Night Ranger

Dawn Patrol-1982 (C)

Night Ranger's first cd, and one of my least liked cd by the band. Everything is here that is in the following cds, two guitars, two singers, and songs about young love and life. But for some reason it just doesn't come together yet. Don't Tell Me You Love Me was there only top 40 hit from this cd, and is the best song on it. Sing Me Away, Call My Name, Eddie's Coming Out Tonight and Young Girl In Love are all worthy mentions. But rest of the cd is just flat.


Midnight Madness-1983 (A-)

My second favorite Night Ranger cd. All my favorite hits too, Sister Christian, (You Can Still) Rock In America, Rumors In The Air, When You Close Your Eyes, and Let Him Run. plus rest of the songs are all good, with Touch Of Madness being one kick butt rocker. All the songs are done with a passion and the power of youth. Plus with a song titled like Rock In America, you would expect pure cheesey song, but the song rocks without the cornyness you would expect.

7 Wishes-1985 (A)

Never have understood the title name to this cd, it is only the 3rd, and the song and cd could have been 3 wishes, couldn't see any rhyming concerns to change to 7. On top of that aren't most wishes in groups of 3? oh well. This is my favorite cd by the band. While Jack maybe the main song writer of the band, it is Kelly that brings power to this cd. Vocally he rips through the songs with such intensity and passion. Faces and I Need A Woman are prime examples of this. Sentimental Street is the best song on the cd, again great vocals from Kelly. Interstate Love Affair is the best rocker on the cd, with Jack's This Boy Needs To Rock a close second. Goodbye puts a perfect ending on the cd, some great guitar work on the solo of this song and through out the cd.

Big Life-1987 (B+)

First thing I noticed when I originally put the cd on was the upgrade in production on the cd (but since they all have been remastered and tinkered with over the years, they all sound better) The title track to the cd is a great rock song, with some great vocals from Jack. Big Life the song, is one of my top 5 favorite songs by the band. The Secret Of My Success is another great song from the cd, with some of the best keyboard work (if not the best) by the Alan of the band. Jack and Kelly trade off vocals though out the song, which is nothing new for them, but it just adds to the over all effect of this song. But other than those two songs, there is nothing that really grabs you. The cd is good, no bad songs on the cd, but musically it is lacking. Rain Comes Crashing Down and Hearts Away are to other above average songs on this cd.


Man In Motion-1988 (D+)

Why is the man in motion? Why is he walking on a hill? Why is the sun setting on him? Is he late? What is he late too? I don't know the answer to the questions, but I do know that this is my least favorite cd by the band. Production bites the big one on this cd. The playing comes across uninspired. Even when the rock out on a song it is like going thru the motions. So maybe the man in motion is the band going thru the motions? Or is it because the production is so bad the songs seem lame? The first 3 songs seem like good songs, Man In Motion, Reason To Be, and Don't Start Thinking (I'm Alone Tonight) but they are lifeless. Rest of the cd, just about aw full. Shame too Jack and the band had a good run up to this cd. So maybe the sun that is setting on the man in motion, is the the sun or the big life setting on the band.

Greatest Hits-1989 (A)

A good hits cd for the band, does nice work of covering all the radio top 100. There is something from all the cds released up to this time. Just wished that could have added some AOR or MSR hits form the cds to this package. But it does show what made the band big, and its wasn't the hair. it was good solid song writing, to good singers with Jack and Kelly and great keyboardist with Alan and two very good guitarist with Jeff and Brad.

Live in Japan-1990 (B+)

The cd was recorded just before the band broke up on the Man In Motion tour. Never saw the tour, but the cd they were supporting at the time was awful. But thankfully this concert from that tour was good. It is so good it actually breaths new life into the hits and even it the songs from Man In Motion. Man In Motion, Don't Start Thinking, Reason To Be and Halfway To The Sun actually sound good and worthy to be on a cd with the rest of Night Rangers songs. Like I said above, the production on Man was bad so maybe that is what hurt the songs. Anyway the cd sounds great for a live cd (don't know how much post-production work was done). Let Him Run, Goodbye, and Reason To Be make for outstanding music as the songs are back to back with some great acoustics.

Feeding Off The Mojo-1995 (B-)

There are a few things different about this cd,

1) Jack Blades is gone in Damn Yankees, and the band is down from a 5 man unit to a 3 man unit

2) Since Jack was the main song writer the band credits the songs being written by Night Ranger plus what ever outside help.

3) The band brings in outside song writers, not to just help with the songs, but to write songs for them.

4) the band actually sing other artist's songs. Case in point they do a good cover to Peter Frampton's Do You Feel Like I Do and the Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows.

With these changes, which were needed after the bad Man In Motion cd, the bad pulls off a good comeback. With Jack off in Damn Yankees, instead of sitting idle the band moved ahead. There are surprisingly some good songs on the cd. Mojo, Last Chance, Precious Time, The Night Has A Way, plus to two remakes above. But rest of the cd misses the mark and ends up pulling the overall quality down. But this new line up first and only cd was good enough I would have bought another outing by them.

Neverland-1997 (A-)

Jack Blades returns along with the rest band on a very solid cd. The lead off song was not I was expecteing, but Forever All Over Again is a masterpiece when it comes to Night Ranger ballads. The title track Neverland cranks the rock up the cd. Jack plays a mean bass line through it. As Always I Remain has Kelly singing a mid tempo rocker. Kelly's vocals are as strong as ever. The chours really makes the song. Someday I Will another mid tempo song that really shows the band in top notch. My Elusive Mind is another rocker, showing signs of youth still in the music, but mixed with a little more maturity than before. That is something that the whole cd has shown, signs of growth in the writing and playing. New York Time starts out good, but lags a little before an awesome guitar solo. I Don't Call This Love, Anything For You are two great songs that close out a remarkable comeback by the band. Really Sunday Morning is the only song I don't like on this cd. The slow parts of the song are painful to listen to, but once it picks up, it improves.

Seven-1998 (B)

A good solid cd from the band, but nothing really stands out other than Sign Of The Times, Don't Ask Me Why, and Soul Survivor. It is worthy of other Night Ranger cds and has all the classic elements, except for the big production. The production is good, but lean, I guess it was a sign of the times for that era.

Rock In Japan; Greatest Hits Live-1999 (B+)

Another good live cd from the band, good production all the hits, plus some good selections off the then new cd Neverland. You like live cds (like I do), this worth pickin up.

Hits, Acoustic & Rarities-2005 (A-)

This is not just another hits package, yeah the hits are here, but they have been rerecorded. Sister Christain he has a rerecord and acoustic version, both of which are swesome. Don't Tell Me You Love Me is live and rerecorded. Only complaint, nothing from Big Life like the Secret Of My Success, or fropm Man In Motion, which could have used the updates production (better).

A very good cd.

Hole In The Sun-2007 (B+)


This is Night Ranger's hardest rockin cd and one a lot of fun to crank up and listen to. The opening track Tell Your Vision kicks the cd into gear, and it just keeps rolling along song after song. Not to say their aren't some slower songs, Their Is Life and Fool In Me are two songs of the better. Songs that really stand out on the cd are the ones already mentioned plus, Rock Star, What Ever Happened, and Being. No complaints from me on the production, band sounds good with some much needed life brought back to the music. A great return.