100 Albums That Make Me Love Music: 45. Rancid: ... And Out Come the Wolves

45. Rancid: ...And Out Come The Wolves

When I heard punk music, it changed my life. Up until 3rd grade the only music I listened too was the music my parents loved. Stuff like Bruce Springsteen and Meat Loaf. However the second my cousin played me Green Day and Offspring I knew this music was for me.

In 1994-1995 there were four hit punk albums that signaled the revival of the genre. Bad Religion’s Stranger Than Fiction, Green Day’s Dookie, The Offspring’s Smash and this album. Rancid didn’t strike a chord with me the way Green Day and Offspring did, however I did enjoy their massive hits Time Bomb and Ruby Soho, then senior year of high school happened.

Without getting too into the shit of my childhood by my senior year all the friends I had throughout junior high and high school had basically crumbled in arguments and other issues. This lead to me beginning high school with a select group of friends (mostly through TV studio). In my film class I reconnected with another student Brian. 

I had met Brian in 9th grade with spiked hair wearing baggie jeans and torn shirt of a random 80’s punk band. To be honest, he kinda scared me but our shared love of punk music made us aware of each other. We became insanely close our senior year doing all of our video projects together. Brian LOVED Rancid and we’d listen to And Out Come The Wolves in his car whenever we’d drive around. At one point we even shot a music video for Maxwell Murder.

What shocked me about this album as I began to dive into it more and more is that it was 19 perfect tracks. Every The Offspring and Green Day couldn’t do this, and their albums were typically 12-14 tracks long. 

Rancid’s infamous 3rd album is packed with aggressive angry songs like Maxwell Murder but has just as many catchy tunes like Roots Radical and Olympia, WA. 

Full of songs about heartbreak or the nostalgia of youth Rancid was able to construct their longest lasting album. It seems ageless, unlike many other albums that came out in 1995. If you’ve heard this album it holds a memory for you, if you haven’t heard this album, prepare to have a new memory made for you.