If nothing else, Rancid looks the part. Between them, the band's four punk purists boast two mohawks, countless piercings, and multiple tattoos. The music on their third album, . . . And Out Come the Wolves, is also traditional punk: fast, loud, catchy two-minute bursts of aggression. But what has made Rancid, along with Green Day and Offspring, a star of the new punk revival is a combination of fun and musical dexterity not usually associated with the safety-pin set.
Rancid's songs are not the punishing, full-throttle assault of hard-core punk, and the lyrics are not the pretentious political nonsense the genre encourages. Instead, singer Tim Armstrong's autobiographical songs are filled with bouncy riffs, memorable choruses, and ska-influenced dance beats. Guitarist Lars Frederiksen and bassist Matt Freeman create an effective blend of raw punk energy and well-crafted hooks. It's punk for the masses. They're at their best on "Roots Radicals," one of the album's many songs about being a working-class teenage punk rocker. It's two and a half minutes of gleeful noise and a simple, shouted chorus--perfect for the mosh pit. The band's ska influence is clearly heard on "Time Bomb" and "Junkie Man," which borrow freely from England's The Specials. The result is reggae beats on speed, sung in an affected English accent by California punks. Rancid even gets literary--poet Jim Carroll shows up on "Junkie Man," adding a short, paranoid rant from which the album takes its title.
Eventually, Rancid's sound gets repetitive. The disc features nineteen songs, and it would be more effective with an even dozen of the band's best tunes. And despite their ear for hooks, Rancid is not for everyone--fans of harmony or complex chord progression should stay away. But for die-hard punkers who still call The Clash heroes, Rancid has managed not only to keep the genre alive, but add their own twist as well. --David Fenigsohn