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Night Ranger - Hole In The Sun |
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Written by Tracy Farnsworth
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Aug 18, 2008 at 03:52 PM |
Artist: Night Ranger
Album: Hole In The Sun
Release: July 2008
Label: Vh1 Classic Records
Rating: 5 out of 10
Website:www.nightranger.com
Hole In The Sun isn't a brand new album. It was released in Europe in 2007, but the U.S. release was held off for a year. With new cover art, the album is now available to those of us on this side of the ocean.
The way I look at this, Night Ranger's latest album is either going to really impress or be slightly disappointing. Fans who preferred Jack Blade's post-Night Ranger years in the band Damn Yankees will really enjoy this one. I found most of the songs had a heavier Damn Yankees sound. Those looking for the rock ballads like "Sister Christian" or "Sentimental Street" will not find anything of that nature on this album.
It's funny because just last weekend I pulled out my Night Ranger's greatest hits CD and was playing it for my son. To find their latest CD in my mailbox was a nice treat. The problem is that after listening to it over a dozen times, I still can't find any song that sticks in my head. I hate to use the term "forgettable," but that's what fits.
Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy share vocals on many tracks. Neither sounds like they did two decades ago. I find their vocals, particularly Blades, lack the same power they once had. The opening track "Tell Your Vision" is a rocking tune with heavy guitars and lots of drums. "Rockstar" is another song that will appeal to Damn Yankees' fans; the guitar riffs work well together. Many tracks follow suit. "Drama Queen," "You're Gonna Hear From Me" and "White Knuckle Ride" include strong guitar solos and a strong rock beat.
"There is Life" slows things down with lots of piano. It's probably the closest song to their "Sister Christian" sound. It's not a bad track, but I can't seem to get excited over their vocals, they really just seem weak and at times somewhat nasal. "Fool in Me" is another slower track, but again the vocals just don't grab me. I do like "Revelation 4AM," which starts with slow verses and progresses into a heavier chorus.
There are two bonus tracks on Hole In The Sun, acoustic versions of "Sister Christian" and "Don't Tell Me You Love Me." They're not bad, but again, their voices just seem to have lost something over the years.
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