Show Review

A RANA show is like taking in bits and pieces of Pavement, Devo, Talking Heads, Cars, Ween and Ted Nugent live. Led by the new-wave vocals of keyboardist Matt Durant, who stands behind the keyboards in cool Ric Ocasek fashion, and guitarist Scott Metzger, who mans his guitar with showmanship and grit, RANA is definitely best seen and heard live. But playing a large number of songs from their latest album, What It Is, on an absoultely frigid Friday night at Club Metronome, RANA heated up the club and proved their David Lowery produced studio endeavors are just as cooked.

Mirroring their home tri-state roots, RANA echoed NYC bands Talking Heads and Television, as well as fellow Jersey boys Springsteen, and Bon Jovi. Yes, Bon Jovi, as the band’s sound uniquely teases elements of 80’s metal, while never doodling into dreaded Poison territory. The Talking Heads cover “Thanks For Sending Me An Angel,” and the mechanized beats of Devo’s “The Girl U Want” soared tightly amidst Metzger’s guitar prowess, keeping his ego intact, never playing lengthy and unneeded guitar jams just to please the jam segments of his following… even in Burlington, VT. Andrew Southern and Ryan Thornton round out the music in crisp fashion, proving a reliable and hook inducing rhythm section, while Metzger and Durant lay the cryptic electricity. Together, RANA mixes elements as diverse as the tent stages at Bonnaroo, while honing a true to face stage presence.

Photo by Steve Chemin at ranarock.com.