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"Rank and File"
Rank and File
Rhino Records
★★★★
For over five years,
Rank and File has been
unjustly ignored by the
record-buying public. But
the band’s influence on
other bands can’t be
ignored.
All one has to do is
listen to the music of the
Georgia Satellites, the Del
Fuegos or any of the other
back-to-the-basics, bar-
band rockers cranking out
hard, old-fashioned rock
to hear Rank and File’s
influence. Even the Everly
Brothers, who were
making rock ’n’ roll before
most of the members of
Rank and File were born,
have acknowledged Rank
and File’s talent by
including the band’s
“Amanda Ruth” on their
“Born Yesterday” album
last year.
“Rank and File” marks
the band’s debut on
Rhino Records. The
band’s first two albums on
Slash Records,
“Sundown” (1983) and
“Long Gone Dead”
(1984), received
favorable reviews and
gained the band a cult
following. The band’s live
shows have helped to
expand that cult.
The band was formed
by guitarist Chip and
bassist Tony Kinman in
1981. The brothers write
the band’s material and
alternate on lead vocals.
Drummer R. Kahr and
guitarist Jeff Ross
complete the quartet.
The best thing about
Rank and File’s music is
that it cuts through the
crap and gets right down
to business. The band
puts up a solid wall of
guitars, bass and drums
for the Kinman brothers’
voices to scale. There are
easily indentifiable
country, blues, punk and
heavy metal influences in
the band’s sound that
blend together well. The
lyrics are simple and
unambitious but don’t
come off as mindless.
The album’s strongest
track, “Pistol Dawn,”is
one of the best songs yet
written about apartheid.
Its lyrics are a
straightforward view of life
in South Africa intensified
by Ross’ guitar solo. Ross’
guitar becomes a
metaphor for the black
South African people in
that you can sense a great
power that is being
restrained.
Ross belongs to that
rare breed of guitarists
that can crank out the
jams without unnecessary
bravado. His playing,
especially on “Golden
Age” and “Love House,”
recalls the best of the ’60s
electric blues styles. The
western punk of “Unlucky
in Love” and the metal
thrash of “Oh! That Girl”
also provide showcases
for Ross’ guitar.
“Black Book” is a
perfect blend of
thundering drums and
guitar power chords.
“RBI” and “Good Times”
combine inspired lyrics
and sharp vocals to good
effect. Only “One Big
Thing” and “Sweet Life”
come off as being forced
and uneasy.
Rank and File deserves
a hit album and “Rank
and File” could be it. The
album’s only weakness is
that it leaves you
wondering just how good
the band is Wye—Review
by Karl Pallmeyer
At Ease Staff
Editor
Karen Kroesche
Assistants
Anne Dejoie
Melisa Hohlt
Reviewer
Karl Pallmeyer
Best Bets
entertainment opportunities. If your agency
or group has an interesting event coming up,
let us know by calling At Ease at 845-3312.
Friday, June 12
Movie In The Park: College Station Parks
and Recreation will be showing “Black
Cauldron” in Central Park. The feature will
begin at dusk, admission is free and
concessions will be available. For more
information call 764-3773.
The Burleson County Fair and Rodeo: If
it's been a while since you’ve been to a
county fair, you might want to head for the
Burleson County Fair Grounds in Caldwell.
For more fair information call 567-7979.
Moonlight Swim: For those who don’t have
time to swim during the day, the Bryan
Aquatic Center will be open from 9 p.m. to 11
p.m. Anyone age 18 or older will be admitted.
Fiddler's Festival: If you enjoy Blue Grass
entertainment then you probably won’t mind
the hour and a half drive to Crockett for the
fifty-first World Championship Fiddler’s
Saturday to drive to Crockett, you should
plan on getting up early because the show
starts at 10 a.m. If you want to stick around
and you like to dance, a dance will
commence at 8 p.m. and run until 1 a.m.
Sunday, June 14
Summer Concert: For free music and
relaxed atmosphere, the College Station
Parks and Recreation is sponsoring two
bands. “Carter Creek Blue” will perform from
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and “Horse Sense” from 8
p.m, to 10 p.m. Concessions will be available
and you’ll need your lawn chair.
$tudent $pecials
49
All You Can Eat
Breakfast
Buffet
or
Lunch
Buffet
w/current A&M or Blinn I.D.
good thru June-87
at
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