Thursday 22 June 2017

Album Review: RANCID - Trouble Maker

Rancid - Trouble Maker

01. Track Fast
02. Ghost of a Chance
03. Telegraph Avenue
04. An Intimate Close Up of a Street Punk Trouble Maker
05. Where I'm Going
06. Buddy
07. Farewell Lola Blue
08. All American Neighborhood
09. Bovver Rock and Roll
10. Make It Out Alive
11. Molly Make Up Your Mind
12. I Got Them Blues Again
13. Beauty of the Pool Hall
14. Say Goodbye to Our Heroes
15. I Kept a Promise
16. Cold Cold Blood
17. This is Not the End
18. We Arrived Right On Time (Bonus Track)
19. Go On Rise Up (Bonus Track)




I haven't really listened to Rancid for a few years. I loved their ...And Out Come The Wolves album which came out a frighteningly long time ago (1995), and I heard the odd single here and there since then. I also enjoyed singer/guitarist Tim Armstrong's other band Transplants. I noticed that Rancid had a new album out, so I decided to check it out. I'm really glad I did, as it was like re-connecting with an old friend.

I'm often quite critical of bands who play it safe and don't seem to take any risks or progress musically. In this case, it's been such a long time since I've listened to Rancid that I found their lack of change bizarrely comforting. The world has changed so much since I first discovered them, but Rancid hasn't altered one bit. Well, musically anyway. Having seen the new videos they look like they belong in a homeless shelter as opposed to on a stage!

I'm sure that if I'd continued to follow them over the years, I may not have been as impressed with Trouble Maker, as it could have fallen into the 'just another Rancid album' category. Fortunately, I really enjoyed this record. It's packed full of memorable tracks like Farewell Lola Blue, Telegraph Avenue and Ghost Of A Chance.

For me Trouble Maker is a great trip down memory lane. It has enough decent songs to win over a whole new generation of fans if it's gets the right exposure. I hope it does, as Rancid are a great band and deserve to be more than a nostalgia band for the over thirties.

What's also cool is that the band have put the entire album on their YouTube channel so you can hear it for free (see below).
SHARE:

No comments

Post a Comment

Blog Layout Designed by pipdig