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www.churchonthursday.com
Rancid
Indestructible
Hell Cat Records
2003
East Bay stalwarts Rancid are at it again with the
aptly-titled Indestructible. I'm not sure if I
should admire Rancid or make fun of them for being a bunch of late-thirty-something
millionaires with mohawks. More power to 'em, I guess. It beats being a bland
corporate automaton.
Speaking of going corporate...I heard rumors that the band parted from its longtime label, Epitaph, for a lucrative deal with a major. It's only a rumor, I reckon, considering this here disc was released on singer Tim Armstrong's Hellcat label. A few years back I heard that Madonna sent them a nude photo of herself as incentive to sighn to her label, Maverick--I believe that. Then again, I bought into the hoopla that CDs are literally "indestructible"--which I discovered ain't the case when I played Frisbee with some hippie using the disc I'm presently reviewing, then used it to practice my golf swing and sliced, sending it in front of a Fed Ex truck. I'm writing to Consumer Reports after I finish this review.
Anyway, all rumors aside, Rancid yet again serves up a punk platter that's destined to be devoured by Hot Topic patrons worldwide. The band's tried and true formula of shout-along street punk and recycled Clash riffs remains relatively intact, but their foray into Ska seems to have finally ended.
Bad Religion's Mr. Brett took the producer's set this time around and, as should be expected, added his flair for faster tempos and immaculate background vocals. Tim Armstrong sounds like he's been to a few speech therapy sessions and now sounds less like an autistic teenager from Liverpool. You can probably thank Mr. Brett for that as well.
Other highlights on the disc include "Fall Back Down", an instant classic following in the footsteps of Rancid gems such as "Ruby Soho" and "Salvation". And, "Spirit of 87", another anthem for destroying all the pool furniture at the next party you go to.
Overall, Indestructible, demonstrates what sets Rancid apart from the punk pack--the wherewithal to sound angry and urgent while remaining melodic and continually striving to be as innovative as the genre allows. That's what made The Clash great and perhaps why Rancid has spent their whole career emulating and paying homage to them.
Indestructible contains an ambitious 19 songs, but there isn't one throwaway track--proof that Rancid has honed their craft to precision. I'd still take London Calling over the entire Rancid catalog any day, but Indestructible stands on its own merits. Steal a copy from your favorite (or least favorite) corporate record chain today.
--Felix Thursday