Frederiksen (guitar/vocals), Matt Freeman (bass/vocals), and Branden Steineckert (drums), to release their seventh studio album in June of this year (2009).
Rancid is famous for bringing the punk/ska revival to the masses back in the mid 90s. Picking up where The Clash left off, Rancid introduced a new generation of kids to punk and ska almost fifteen years ago. Though they’ve been relatively quiet in recent years, anyone who doubted Rancid’s staying power should listen to their latest single, “Last One to Die.”
The ones that counted us out
Regret that they picked the fight
We sit on top of the world
And were proving it every nightWe got it right, you got wrong,
Were still around (Last one to die)
Were going up, you’re going down
Were still around (Last one to die)From “Last One To Die”
“Let The Dominoes Fall,” the band’s first release since 2003’s “Indestructible,” clocks in at 45 minutes with 19, count ‘em, 19 tracks. So does that mean the first 4-5 tracks are awesome and then the rest is filler?
Rancid: Still Around!
No fucking way. Jamming this record is romp through some of best punk-hardcore-ska of the decade, with the occasional nod to The Clash and the dub scene of 1970’s London, but in the end this is an original, updated version of the former.
My favorite song, “You Want It, You Got it,” is the 16th track on the CD (yes, this review is geared toward people who listen to CDs). It has an infectious shout-it-out-loud chorus and tribute G.B.H, one of their British punk-hardcore forefathers which, at one minute and thirty-seven seconds, is as perfect as punk can get in terms of its energy and working class spirit:
Some live a life of indecision
Strung out in the petty schism
I heard GBH, I made a decision
Punk Rock is my religion!You want it, we got it
This is the place where everyone can belong
You want it, we got it
Kicking up a riot, won’t you all sing alongFrom “You Want It, You Got It”
Rancid just finished their October ‘09 tour of Japan so let’s hope they’ll be back in the U.S. soon so more of us can get out to their shows. I’m not sure if they played in LA yet but I’m hoping they will soon! This summer they toured with Rise Against, which must have been amazing. Rancid: You want it, go get it!
Links
Hell Cat Records: www.hell-cat.com
Epitaph Records: www.Epitaph.com
Official Rancid Website: www.RancidRancid.com
AFG Must Rock!
Check out: www.TheSwaggerSticks.com
Filed under: Music, Punk Rock | Tagged: AFG Must Rock, Bad Religion, Branden Steineckert, Brett Gurewitz, Epitah Records, Lars Frederiksen, Let The Dominoes Fall, Matt Freeman, Punk Rock, rancid, rise against, the swagger sticks, Tim Armstrong, You Got it, You Want It
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