NIGHTRANGER

SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA

Released 2011

As I'm in the mood for confessions tonight so here we go: Nightranger is a band I've never really listened to at all, despite actually seeing them live twice now. I don't know why it is, no actually I do, to be honest it's Sister Christian the bands 'big' song. I heard it and thought that there was no real need to explore anymore. There's not that many songs I actively dislike but that is certainly one.

Imagine my surprise then when I stick this one on. Now thi is a good album. It may not be a masterpiece and it may not get me reviewing their back catalogue in depth but I must admit I'm prepared to re-evaluate the band.

Opener 'Growing Up in California' may start out like it's going to be a pomp rock nightmare, it quickly turns into a classic slab of well written early eighties tinged pop rock. Actually it is really nice and full of energy, clean and lean with almost a touch of Mott The Hoople in the breakdown.

'Lay it on Me' that follows is good too, a decent tune that would have benefitted from a bigger hook, but no compliants really. 'Bye Bye Baby' you could almost imagine Springsteen doing or maybe Tom Petty at his most rocking. It's 'End of the Day' though that wins my vote, with its almost Great White build to some nice guitar and a nice chorus, it's a winner.

Of the rest of the album, what do we get? Well actually a good selection of summery rock standards that have a distinct melodic tinge to them. It's not teh greatest album you will hear this year but it's put me in my place thinking that all there was to the guys was an over-rated ballad. Well worth a look and I'm sure existing Ranger fans will feel richly rewarded by the 2011 vintage.

By Mark Diggins