Description
2023 reissue, 12″ LP, Epitaph. White w/ black splatter.
Originally released in 1993, the self-titled debut LP from California punk legends Rancid didn’t just simply reject the ska machinations and The Clash worship of members Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman’s former group Operation Ivy, but it would cement one of the forebears (along with NOFX) of the 90s punk scene. Not to be confused with their first self-titled EP or 2000’s fifth self-titled record, this is the album that first immortalised Armstrong’s slurred, near-unintelligible vocal delivery as well as showcasing just how pissed off these former posi-ska boys could be. A high-speed onslaught of tracks refusing to touch the three-minute mark whilst delving into themes of urban blight, the rejection of authority, the self-awareness of being a public nuisance and maintaining a punk spirit in the face of capitalist static. Boasting a myriad of bangers such as ‘Adina’, ‘Hyena’, ‘Detroit’ and ‘Rats In The Hallway’, the record is also noted for being the band’s only project recorded as a trio, with the addition of mainstay guitarist/vocalist Lars Frederiksen in time for the album’s supporting tour.
