_{For some reason I still expect Night Ranger albums to be more mellow / AOR / melodic than they actually are. Once again it took me longer that it should to check the new album out, but once I did, I realized that there was plenty to like. The latest album “Don’t Let Up” was released by Frontiers Music on 24th March and the track “Somehow Someway” was included on the Friday NI Rocks Show on 14th April.}

 

_{Night Ranger released a live album called “35 Years and a Night in Chicago” just a few months ago, but this is the first studio album to be released with Keri Kelli on guitar, following the departure of Joel Hoekstra to Whitesnake in 2014. Hoekstra had actually taken over from fellow Whitesnake guitarist Reb Beach who had covered the position briefly following the departure of founding member Jeff Watson in 2007. Three of the founding members remain with the band – Brad Gillis on guitar, Kelly Keagy on drums and lead vocals and Jack Blades on bass and lead vocals. The fifth member of the band is Eric Levy on keyboards.}

_{Initially performing as Stereo then Ranger, Night Ranger emerged in 1982 and they released 5 albums in the 80’s, the middle three of which were very successful. A period of turmoil ensued, during which an album was released with Gary Moon on vocals, before the band reunited in 1996. Since they have released 5 more studio albums, prior to “Don’t Let Up”.}

_{There are 11 tracks on the album. My favourites would be “Somehow Someway”, “Running Out of Time”, “Say What You Want” and “Jamie”.}

_{Check out the band’s website for more info - https://nightranger.com/}

 

_{Recommendation for the previous studio album “High Road” - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/1564-ni-rocks-recommends-qhigh-roadq-by-night-ranger.html}

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_{About “NI Rocks Recommends”}

_{The simple idea behind “NI Rocks Recommends” is to acknowledge and promote some of the great music being submitted to Rock Radio NI. I'll not be giving marks or ratings or analyzing the tracks in great detail; just telling you something about the artist and the album. It’s a personal recommendation to go check something out, not a traditional “review”!}

_{My musical tastes cover most things rock; from the not too melodic to the not too heavy. The albums that I’ll be recommending are those that you’ll hear me playing tracks from on my shows on Rock Radio NI.}

_{Check out NI Rocks on Facebook – www.facebook.com/NIRocks or Twitter - www.twitter.com/NIrelandRocks}