If you've pretended to enjoy just about all the manufactured Strokes/Hives authenticity you can stand, check out RANA's mullet-worthy smart-ass cock rock. Smart enough to mock their roots but still stoopid enough to rock like mooks, RANA could well be the missing link between the Velvets and Ween.
The Village Voice - NY, NY
RANA's knack for improvisation and daring approach have helped spread their popularity without the aid of a major label deal or significant radio play. Their music is like tapestry, weaving elements of various generes and ending with a unique sound and style. Guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards all come together in one of the most splendid efforts modern music has seen in a while.
The Rage - Nashville, TN
RANA blends a polished New Wave sound with stylish improvisaion and a heavy dose of adrenaline. (They) rely on well-crafted, roof-raising, rock songs to impress anyone that comes within earshot.
City Beat - Cincinnati, OH
RANA Bio
Raised in New Jersey and rising in Brooklyn, RANA is a rock band of its own design. Independently, the band has built its own audience, bridging gaps between several different New York City scenes and styles. By 2003, all four bandmembers had graduated from college. Matt Durant (Keyboards & Vocals), Andrew Southern (Bass & Vocals), Scott Metzger (Guitar & Vocals), and Ryan Thornton (Drums) have grown up together, playing in bands with each other as far back as middle school.
As the band began taking its shape, opening for acts as diverse as Ween, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Avril Lavigne, Chris Robinson, and Camper Van Beethoven, it took its own direction from the breadth of its influences. There is as much Talking Heads as Velvet Underground in RANA's sound, as much Bruce Springsteen as Neil Young, and as much of The Band as The Clash. The first two albums, Here in the USA (2002) and What It Is (2005) were released by the band's own label (Bonesaw Records, Inc.) and were supported by two national tours and constant touring of the Northeast. The band also issues select live CD releases on Rockslide.com.
This fall, the band joined with producer David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven) at his Sound of Music Studios to begin recording tracks for their third album.
