IN REVIEW: Rancid - "Trouble Maker"

As far as punk rock goes, it's hard to name a hotter hot streak than the trio of records Rancid cranked out between 1995 and 2000; the star making ...And Out Come the Wolves, the far-reaching Life Won't Wait and their balls-to-the-wall second self-titled album solidly positioned Rancid as leaders of the second generation of punk. It also preceded a period of slow progression, as Rancid would take eleven years to release their next three records. By the time ...Honor Is All We Know came in 2014, many fans (myself included) had to wonder whether or not this was the end of the road.

Such concerns are handily dealt with on the closing track of the standard edition of their ninth record, the positively punishing This Is Not the End. Well, okay then, that's sorted. Now, what of this new record? What do we make of the use of their original logo on the cover, a logo that hasn't graced a Rancid record in 25 years? Is this a throwback to the band's heyday, a new beginning of sorts? What about the spiky-haired person casually sitting by the bay with an acoustic guitar? Perhaps the acoustic guitars that started creeping into their sound a couple albums ago would be back?

As it turns out, the answer lies somewhere in between; you can hear the Rancid of old throughout, especially on short blasts like the opening one-two punch of Track Fast and Ghost of a Chance, as well as quasi title track An Intimate Close Up of a Street Punk Trouble Maker, the bass-led All American Neighborhood (as good a time as any to praise Matt Freeman, one of the greatest living bass players on the planet bar none), and the propulsive I Got Them Blues Again. Then again, there's also the more melodic tendencies they've displayed on recent records, as evidenced by the acoustic-tinged sing-along Telegraph Avenue, the groovy ska-influenced Where I'm Going and the ode to fallen idols Say Goodbye to Our Heroes. Rancid covers a lot of ground on Trouble Maker, and not all of it is so familiar, as we learn at the halfway point when they suddenly go classic glam on Bovver Rock and Roll.

The prevalent feeling I get listening to Trouble Maker is one of celebration; just as on ...Honor Is All We Know, this record sounds like it was a lot of fun to make. It's a victory lap of sorts, and they hit on all of their sonic touchstones throughout which, considering the quarter century milestone they've now hit, is only fair. Whereas most bands at this stage of the game have either drifted too far from their sweet spot to get back on track or rehashed their shtick to the point of parody (the latter of which Rancid has teetered perilously close to in the past), Trouble Maker finds Rancid once again playing to their strengths while injecting maturity and clarity into the tunes; it's worth noting that this is by far Rancid's least profane record (I only noticed one F-bomb on the entire thing, though there may be a couple more muttered along the way for all I know). Take that for what you will.

Personally, I can't see any but the most cynical and closed-minded Rancid fans being disappointed in Trouble Maker, as it ticks all the expected boxes and throws a few new tricks in for good measure. It's not like they owed us anything considering their track record, but getting a Rancid record this good at this point is certainly welcomed and well worth celebrating.

June 9, 2017 • Hellcat/Epitaph
Highlights Telegraph Avenue • Where I'm Going • Bovver Rock and Roll