Album review: NO FAVORS – The Eleventh Hour

October 27th, 2024 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 22.11.24]

Can’t not give No Favors a listen as they hail from my home town of Stoke-on-Trent! No Favors were formed in the ’80s, which included rhythm guitarist Carl Ogden, who remained a constant in the band’s line-up through the years (must have seen them supporting Magnum at the Victoria Hall in Hanley in the mid-80s). Joining Carl are Dan Ogden (lead guitar), Tom Bevan (drums), Pete Challinor (bass, backing vocals) and Dani J Rankin (vocals, keyboards).

Doing a bit of online research, No Favors have certainly got through a fair few band members, none more so than at the mic stand. Hopefully they have found a good match in Dani J Rankin, who has that lovely gravelly tone of Cinderella’s Tom Keifer or Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, with a touch of the helium!

Plenty of variety, be it the bluesy ‘No Looking Back’, which although lyrically is a tad pedestrian, the guitars keep things interesting. The fast and furious tribute to Barry Sheene, ‘Need 4 Speed’, is one for playing live. Same goes for the first single, ‘Stop Where You Are’, a belter of a melodic hard rocker.

The end of the album has some of the strongest songs, including the ballad ‘Only Memories Remain’, which sees them dial back on the guitar present on the rest of the album. ‘My World, Your World, Our World’ sees Dani Rankin really hitting those high notes, on a song that has plenty of relevance today.

Nicely done fellas and a cracking melodic hard rock album for those who love a bit of Praying Mantis or Demon. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

Josh now hosts “Taerk’s Tracks” as part of the Singer Songwriter Sunday sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.

This is the second show broadcast on 25 October Josh presents some of his inspirational artists and tracks.

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 18 October 2026.

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More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 26 October 2026

BLACK RIVER DELTA Shame On You (Despotz Records)
DAYTONA Listen To The Silence (Escape Music)
SUCKERTRAP Sacred Lies (indie)
WOOD BURNT RED Count My Blessings (indie)
BLACKLIST UNION Heavy Is The Crown (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 26 October 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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