Rancid
"Radio, Radio, Radio" 7" (Fat Wreck Chords)
I really wanted to review this. I even bought a copy, but it skipped. The folks at the record store were kind enough to exchange it, but that one skipped too, in the exact same place. Rather than drive another 15 odd miles to return the second copy, I called Fat. The guy who answered the phone was very helpful and told me to ship it to them and he'd make sure I got a copy that didn't skip. I got my replacement, slapped it on, and blissed out to the beautifully shouted refrain of "Radio radio radio!" Definitely a keeper, and definitely worth the effort.
"Let's Go" CD (Epitaph)
After weeks of trying to write about this album, I finally stripped it to basics. It rocks and then some, fusing old school anthemic agit-punk with introspective cuts like "Radio," written with Billie Joe Green Day. One thing is certain - "Let's Go" isn't like Rancid, and whether you like or dislike that fact, it's the truth. It's angrier, more emotional and definitely better for it. It's also a musical haven of sorts. Like the line in "Radio," "When I got the music / I got a place to go."