Rancid

Rancid (1993) (1993)

fathead

Emerging from the dust of a fallen Operation Ivy, Rancid proceded to take the term 'street-punk' to a whole new level with their self-titled, debut album.

Originally a three piece, Rancid disgarded the ska they were accustom to in OpIv and began to play some of the fastest, rawest, most energetic punk rock in history. Needless to say, it didn't take long for punkers to notice.

This album, probably their least recognizable, is filled to the brim with punk goodness. Perfect scream along choruses (The Bottle), fist-pounding "Hey's" (Adina), and bad-ass basslines the whole way through. 'The 'best song' award is a toss-up between the classic 'Rats in the Hallway' or the furious 'Trenches'. However, there are no slouches on this album. It is one of the few gems you can actually press play and disregard the 'skip' button on your stereo. The only downside is the abcense of Lars. Tim's voice is classic, but often undeciferable and slurred. Matt Freeman (bass-player extrodinaire) lends his vocals to a couple tunes to add variety.

In the years to come, Rancid would follow with a few of the most popular, most respected albums in the brief history of punk music. But if one traces the tracks back far enough, they released a killer album before 'Rancid' was a household name. No matter what they do with their music, there is no mistaking their hardcore punk-rock roots. In a day when 'punk' has ties to major corporations, radio airwaves, and teenie-bopper magazines, Rancid still thrives as a refuge for the old-school.