Search - Rancid :: Life Won't Wait

Karin J. (gringa76) from OAK PARK, IL
Reviewed on 1/2/2007...

Rancid has had better albums than this one, but for Rancid fans, some of the tunes are quite catchy. I have another one of these at home, or else I would keep this one!

Amazing record by a great band

sc_demandred | Irvine, CA USA | 06/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rancid is one of those rare bands who can crank out album after album of similar-sounding music without stagnating. Their sound is born of the Clash and the Sex pistols, with a touch of Black Flag political sensibility thrown in. To say Rancid is not derivative would be a lie, but to discount them because of their influences would be a crime."Life Won't Wait" was the eagerly-anticipated follow-up to 1995's "...And Out Come The Wolves," and it showed surprising levels of innovation and musical exploration from what had been a band with staid musical style."Bloodclot" is the leadoff shot, a typical Rancid-esque song with Lars' raw-throated vocals getting the record off to a super-charged opening. There are a lot of great tracks on this record that are not straight-ahead punk songs, and if people complain about Rancid trying out Ska and Reggae, the lyric "Desmond Dekker was singin" from "Roots Radicals" is obviously lost on them."Hoover Street" is one such reggae song, though it mixes rocking choruses in for a great blend of sounds all tied together with Tim Armstrong's drawling vocals. "Who would've thought" and "Corazon De Oro" are also in the reggae/ska vein. Both are beautiful songs that bespeak brash and youthful love, and are a far cry from the hard-edged punkishness that had been Rancid's trademark up to this point. While the departure is uncharacteristic, the songs' strength and sheer enjoyability cannot be denied. "Life Won't Wait" and "Wrongful Suspicion" also have the Jamaican style, though they are more serious and political than the aforementioned selections.Lars does even more singing on this record, and his voice is an excellent counterpoint to Tim's. There are so many amazing songs on this album, it's hard to pick any favorites, but my favorites are "Coppers," "Something in the World today," "Cash Cutlture and Violence," and the brilliant "Crane Fist."Listening to this album takes you through almost all ranges of human emotion. From adrenaline-fueled aggression to anthemic exaltation, Rancid has crafted a masterpiece with this album. I've had it for four years and never gotten sick of it once. If you like bands like Green Day, the Clash, the Ramones, and any of the new Pop-punk bands, give this one a try. I think you Blink-182 fans might just be pleasantly surprised."

Phenominal

Hardcore Jim | 07/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rancid's album Life Won't Wait really is something totally different and it will take a long time to grow on most people, but it is some of Rancid's best stuff.

I think every song on here is perfect (see Bloodclot), and although there's a lot of weird stuff (see Crane Fist) it all fits together beautifully to make a very deep album that can blow any other band away.

My favorite songs on here (yeah there's a lot) are probably

Bloodclot, Black Lung, Life Won't Wait (not many people like this one at first), Hooligans, Leichester Square, The Wolf, 1998 and..

The last 3 songs on Life Won't Wait are probably, the 3 best songs you can possibly end an album with and they progressively get better.

Something in the World Today is a very catchy punk song that one can't resist to sing along to.

Corazon De Oro is a ballad but it's perfect in every way and one of the most beautiful things to touch my ears.

but if Corazon De Oro is one of the most beautiful things to touch my ears, Coppers is the most beautiful. A 5 minute song to end the album turned me off at first but after one listen I was in love and I simply cannot get enough of this song. A reggae song in which Buju Banton, Lars and Tim all sing, with steel drums just truly beautiful one of the best songs I've heard in my life.



Ok I think I've gone on enough, I don't recommend getting this as your first Rancid album, get and out came the wolves for that. But this is a truly beautiful album and you must have it in your collection whether you think you like Rancid or not, whether you like Punk Rock or not, whether you like Ska/Reggae/Dub or not. Thanks for sitting through my review"