The Deal: Punkers return with their first new album in six years.
The Good: Tim Armstrong and the boys are back with a quick-hitting album of 19 tracks that speed through in roughly 45 minutes. Why wait around? The band has something to say and they get it done, quickly. The band sticks to the formula that works – punk energy with hints of ska. The ska rhythm of songs like “Up to No Good” and “I Ain’t Worried” reminded me a lot of the old Operation Ivy days – Armstrong and Matt Freeman were in the band. The band tackles the current Middle East wars from the viewpoint of a soldier returning to the United States on “Civilian Ways.”
The Bad: Though Operation Ivy developed a massive cult following, I’m not sure that enthusiasm has ever translated over to Rancid, despite the band’s popularity. I’m just saying the fans aren’t as rabid … It’s not bad, unless you don’t like your songs short and to the point. The longest track, at four minutes and 11 seconds, is the only one to clock in at more than four minutes; four tracks are roughly one minute and 30 seconds and one is just over a minute.
The Verdict: It’s nice to see them back on the music landscape after six years. The hiatus seems to have served them well, and the bad sounds as good as ever.
This article appears in Jun 16-23, 2009.
