Indestructible

by Rancid

Overview

These Bay Area punk standard-bearers are still Clash-obsessed after all these years, but that's not exactly the worst thing in the world. Where Rancid's last, self-titled outing set the controls for the heart of '77, maintaining dangerous speed levels and maximum venom, Indestructible is something of a nod to Sandinista!, with its surfeit of off-the-beaten-path ramblings. Rancid show surprisingly deft footwork in moving from organ-fueled soul ("Fall Back Down") to convincingly beachy surf-rock (the infectiously bouncy "Memphis"). Diehards needn't fret too much, though: The quartet still flex plenty of muscle when they get down to business with bare-knuckled ska-punk ditties like "Red Hot Moon" and the semi-autobiographical "Spirit of '87." Indestructible has a couple of clinkers hidden in its depths -- notably the generic "Travis Bickle" -- but when a band is capable of hitting grand slams like the piano-laced, Faces-via-CBGB "Arrested in Shanghai," an occasional strikeout is easy to forgive.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/05/2008
Label:	Hellcat Records
UPC:	0045778045112
Rank:	45713

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rancid   Primary Artist
Siedah Garrett   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Skinhead Rob   Vocals
Victor Ruggiero   Keyboards
Vic Ruggiero   Keyboards
Luis Conte   Percussion
Brett Reed   Drums
Brett Gurewitz   Vocals
Matt Freeman   Bass,Vocals
Tim Armstrong   Guitar,Vocals
Shepherd Rob   Vocals

Technical Credits

Andrew Alekel   Engineer
Lars Frederiksen   Composer
Chuck Berry   Composer
Edmond Monsef   Editing
Rob Schnapf   Mixing
Brian Gardner   Mastering
Seth McLain   Editing
Brett Reed   Composer,Group Member
Nick Raskulinecz   Editing,Engineer
John Lewis   Composer
Pete Martinez   Assistant Engineer
Dave Carlock   Editing,Composer
Brett Gurewitz   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
John Cranfield   Assistant Engineer
South Side Slim   Composer
Joe Barresi   Mixing
Doug Boehm   Mixing
Debbie Gibson   Composer
Matt Freeman   Group Member
Tim Armstrong   Mixing,Composer,Cover Photo,Group Member
Citris Reynolos   Assistant Engineer
Douglas Boehn   Mixing
Dan Hoal   Assistant Engineer
Kevin Dran   Assistant
Nick Pritchard   Design
Chris Reynolds   Assistant Engineer
Shepherd Rob   Guest Artist
Rob Aston   Composer
Kevin Dean   Mixing Engineer
Nick Raskulinicz   Engineer

Editorial Reviews

Rancid's sixth album, Indestructible, starts off with a melodic blast of punk intentions, "Indestructible," and doesn't back down until the last chords of "Otherside," a heartbreaking ode to the late brother of Lars Fredericksen, fade away. In between are 17 songs that live up to the glorious reputation of one of the great punk bands of any era. Yeah, there ain't nothing new going on here: a little bit of ska, lots of politics, lots of pissed-off vocals (speaking of vocals, Tim Armstrong just keeps getting better and weirder with each album), lots of passion, and lots of melody. Songs like the anthemic "Fall Back Down," "Memphis," and "Born Frustrated" are the kind of songs that make you want to throw your arms around your nearest comrade and belt out the chorus at the top of your lungs. Songs like the red-hot ska-fueled "Red Hot Moon"; the funky ode to the homeless, "Stand Your Ground"; and the spaghetti western-inspired "Django" show off the band's range. "Start Now" is the track that stands out from the rest; it has one of the band's best choruses and is a perfect blend of their epic and melodic tendencies. The only downside of the album is the slow ballad "Arrested in Shanghai," which is an admirable attempt at expanding their sound which nevertheless is a failure. There are also a couple of punk-by-the-numbers tunes, like the fairly plodding "David Courtney" and the silly "Roadblock." (It seems like the Lars-sung songs are the weak links on the album.) Overlook these small problems and this is still prime Rancid. If you know Rancid and love Rancid, you will love this record like an old friend. If you are new to the band, get this and then get And Out Come the Wolves immediately.

All Music Guide - Tim Sendra