ALBUM OF THE WEEK #11.5 (SPECIAL EDITION BY REQUEST) NIGHT RANGER - SEVEN WISHES (1985)

[RJhog (Admin)]

1. Seven Wishes (Blades)
2. Faces (Keagy/Blades/Fitzgerald)
3. Four In The Morning (I Can't Take Anymore) (Blades)
4. I Need A Woman (Blades)
5. Sentimental Street (Blades)
6. This Boy Needs To Rock (Blades/Gillis)
7. I Will Follow You (Fitzgerald/Blades)
8. Interstate Love Affair (Blades)
9. Night Machine (Blades/Keagy/Gillis)
10. Goodbye (Watson/Blades)

This Album Of The Week is a special request all the way from Denmark.  Niels is our
resident Denmarkian (I have no Idea what that word should be).  Anyway,
the previous AOTW post was Night Ranger's second studio album (Midnight
Madness), which
undoubtedly generated a need in Niels for some more NR (could this be
his favorite NR album?).  Well, if I own it, I'm very happy to oblige. 
Seven Wishes is the follow up to the
previously mentioned album and it was released in 1985.  The album
contained 3 singles and 7 additional album cuts.  I think it's a great
album, but I've always though that track 6, which I'm pretty sure opened
side two of the original cassette (or album), should have been switched
with Seven Wishes.  I dig the latter, but I think the former sounds
more like a typical album opener, and I think Seven Wishes would have
sounded great opening side two. 

Singles:

Sentimental Street
Four In The Morning (I Can't Take Anymore)
Goodbye

Of these 3 singles, Sentimental Street was definitely the biggest hit.  It managed a high of #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It's another ballad,
not unlike Sister Christian, which again made folks think of them as a
ballad band.  I think it's a good song, but not quite as good as Sister
Christian.  I actually like the other two singles better.  Four In The
Morning (I Can't Take Anymore) was literally written at 4am by Blades. 
According to Wikipedia, he woke up at 4am with a song idea in his head,
and the rest is history.  This song really reminds me of When You Close
Your Eyes.  I think it's every bit as good as that song, if not
better.  The pre-chorus is fantastic. 
Finally, Goodbye may be the best song on the album.  Again, it's an
acoustic based song with great vocals by Keagy.  I also love the guitar
solo during the middle of the song and at the end.  This song is a great
album closer and in general it's a killer. 

Album Cuts:

Seven Wishes
Faces
I Need A Woman
This Boy Needs To Rock
I Will Follow You
Interstate Love Affair
Night Machine

As I said earlier, I do like the song Seven Wishes.  It's kind of a slower paced opener, but it's a terrific song.  Faces is an awesome song.  I
love Keagy's vocals, including the opening vocals that are basically
acapella over a synthesizer.  It also has a great guitar solo.  I Need A
Woman is probably my least favorite song on the album.  I think
this is the closest the boys come to filler on this album.  This Boy
Needs To Rock is a cool song.  It's a rocker, and like I said earlier, I
think it should have kicked the album off.  The song I Will Follow You
is another sleeper.  The verses are stellar, while the chorus isn't
quite as good, but it's still a great unknown song.  I personally think
Interstate Love Affair was NR's answer to Deep Purple's Highway Star. 
Although not as good as DP's tune, it's still a pretty good song.  The
last album cut is Night Machine, which featured an appearance by Vince
Neil on the shouting part near the end.  I don't think it's NR's best,
but it's a very decent song.

Hidden Gem Award:

The hidden gem award goes to the song Faces.  It's just a killer song and a killer vocal by Keagy. So far, two albums by Night Ranger, both hidden gem awards going to Keagy.  I sense a trend that tells me he's a very underrated vocalist. 

There it is.  A very good album from 1985.  It seems as though there is a
remastered version available from Amazon as an import for 20 bucks, or
used for 12 bucks. 
That's a little pricey, but it's a great album.

[TageRyche]

I loved Night Ranger when they hit it big.

[TageRyche]

I might be wrong but I thought Denmark's people were called Danes?

[RJhog (Admin)]

I'm sure Niels will let us know for sure, but your answer sounds right, I knew mine was wrong. But hey, Niels is my only friend in Denmark.

[Niels (Mod)]

Yep, I'm a dane allright, not a denmarkian, whatever that is?

Thank you, RJhog, I'll will enjoy this album in a few minutes, here at work.

This album was allways my favorite NR-album. I don't know why, I never got around to buy it on cd?? Maybe some day.

I had never heard of NR, until I saw this album reviewed in Kerrang! in the summer of 1985. It got five K's out of five, and at that time, I bought MOST of the albums, that got top-reviews in Kerrang! . They were NOT allways right, but I think they were with this album.Great stuff!!

By the way, RJhog, I think that "Seven wishes" is a GREAT opener to the album?!!

Only thing, that ever annoyed me a bit with this album, is the way Jack blades sings "Phfaces".

[RJhog (Admin)]

I think it's Kelly Keagy on lead vocals for the song "Faces". I dig it.

I can't believe you have to work on Labor Day. But then again, I guess Danes don't get a National Holiday just because we do. Do the Danes celebrate a "labor day"? Isn't there a line in a U2 song about labor day?
Just random thoughts at 5:30am here in Georgia. I've been up with Aiden since 3:45am.

[Niels (Mod)]

Yeah, I was thinking about the time. I know there's about 7 hours "difference", and it's about time for lunch "over here".

I forgot again, that there are more than on lead-singer in NR, but I love "Faces" too, absolutely.

I don't agree with you on the song "I need a woman", I don''t think it's close to filler. My least favorite-song on the album is "Night Machine". That "Welcome, welcome....welcome to the night machine" are too much "Hair-metal"-sound for me.

No, no holliday here in Denmark, but I think we've got a few of our own.

I can't say, that I remember a U2-song about Labor-day, but it would'nt surprise me at all. Bono is VERY fond of the US. Just listen to, how he sing's on some of the songs on both "The Joshua Tree" and especially "Ratle and Hum". He's Irish but sings with a VERY thick american accent. I also like the US of A, but I DON´T speak (danish, anyway) with an accent.
Well, maybe it'a a holliday in Ireland too, I don't know?!

There's one about "New year's day". Just kiddin'.

I really enjoyed listen to "Seven Wishes" again. It's been a while.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I believe the song I'm thinking of is off of The Joshua Tree. It's called "Red Hill Mining Town". Bono sings "Through hands of steel, and heart of stone/Our labor day, has come and gone". I don't think the song is about labor day, it just mentions it. But I love that song and I think that's one of the best albums, if not the best, that was released in the 80's.

[Niels (Mod)]

I agree 100%.

[Scott]

Finally getting around to this one...

Album covers have always been a big deal to me, this one is just dorky. Thank goodness the music makes up for that. But I ignored this one at the time it came out for several reasons. 1) Album Cover sucked, 2) Overplayed on Mtv and radio, 3) I didnt hear the band going anywhere musically. Still to this day, I think that if you own their first two releases, you own their best.

I enjoyed the fresh listen though. While my opinion has softened, I don't think this is a purchase for me...

Goodbye, however, is one of my all time favorite ballads.