Customer Reviews

Life Won't Wait

5 star:		(116)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

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.

I just bought this album, and I must say, it is really good. Such songs as Black Lung and Life won;t wait have been rated 5 stars and added to my favorite songs ever list. Really good album. And if you're looking for something like Operation ivy, you've found it. It has ska/ punk tracks as well as almost pure ragae tracks. The Guitar in this band is absalutely incredible, while the bass is from another world. The bass is probably the best I've ever heard, really, this bass beats Rodger Waters, just listen to Black Lung and you'll know what I'm talking about. The drums and vocals are sort of mediocre, but, it's still a great album.

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

This is a great album and shows Rancid stretching themselves musically, like The Clash (who they are always compared to),
This is not a bad thing.

There are some classic sounding rancid songs like Blood clot and Black Lung.

In addition, there are some great Guest Vocals too, From Ex-specials and Dickey Barret (Bosstones).

Is this London calling? NO, it's "Rancid calling" go out and buy it.

Tim Armstrong's sounds great, singing out of tune and slurring your Vocals never sounded so very good.

These Guys rule.

After years of playing solid punkers that could be mistaken for harder versions of Clash songs, Rancid finally whips out a classic. Their ambition was sure lofty: random excerpts from Bakunin's book are recited about catchy reggae- and blues-influenced punk tunes, a menagerie of guest musicians appear ranging from Dickey Barret through Buju Banton and everyone in between, pianos, B3s, horns, harmonicas, xylophones, steel drums, arranging by outside songwriters, and crispy-clean production span this massive 22-song record that is twice as long as any other punk ablum should be.

But don't dismiss this record immediately for being "less punk" or a "sellout record" (though it did come out dead smack in the middle of the short-lived ska-and-swing hype, true)--give it a few listens no matter how much you may lust for the heavier, faster sound their earlier albums. And unlike ...And Out Come the Wolves, which was a collection of three-chord pop songs, this one truly shows Tim Armstrong's talent for songcraft--unfortunately to never be reproduced (with the exception of 2000's Radio Havana). The lyrics may not be the best in the world, but despite covering topics in pairs from the problems immigrants face (Crane Fist, Hoover Street), Eastern Europe (New Dress, Warsaw), New York's squatter culture (Cocktails, 1998), and even romantic love (Who Would've Thought, Corazon de Oro), the lyrics don't come across as pretentiously-punk-tough or all that repetitive as they do on the more disappointing recent releases by Tim 'n Crew.

There is not a bad song on here, though some may be difficult listens at first. Truly the overlooked "London Calling" of the 90s.

cause that must be all they were listening to when they came up with this one (maybe a little Sandinista! too: "Shouting Sandinista-ahhh!"). And frankly, London Calling's a great album to try to replicate. They did a great job taking the feel of the Clash masterpiece and it's eclecticism and they modernized it for kids into punk today. So yeah, this sums it up if you're considering buying it:
1)You like London Calling-buy it
2)You don't like London Calling-don't buy it and then ask yourself what lies you must be believing to dislike London Calling

In short, Life Won't Wait may be the second best punk album of all time, behind London Calling. It makes sense that so many people hate this, LC was hated when it came out for the exact same reasons. The band decided to stretch some, to see what it could come up with when it thinks outside of the typical punk song. The end result is truly amazing. Guitars clash, Tim and Lars vocally duel throughout the album, Lars' growl underscoring Tim's slur.
The addition of horns, organs, and percussion other than a snare and a hi-hat add so much to the band. The dancehall reggae of "Hooligans" is one of Rancid's best songs. The beautiful organ in "Corazon de Oro" puts the listener in Jamaica circa 1977.
Sure, some may call Rancid a cheap Clash derivative, and the influence is almost overpowering. None of that changes the fact that this is one of the greatest albums I have ever heard, and I don't even listen to punk. Life Won't Wait touches every musical base and is so sickly good it hurts.

This cd is probably Rancid's most experimental, With songs like Cocktails, or Hoover Street, Hooligans, and the title track Life Won't Wait you get stuff not really heard on Rancids previous or later cds... but with songs like 1998, and Warsaw they got the Rancid sound, Very good cd.

Lots of people say that this CD is not punky enough, and that Rancid sold out. Not at all. It rocks hard, but they are also showing just how great they are at music, that they can do so many different styles and do them all well. Hese's a short summary of the songs. 1-Intro- this song is kinda an instrumental with spoken words that sounds like it was sampled from the 50s. It has a harmonica in it. It is very short, and it is a great start to the CD.

2-Bloodclot- There was a video for this song, it's more punk-y than most. It's got that cool hey, ho thing too.

3-Hoover Street- this song os a much softer song for most of it, but it kicks in to harder rocking parts where they say Oh Yeah. I hated it at first 'cos it's slow, but it grows on you.

4-Black lung- I didn't like this song as much, but I love the beginning, I just listen to the first 30 secs. over and over...

5-Life won't wait- this is (in my opinion) the worst song on the CD, I can't listen through the whole thing. Why did they name the CD after this one?

6-New dress- Now this one is classic. it's got a cool bassline, and it kinda kicks between this harmonic part about a working class girl and yugoslavia, and a hard rock part Great, great song

7-Warsaw- this song is punk. I love it! I'm getting a little sick of it tho, but probably because I listened to it so much.

8-Hooligans-It's differnt; I didn't like it that much, but it shows how great they really are.

9-Crane Fist-This has got to be the most experimental song ever, and it's really great. It's interesting, and you find new things about it every time you listen It has a piano, and I don't think any guitars except for the bass.

10-Leicester Square- This is my favorite song on the CD. A really trebly guitar, a catchy melody, and clapping. this is one of those songs that you kick yourself for not writing first.

11-Backslide- More ska-ish than punk, I'm not much into this type of stuff. If you like it, then it is a good song, but...

12-Who Would've though- Softer side of Rancid at first, then it get's a little heavier. I usually hate soft stuff, but it isn't that bad.

13- Cash, Culture and Violence- This song is very different, it is basically all feedback. Another classic.

14-Cocktails- Same notes as #11, but I like this one better

15-Th wolf- Yes, I love this song! it has a blues-y beginning, then it gets punk. It's great the whole way!

16-1998- I'm surprised that this song didn't give it an explicid lyrics sticker. It stand sout int that it is very dark and angry, and hard rocking. A great song!

17-Lady Liberty- Definitly un-punk, but I still like it. But I like the next one better

18-Same basic lyrical idea as 17 (sort of) and the style is similar, but this one is much better

19-turntable-This is a fun song to listen to. It is sort of the definitive rancid song; it is melodic and it rocks.

20-Something in the world today- This one would be my favorite song if it weren't for the long and boring ending. It has Lars and Tim singing together at the same time. It is great

21-Corazon De oro- That is spanish for hart of gold. it's another softer song, but I liked 12 better. It is still good though.

22-This one is kinda Jamacan sounding. If Memory serves (I could be wrong) It was recorded somewhere around there. I didn't like this one much; I've been unable to listen through the whole thing. It's not bad, just not my thing.

All in all, it is a great CD, and probably my second Favorite (after Everclear's World of Noise) Rancid is one of the few bands today that just does what they want, and they do it very well. Great job, guys!

Rancid took quite a beating when this album came out. Being called Clash wannabes , sellouts , posers , you name it Rancid was called it. But this album is a serious , moody , and sometimes angry record. Every song is brilliant . Rancid is a band that doesn't care about what people think about them when they change styles, and they don't care about the critics. They do whatever they want to do. Now thats punk rock