Rancid Vat

The Cheesesteak Years (Steel Cage)
by Duke Crevenator

Thee Whiskey Rebel and Marla Vee of Rancid Vat have spent 20 years creating music to please themselves. They honestly don’t give a shit if you, me, or your crack whore sister loves it or hates it. Although their classic early-’80s release, Burger Belsen, is one of my most prized records, their seven year stretch in Hostile City, USA (Philly) in the ’90s remains, so far, my favorite period. The Cheesesteak Years provides an excellent sampling of their best live and studio tunes recorded in Philly, a period where Rancid Vat went more for a punk rock style than their Oregon noise days. However, their noise roots are cleverly hidden in all the songs via excellent production and songwriting. Those who already know Rancid Vat realize buying this CD is a no-brainer. I hope those who don’t know the Vat show the guts to buy a CD from a band that has been around for 20 years unabated instead of breaking up in the late ’80s only to reform to try and cash in on “resurgent” punk rock sales.
(PO Box 29247 Philadelphia, PA 19125)