From its cover to the mostly illegible lyric sheet to the chaos inside, Rancid is paint-peeling punk rock of the highest order. Most of the 22 songs on this recording clock in at well under two minutes, and there are absolutely no ballads. Guitars are driven to within inches of meltdown, the bass careens just barely in control, and vocals are delivered with raging conviction and sometimes even a touch of melody.

No, the notes aren't always right, and nothing here is presented with polish or precision, but what Rancid might lack in virtuoso technique they more than make up for in intensity. Songs like "Antennas" and "It's Quite Alright" are lean, tough, and gritty. This recording never lets up, never takes a breath, and never compromises. That's punk. --S. Duda

the first couple of tracks are finished within a couple of minutes. straight up shouty oiks about making enemies and being angry. the way punk should be ;-). the next couple of songs are slightly slower with let me go including some dub influences mixed with supersonic ska. other good tracks on the album include 'dead bodies' and 'axion'. these all feature excellent bass runs from the genius himself - matt freeman.

rancid's main asset is their excellent musicianship. matt's basslines are often unobtrusive but when they are intended to be heard, they are stunning. he does a bass solo in axion which simply defies belief. brett on drums is a similar talent. he hides in the background until he is needed.

lars and tim are both excellent guitarists and vocalists. one slight downer for me is that matt freeman has a [bad] voice. he can sing properly without growling but he chooses not to. fortunately he only takes lead vocals in a couple of songs. lars and tim tend to trade off vocals on the other tracks, just shouting away at each other.

overall i would say that this album is excellent the first few times you listen to it. it doesn't have the longevity of some of their earlier albums but it is a much more confrontational form of music so this is only to be expected. sheer genius.


another no-album related essey.   April 19, 2001
matt bobby
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

ok, first to the complete and utter moron who somehow got the idea that rancid are a white pride band?!? id say read the lyrics(from antennas:"youre sellin sexisim/youre sellin racisim...) and check out the interviews with the guys and also, think that they would go to jamacia and record with black guys if they were rascist?yeah alot of rascists play raggae and ska.idiot.anyway,on to part 2.it really annoys me when people compare rancid to the clash.ive heard this a 1000 times,from just about everyone who reviews the band or listens to them.you know what that tells me?that these morons just hear some other moron say it and than they go "uh,yeah.rancid sound just like the clash.ok".jeez, i guess there is no need to think for yourselves.this got started by a bunch of idiots who needed to compare the band to someone for some review when the band started to gain some attention during the mini punk revival in the mid 90's,so they looked at the band,saw that they had mohawks and wore leather jackets,and used that as a catch phrase.yes both the clash and rancid play raggae and ska from time to time,but do you jerks even listen to them?rancid has done very little of either except for a few songs on "...and out come the wolves" and "life wont wait".when these idiots were comparing rancid to the clash they had released 2 albums and not one single song was even remotley ska or raggae!so after 5 albums, and around 130 songs,about 15 are of those ska or raggae variety.i also laugh when people say that they sold out.funny.they make about as much money as some guy who works at wal-mart for min.wage.get your heads out of your rear ends.these guys are for real.they can do any style of music they want.straight up punk,poppy punk(not a sell out you idiots),hardcore,dub,ska,raggae, you name it.they arent on a major label,they dont make hardly any money,outside of the underground barely anyone has heard of them or buys their records.these guys come from the streets,and have more integrity than you jerks will ever know.hey, if you think that they "sold out",why dont you make a record and play.you all hate blink 182 but you all listen to music that sounds exactly the same!!grow up.


Oh, What a falling off was there !   August 2, 2000
Eftihi Pentarakis (North Bergen, NJ USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

After three of the most amazing punk rock records ever and a critcally acclaimed venture into other genres. After "wolves" outshined every other album of the 1990s. (which was no weak era for rock and roll i might add.) many wondered if rancid had enough to do it again .... they didnt ... most respect to rancid , i mean every band is allowed one f*ck up. This is theirs. whether brett gurewitz was to druged out to stop this disaster or if tim took too many blows to the head at hard core shows is unknown. Most of this record isnt music, noise over screaming. screaming that has no melody to it. The most intelligent rockers on the east bay go from the political insight of "life wont wait" to lyrics as shallow as "you're a rattle snake / and i hate you / and your full of sh*t" If this was Rancids attemp to become 'punk again' -- it failed. They should have followed up with a double album as expiramental as Sandinista was for the clash. I mean there are some good songs -- but not one gem on the album. How could the rest of the band let tim drag the band in this direction. Even their appearence on the south park album last year was stelar. Apparently they werent listening when their hero joe strummer said "who can liosten to music with out melody." I sure can't. i mean .. iight .. like this is the only bad thing rancid has ever put out, so i acnt be that disappointed. And as long as they tour behind it and i finally get to see them in action.


Taking a chance on Hardcore!   December 13, 2000
David Wellbeloved (Washington, DC United States)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

There have been all to few great rock records in the last decade, and most of what passes for "alternative" is MTV/FM radio hype. I'm an old punk, (almost 40) so I have listened to a number of records in my life. I remember seeing Black Flag BEFORE Rollins was in the band. I remember seeing Minor Threat, X, DKs, Flipper, Black Market Baby, JFA, Minutemen, and so many others. In my book, THAT was the Underground. By the 1990s, I found myself among the aging punks at Sonic Youth and Pavement shows. "Where were the kids?" I wondered. Other than Nirvana, I saw little of what I liked being embraced by the youth culture. Then Kurt died. In the "Grunge aftermath" of the last few years, I started seeing people like Third Eye Blind, Moby, and Sugar Ray being called "Alternative". To me, it sounded Pop. I came to the conclusion that there was little left as far as "new music" for me to enjoy. Sure, there were groups I liked like Elastica, Green Day and Mighty Mighty Bostones getting some radio play, but I seldom saw anything new that would inspire me. HOWEVER: There have been two exceptions to this. The Reverend Horton Heat and Rancid. Both are fantastic live and both have put out some great records. And that brings me to the current Rancid CD. From the start, I have listened to this band with open ears and an open mind. I don't expect that they are going to put out a record to fit my "taste-of-the-day". I give them the benefit of the doubt. Some so-called "fans" do not. I heard people say "Wolves" was too pop..."Life" was too reggae... and now "Rancid" to punk. I am SICK of people thrusting their expectations onto the creative output of others. Every CD this band has recorded is unique and high quality! Too few people record what they believe and what they feel! This band is to be praised for evolving and challenging their audience and not just recording endless versions of "Let's Go". You don't have to like it, but don't say that the band has "sold out" or "lost it". Tim, Lars, Matt and Brett have once again put their creative energy into an album of important music that tests the bounds of public taste. That is what the Punk Revolution was all about! And as far as great songs...take another listen to Radio Havana, Black Derby Jacket, It's Quite Alright, and Dead Bodies. These are great Rancid songs! Sure, I will admit that there are some aspects of this album I like better than others. I would have done things differently if it were my band....but the last time I checked in with reality, I was not a member of Rancid, so my judgment in that matter is mute. I wish there were more bands willing to take these kinds of chances. I say "Thanks" to these guys for another enjoyable album that gives me hope in the future of the Underground!