When they debuted six albums and eighteen years back, Rancid were pretty likable Clash-inspired punk stalwarts, taking their Oi! boogie and paving the way for bands like AFI and Blink 182. Their last two outings on new label Hellcat have been fairly one-dimensional, but with Let The Dominoes Fall the band and its co-producer, Epitaph label head Brett Gurewitz, have gone back to basics.

It’s all a prime example of everything working rather nicely, and demonstrates Rancid at their most topical: ‘This Place’ and other tracks railing against the current economic crisis. LTDF doesn’t always stay completely in this vein; on ‘Up To No Good,’ anthemic vocals bind a Madness-esque keyboard backing to the tub-thumping drums.

‘Disconnected’ overlays three rip chords with a shout-a-long chorus, Papa Lazarou style vocals and, in case that wasn’t enough, an Iraq war narrative, while ‘Civilian Ways,’ floats between mellow Ranchero music and Crosby, Stills and Nash-inspired acoustic rock.

Chris Purnell