Album review: NIGHT RANGER – Don’t Let Up

Frontiers [Release date 24.03.17]

Night Ranger, unlike many of their fellow 80′s melodic hard rock bands, have been consistently releasing new music and of a high quality. In fact for me they are one of the few bands who I still get excited about hearing new music from.

‘Don’t Let Up’ is the band’s first new album in three years, it was due last year but was moved back due to health issues with Jack Blades’ voice which have thankfully been resolved.

Guitarist Keri Kelli (ex-Alice Cooper/Big Bang Babies/Stephen Pearcy and many more!) makes his recording debut on this one, having replaced the Whitesnake bound Joel Hoekstra. He fits seamlessly into the band’s guitar sound trading solos with Brad Gillis and on ‘(Won’t Be Your) Fool Again’, the vocals and tune sound a lot like latter day Alice Cooper.

There are plenty of the band’s trademark upbeat rockers including opener ‘Somehow Someway’ – a future live set opener if ever there was one. ‘Say What You Will’ is another instant hit as you can’t help but be drawn in by the insanely catchy chorus.

Plenty of guitar solos on each song to keep fans happy and Eric Levy’s keyboards/piano get a little more exposure in the overall mix.

No real ballads on this one, instead we have the Beatles influenced ‘We Can Work It Out’ (not the Beatles song though), which has a Shaw/Blades feel to it. The other slower number ‘Nothing Left Of Yesterday’ kicks in big time on the chorus and is a rousing, uplifting tune to close the album on.

Night Ranger have only gone and done it again, an album of highly polished and enjoyable melodic hard rock. Crank it up and enjoy! ****1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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