"And I know/I'm indestructible," the first lyrics from Rancid's sixth LP, Indestructible, quickly set the tone for the rest of the album. After a rough year in which lead singer Tim Armstrong's girlfriend Brody Armstrong (of The Distlliers) left him in the middle of the album, Armstrong wears this loss on his sleeve through songs of determination and solidarity.
In the liner notes for "Tropical London," Rancid makes it abundantly clear that the song is about Brody, with Armstrong singing, "If you lose me girl/You lose a good thing/That's one thing I know for sure." Armstrong balances the song with a few good guitar solos from guitarist Lars Frederiksen.
The sing-a-longs of "Fall Back Down" and "Start Now" showcase Rancid's soft spot when they veer closer to pop punk. These songs are balanced with harder rockers like "David Courtney," "Out Of Control," and "Ivory Coast."
"Roadblock" quickly blasts out of the gate with the hook lyric, "When all the punks come out tonight!" which reminds Rancid's fans that the mosh pit still exists.
Rancid plays around with a few other music styles when they utilize an organ for some ska bounce in "Red Hot Moon" and the lounge sound of "Arrested in Shanghai."
After being together for a decade, Rancid definitely feels confident in its songwriting on Indestructible, and luckily for us, they pull it off well with punk grace.
Reach the reporter at steven.ganczaruk@asu.edu.
