When I snatched this gem up in the early '90s, I was entirely unacquainted with Rule of Thumb, but the band wasn't the selling point - guest vocalist Dave Smalley was. For those of you who haven't at one time or another dedicated the better part of a CD shelf or milk crate to the copious recorded output of bands Smalley has associated himself with over the last three decades (DYS, Dag Nasty, All, Down By Law), you can learn up on this much lauded punk demigod here and here in his own words.
The short version: Dave Smalley is credited with imbuing punk/hardcore (particularly as mouthpiece for Dag Nasty and the long-running Down By Law) a melodic prowess that left an impression on thousands of listeners, many of whom started their own bands. Some have defined him as a proponent of "posi-core" (positive hardcore) given the routinely chin-up sentiments that have colored much of his prolific songwriting. The A-side to this single, "Don't Look Down" is a more than perfect example, and very much in league with the rest of his melodicore endeavors in the bands mentioned above. In fact, his work has been so consistent and admirable, one is apt to forgive him for being a Republican.
A. Don't Look Down
B. Education
1 comment:
Hey, that's a cartoon of me on that there cover! Smartest thing we ever did was ask Dave to sing on that single while he was in DC over the holidays that year.
Sal Cannestra - guitar, Rule of Thumb
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