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These vocal harmonies on Rank and File are also the last remaining trace of the band's former country sound. Unfortunately, the rest of that sound has been swallowed up by Ross's guitar and so-called "Rosstronix" effects. The result is several songs in which Ross vamps on for about half a minute too long, as if the band couldn't decide how or when...
...Rank and File...
USUALLY A BAND TITLES ITS first album eponymously, not its third, but the newly released Rank and File signifies such radical changes in this L.A. band that it is essentially a new group. Personnel shakeups have brought drummer R. Kahr and lead guitarist Jeff Ross into the group. Ross's guitar pyrotechnics have changed Rank and File's style accordingly, from a country-edged punk flavoring to a corporate-rock, Jefferson Starship-type sound...
...core of the band, though, is still founding members Tony and Chip Kinman. The dialectic opposition between the brothers' individual songwriting and singing styles makes Rank and File unique, if bizarre. Tony Kinman is the more philosophical, introspective songwriter, while Chip has a "let's party" attitude. Tony writes about South Africa. Chip writes about Hollywood. Tony quotes Robert Frost Chip sings, "Oh! That girl, na na na na na na." You get the idea...
...much to relieve the tedium, although some of the songs are lively and short enough so that they don't have to. "Unlucky in Love," for example, doesn't say much of anything, but its sonic-boom noise and punk/polka rhythm make it great fun. Otherwise, the new Rank and File's hybrid of nasal vocals and buzzsaw guitars sound like uniform drone. Rank and File may catapult the band to MTV stardom (and Rhino Records out from the novelty and oldies bins in record stores), but such success will come at the expense of the band's more interesting...