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Rancid never win any points for originality, but originality isn't their goal. Rancid want to be,
to quote an old Clash slogan, "the only band that matters." Where the Clash earned that title by mixing
genres, blending the old with the new, Rancid decide to be traditional, spiking the Clash's sound with
ska-punk and hardcore. Musically, that might not make the group vital in 1998, since it ignores any musical
innovations since 1978, but that doesn't mean the group is impotent — far from it. Life Won't Wait,
the group's fourth album, is a powerful slice of old-school punk — as powerful as any of their records.
Apart from a more pronounced ska influence, it actually sounds a lot like its immediate predecessor, And
out Come the Wolves, complete with the fiery intensity and catchy hooks that set the group apart from the
retro-punk pack. Life Won't Wait, however, also shares the messy, pseudo-epic pretensions that hampered
its predecessor. Taken in small doses, the record is quite powerful, but since the group's attack is fairly
predictable, even with the detours into ska/reggae and blues, the album becomes wearing when taken as
a whole. Still, Rancid are head and shoulders above their punk contemporaries — they have better songs,
a genuine political stance, and raging energy — and that makes such indulgences tolerable. Even if it runs
too long, there won't be a better old-school punk album than Life Won't Wait in 1998