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Hole in the Sun

Night Ranger - Hole in the Sun Audio CD

A fair review of the Night Ranger "Hole in the Sun" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Night Ranger reviews here, or go back to the Night Ranger tabs.

Band: Night Ranger
Title: Hole in the Sun
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-07-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Tell Your Vision 2: Drama Queen 3: You're Gonna Hear from Me 4: Whatever Happened 5: There Is Life 6: Rockstar 7: Hole in the Sun 8: Fool in Me 9: White Knuckle Ride 10: Revelation 4AM 11: Wrap It Up 12: Being 13: Don't Tell Me You Love Me [Acoustic Version][*] 14: Sister Christian [Acoustic Version][*]

Maybe it's me. Maybe I just want Night Ranger to sound like they did twenty years ago
The track kicks off like a sonic boom of guitars, and the solos are just as wild. The Good
"Tell Your Vision" is a killer guitar track. "Drama Queen" is clever and witty, and everyone knows someone one just like the girl they're talking about. Ranger mixes it up with a blusey-groove here. "You're Gonna Hear From Me" is a drum-heavy arena rocker with that sing-along flow to it. "There is Life" really touches the heart with it's lyrics. "Fool in Me" is an acoustic ballad that surely could have been an outtake from a Shaw/Blades album. "Wrap It Up" recalls the Night Ranger hey-day with loud guitars and toe-tapping grooves.

The Bad
The production on this album is God awful. Terrible. My guess is there was a quick re-shuffle of recordings after Jeff Watson left. At least I hope that's what it is. I'd hate to think that Night Ranger just doesn't have it anymore. To be fair, two Watson penned tracks are still included. However, they are the two that most resemble Night Ranger in the 80s.

Despite it's great guitar work, the vocals on "Tell Your Vision" are just plain bad. Blades and Keagy are trying to harmonize, but they're styles conflict too much. "Whatever Happened" is just not Night Ranger. Sounds more like Nirvana making an attempt a melody. As great as I thought the lyrics were to "There is Life," it sort of has a "Sister Christian" quality to it. You can relate to the message on "Rockstar" with today's music scene, but if you can stand the vocals, your a bigger person than me.

They two acoustic bonus tracks ("Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and "Sister Christian") were well-done, but were already released on a prior album.

The Verdict
Maybe it's me. Maybe I just want Night Ranger to sound like they did twenty years ago. I know that's not possible. The guys are older, the musical landscape has changed, and I can't imagine they had the same budget they did for their 80s releases. I have to say though, when I think of Night Ranger, I want to hear thunderous guitars, killer hooks, catchy choruses, and emotional power ballads. Hole in the Sun simply doesn't deliver enough of that. It does in a very small does, but not enough to carry the album. Perhaps it's time for the group to embrace the nostalgia, and forget about creating the next Night Ranger classic. Let's face it, we already have so much to choose from.

Modern Night Ranger, modern sound
There were no song samples and the reviews weren't much help. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw the CD and bought it. I went in hoping to hear a rocking CD with some of their classic sound mixed in. . . . boy was I wrong.
If you, too, were looking for classic Night Ranger, keep looking.

If you ever wondered what Night Ranger would sound like if it released a CD with the latest guitar sounds and rhythms that you hear in current pop songs by Pink and Kelly Clarkson, then you got your wish.

Depending on what you are expecting from Night Ranger, you might agree or disagree with my review.

I really didn't enjoy listening to this CD very much.
You won't find very much of their classic guitar sound on this CD. You might hear glimpses of it now and then in the guitar solos of a few songs, but that's about it. The flat, off key vocals on a few songs were disappointing.
I know it's the in thing to do, but it's not a very good fit for this group.

Kelly Keagy sounded like he was bored on the few songs he sings lead on. (Drama Queen, There is Life, Being) Not much feeling in his voice. I have no idea why he sounds the way he does on this CD.

The keyboards by Michael Lardie added a little to the tone of this album. But they were more in the background compared to past releases.
.
When I heard the beginning to the song " Rock Star" I thought I was finally going to hear a good old fashioned hard rock song. It started out good, but then soon fizzled into a light hearted jangly talk/rap song.

Now I know why Amazon, doesn't have sound samples for this CD. . . .

Maybe they will bring back more of their classic sound on their next CD.
If not, I won't even bother buying it.

.

Night Ranger delivers - again
Solid from start to finish, its brimming with huge hooks and fantastic fret work. I don't think there's a Night Ranger album that has ever disappointed me, and this one is no exception. Night Ranger's albums are always so solid, its difficult to say that one is much better than the other, or one is a "return to form" or whatever a critic might assign in trying to gauge a record vs. previous albums. In any event, this record is a bit more aggressive and harder-edged than their last two studio records. Regardless, you won't be disappointed.

Modern, but still Night Ranger
It is absolutely brilliant! For some bands, it is fine for them to keep recreating their original sound, but Night Ranger has never been satisfied simply doing that. As others have mentioned, what a year for comebacks by '80s bands! This one by Night Ranger seems to be getting overlooked by too many. Listen to the searing opening rockers "Tell Your Vision", "Drama Queen", and "Your Gonna Hear it From Me". While modern, it is definitely Night Ranger with the dualing guitars and catchy melodies. Has Night Ranger ever rocked harder than they do here? "There Is Life", at track 5, is indeed the power ballad of the album. Some call it "Sister Christian" for the 21st century, and I see their point. However, this song stands on its own as a fantastic melodic ballad. "White Knuckle Ride" is another modern rocker that takes some getting used to but again becomes brilliant to me after repeated listens. "Revelation 4AM" to me sounds like vintage Night Ranger. "Being" is a nice, slow way to end the new tracks on an album of material that generally ROCKS through and through. The bonus acoustic studio tracks of classics "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and "Sister Christian" don't take away from the rest of the material but in fact enhance it. Don't be fooled by these tracks being acoustic--they are still catchy and rocking, enjoyable versions of the songs.

I am well aware that Night Ranger had all its top 40 hits between 1982 and 1986--the last being "Goodbye" some 22 years ago. However, for true fans of this band that care about more than radio hits, this album should absolutely hit the spot. Night Ranger is a band that saw its highest level of fame in the '80s, but this album proves that they are in no way stuck in the '80s. If you like any music at all beyond 1990, give this one a listen. I am anything but disappointed in this new material--to me it is one of the best rock albums of the year to date.

Night Ranger STILL ROCKIN'!!
I decided to give it a listen. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw this CD, I worried it was gonna be a bunch of guys past their prime, still trying to make the old stuff new. Sampled it and decided it was worth it to buy it. WOW! They have come BACK! And it's fresh, but it's still them. . . just BETTER!! The trademark guitar licks from Brad, the strong vocals and drums of Kelly, every song is great! Especially enjoy: "You're Gonna Hear From Me", and "There is Life". Take a listen to this CD for sure. If you don't like it, CHECK YOUR PULSE!!.

You can see a complete list of all Night Ranger discography, or go back to the Night Ranger tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.