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As with the Beatles, there'll never be another Clash. But in the early '90s, no one more closely approximated the Clash's sheer energy and restlessness than Rancid. Their renovated and refurbished sound was palatable to old-school punks, new-school punks, and MTV followers alike. Lead singer Tim "Lint" Armstrong and bassist Matt Freeman had already debuted in a number of other notable Punk and Ska outfits, including M.D.C., Dance Hall Crashers, and their highly successful creation, Operation Ivy. By the time the pair formed Rancid, they had ironed out the freshman rough edges to emerge with raucous, feel-good Punk with catchy melodies galore and enough ruffian chanting to start a bar fight. And even if almost every lyric sung by Armstrong falls just outside of coherent, their music's fiery vibrancy is enough to keep the spirit of 1977 alive.
- Kali Holloway
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.