NEW MUSIC CORNER # 42 NIGHT RANGER/WARRANT

[RJhog (Admin)]

This week I have new releases from a couple of 80's bands.  Click HERE to listen.

 

Night Ranger - Somewhere In California (2011)

 

I really, really love this new album.  I haven't purchased their last few releases, so I was a bit skiddish on picking it up, but I did anyway.  That was a great call on my part, 'cause this album is full of rockin' guitars, big choruses, and awesome vocals and harmonies.  This has stoked my interest in some of their more recent catalog that I don't own, so I will be looking to pick up a few more releases here and there.  This has moved into second place on my list of favorites from 2011.  The only problem is cutting it down to 5 songs for you, but here they are:

 

1. Lay It On Me

2. Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight)

3. Time Of Our Lives

4. End Of The Day

5. Say It With Love

 

 

Here's a little bonus as well.  The band, along with Ted Nugent, made a cover of Damn Yankees' Comin' Of Age available for anyone who downloads the album from Amazon and a cover of Dirty Deeds for those downloading from iTunes.  Well, I didn't do either, but here are rips I found on Youtube if you are interested.  By the way, the first one is a rip from a radio station playing it, so the actual song starts at about the 1:45 mark.

Also, Niels included Night Ranger's new video for Growin' Up In California in VOTW 49, so if you want to see the video or listen to the song, click the following link: VOTW # 49

 

Warrant - Rockaholic (2011)

 

I've never been much of a Warrant fan, but with all of the "better than decent" reviews I've been reading, I thought I'd pick this one up.  And I have to say that I agree.  It's better than decent.  It's not heavy, but there are some pretty good rockers.  It takes a few songs before the album takes off for me, but it's pretty good from there on out.  The vocals are good but the guitars, although not bad, are nowhere near those that appear on the Night Ranger album.  Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

 

1. Dusty's Revenge

2. Life's A Song

3. Show Must Go On

4. Cocaine Freight Train

5. Tears In The City

 

[Jon]

I think I may be in the whole wide world.

[Scott]

NIGHT RANGER ... Cant rate quite yet

I've heard some of the Night Ranger prior to this posting and I do like the California tune, but theres something about Night Ranger that has always been true for me and thats this; the first listen of a Night Ranger album doesnt impress me, I hated them at first and then they came out with the single "Goodbye" and I went back and listened and listened and listened and I ended up loving their first 3-4 albums.  I said all that to say this, I dont like this yet, because its my first listen (except that one song).  One jab, couldnt they get better production out of the drums!?  They sound weak... I gotta come back to them later and see if it starts to stick...

 

WARRANT ... Two Thumbs Surprisingly Way Up!

Me being the resident musical lightweight I enjoyed this one very much. And very much to surprise too.  I'm on RJ bandwagon about this band, I dont like them before, but this was a very nice listen.  Dustys Revenge and Lifes a Song are very strong!  Nice riff on SHOW MUST GO ON!  Of the 5 tracks posted COCAINE FREIGHT TRAIN was the one I liked least, but I liked it alot, make sense?

[RJhog (Admin)]

I love the part when he sings along with the riff (on Cocaine Freight Train).

[Jon]

You make a good point with Night Ranger. The only album I liked after first listen was "Dawn Patrol" everything else took a few listens (quite a few for some) and then I started really liking them. I have every studio album and they're all quite good.

 

And I'm scared to listen to Warrant. Really, really scared.

[Scott]

Just listened to radio outtake of the Damn Yankees jam.  They were spot on with Coming Of Age, in fact it sounded like a nice remastered version, but by far best part was to hear them break into Stranglehold...

[Jon]

Night Ranger--Thumbs Up

Don't have much to say about this album except it's really, really good. This didn't take a couple listens, this I liked at first listen. 

 

 

Warrant--Thumbs in the middle, trending down

This starts of great. Then the second song reminds me of Bon Jovi. 3rd song good, 4th song decent and then the 5th song sounds like...Bon Jovi. I didn't like them much before (except "Uncle Tom's Cabin") and this hasn't swayed me. A couple good songs does not make it a purchase for me. Now my thumbs are really pointing down because I'm listening to song #5 again.

[Niels (Mod)]

NIGHT RANGER - THUMBS a little higher than EVEN

In the past, I've bought 3 Night Ranger-albums, but there's only one of them, I really like, and that's "Seven Wishes". I've been looking for that album on CD a couple of times, but no luck. Now to this album: I don't really like "Lay It On Me", except for the guitars. It sounds a bit like a Ratt-track. On "Bye Bye Baby (not tonight)", you can really hear Jack Blade's fine vocal (it is him, ain't it???). Much better track imo. Great guitar-solo. The 3 remaining tracks are okay. It's not a purchase for me. But I have to say that the guitar-solo's on these songs are some of the finest I've heard in a LONG time!!

 

WARRANT - THUMBS DOWN

 

I don't really care for this type of rock-music anymore. For me it's not the second song, but the first: "Dusty's Revenge" reminds me of (yrk!!) Bon Jovi, or some late 80's band, White Lion or.... hmmm like Warrant!! "Life's A Song" has been on VOTW a little while back, but it' doesn't make it any better. "Show Must Go On" is probably the best track here. Reminds me a bit of Riot or Def Leppard.

[Gordon Williams]

Just now started listening to this and I...

Heard some of the NR elsewhere, and liked it enough to order it. Hopefully will be waiting for me when I get home, and there I can listen to all of it...and listen LOUD!! The Warrant also has me interested...it is on my "under serious consideration" list of possible purchases. So I'll listen to it...and hopefully be able to make a decision on if I buy or not.

NMC is a good thing...for both listener and artist!

[Gordon Williams]

Ok, heard enough of this new Warrant that it is now on my "will purchase" list. I think Robert Mason is a great vocalist. First heard him back in the 90's when he replaced Oni Logan in George Lynch's Lynch Mob.

NMC is gonna cause me financial hardships...