MUSIC . Reconsider Me

Fresh Hell

Rancid's ...And Out Comes the Wolves vs. Let the Dominoes Fall


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Published: Jul 21, 2009

Last time we heard from Rancid, in August 2003, the U.S. was five months into fighting in Iraq and the boys from Berkeley were being hailed as pop-punk dissidents for Indestructible. Six years on, with U.S. involvement tapering off, Rancid counts the casualties on Let the Dominoes Fall: the boys going over there ("The Bravest Kids"), the broken men returning home ("Civilian Ways") and the ones left behind ("Lulu"). As with "New Orleans" the lyrics are your only clues that any time has passed; musically, the band remains unchanged, with a flotilla of ska and rockabilly flourishes to dress up the chugging guitars and gang vocals. If you can stand native Californian Tim Armstrong's British-Jamaican accent and Matt Freeman's slurred growl, you've got to appreciate the fortysomethings' energy as they plow through songs about plugging away, whether you work at a warehouse, in a tank or onstage.

Armstrong and Freeman may cite looking forward as the main reason against reforming Operation Ivy, but it's hard to ignore all the nostalgia in "East Bay Nights," "That's Just the Way It Is Now" and "The Highway." They're hardly the first to romanticize road life and the old gang, but Rancid takes it too far with "Last One to Die." Seven albums in 16 years doesn't make you survivors — it just means you can hold down a sporadic job.

But why bust your ass to churn out mediocre songs every year when you can make a few great ones every now and then? From 1995, ... And Out Come the Wolves — Rancid's third disc and the only one to go platinum — has more radio-ready tracks than all of their ska forebears combined. "Ruby Soho" has one of rock's great explosive choruses, "Roots Radicals" is an unlikely rockabilly dance jam and "Time Bomb" makes the most of its one hook. Beneath its snappy trappings, "Olympia, WA," is wussier than anything on K Records, and, deeper in, there's the classic rock 'n' roll of "She's Automatic" and "Journey to the End of the East Bay," which looks back at Op Ivy with affection but no romance. No wonder the music industry wolves wanted to sign Rancid. Who wouldn't?

(m_fine@citypaper.net)