Chris DeLine

For Let the Dominoes Fall, Rancid’s first album in six years, the band made a decision to approach the record in a way that they had never done before. Vocalist, guitarist, and chief songwriter Tim Armstrong reflected on the album in a recent interview: “We didn’t bring any songs, so it was just all of us back together, starting from scratch.” The spirit of building something fresh helped to re-solidify the bond within the band that is evidenced by its solidarity, both thematically and musically, throughout Dominoes. Writing the bulk of the album’s material in a three-week span at drummer Branden Steineckert’s Utah home, the band eventually created 29 songs during the sessions for the record (19 of which made Dominoes), a testament to how charged the artistic chemistry was during that process. In the band’s 18-year history, it has created a legend for itself as one of the few punk groups to transcend the genre, reaching mainstream success without limiting itself to a single style or broadening its sound to accommodate a trend. A key ingredient is the band’s family-like bond, which will surely be evident throughout their current tour. Rancid will be joined by Rise Against and the Riverboat Gamblers. All ages.

[This critics’ pick was originally published by City Pages.]