Lost/Forgotten Album #303

[Jon]

The thirty-second album in the series I thought up all by myself is the 1988 release from Night Ranger, Man In Motion.

This is the followup to 1987's Big Life which reached #28 on the US charts and was certified gold. However, this followed two platinum certified albums, Seven Wishes and Midnight Madness both of which reached the top 20 on the US charts.

Big Life wasn't really well-received with two singles released reaching #64 and #90 and a third not even charting.  I think I'm one of the few that like that album, all the way back then and to this day. Probably because the album cover was so damn blue. Seriously, that cover really stood out on the album racks.

Even though it was only a year later, Man In Motion didn't fare well at all peaking at #81 on the US charts. Four singles were released with "I Did It For Love" reaching #75 and "Restless Kind", "Don't Start Thinking (I'm Alone Tonight)" and "Reason To Be" not charting. This album also has not received any certification.   

This would be the last album from Night Ranger (minus Jack Blades) until 1995's Feeding Off The Mojo. Jack Blades would return with 1997's Neverland.  

Ya know, I like this album better than Seven Wishes and Midnight Madness. Don't know why, but it is what it is.

Since there's no review on allmusic.com, I'll waste some space with some song writing trivia:

1) Martin Briley and Michael Bolton are credited on "Here She Comes Again".

B. Russ Ballard wrote "I Did It For Love".

Okay. That's all I got.

Man In Motion

1. Man In Motion
2. Reason To Be
3. Don't Start Thinking (I'm Alone Tonight)
4. Love Shot Me Down
5. Restless Kind
6. Halfway To The Sun
7. Here She Comes Again
8. Right On You
9. Kiss Me Where It Hurts
10. I Did It For Love
11. Woman In Love

Availability: Around $8 used.

[Scott]

My brother owned this and I do remember stealing it from ...  I mean borrowing it from him from time to time, but I never purchased it for myself.  Though I admit, Restless Kind has got to be a Top 5 NR for me...  This will be a fun memory for me

[Scott]

There are a few bands out there that grow on you, and this is one of them.  I own their debut because I seen them in concert before the album took off, then when they released their second album, I rushed out to pick it up, and immediately hated it.  And then I tried it again, and I like a track or two, and then I tried yet again and picked up on yet another track or two, and so it went it until I fell in love with that album.  Rinse Repeat for the next couple of albums, but then they fell off the radar and then this came out, since my brother owned it I borrowed his copy, but I never cycled through it enough to get to the point of purchase for me.

Not sure why that was the case, but 1988 was a very busy year for me, college, a new marriage, and new son, lets just say I didn't have a lot of free time to devote to new music. The albums production is very much 1988, and the song writing as well. Some of its quite nice some of it sounds like they're going through the motions.  Clearly a band on the decline...

Restless Kind is the first really nice tune and its very good song!  But not enough to carry the album.  Everything here is familiar, like I said, I stole/borrowed this from my bro, but nothing really stands out, there is no Dont Tell Me You Love, Sing Me Away, Rock In America, Goodbye, etc...  and to quote any shark...  "I'm Out", at least in terms of purchase on this one.

Still, it was very nice to hear Restless Kind again!

[Niels (Mod)]

"Reason To Be" is imo the only really good song on this album. It's a looong album with a lot of filler. Or maybe it was just another sign, that I was getting very tired of this kind of music in the late 80's.

Reason to be is actually one of my favorite NR-songs.

A friend of mine borrowed the album around 1990-91, and had burglars, who stole most/all of his CD's, including mine. I never got it back, off course, and didn't buy it again. I used the money my friend gave me, to buy Use Your Illusion I instead. A better buy? Nah, not really.