•
Rating:
After some time since my last review, I propose to all lovers of Hard-Rock Melodic-Rock music an album that in itself represents a band and a great masterpiece (not the only one).
Midnight Madness is indeed the main work of Night Ranger, who have recently returned to the scene with their new album Hole In The Sun. The early eighties are the birth of a multitude of bands and musical styles linked to rock. Newly emerged bands of every kind, previously unknown, gain success. Heavy-Metal, Hard-Rock, the first forms of glam... musically speaking, at their birth Night Ranger managed to merge a series of genres and present them in their first work: Dawn Patrol, an excellent album (at times even better than Midnight Madness). You might say, "well... newbies rising from the American underground"... but this consideration is completely wrong as they presented mature artists with significant musical experience, such as Alan Fitzgerald (keyboards), Brad Gillis (guitar), and Jack Blades (bass/vocals), already together in Rubicon. Joining these three members are Jeff Watson (second guitarist) and Kelly Keagy (drums/vocals). The album released in 1983 presents Glam-rock Hard-rock atmospheres that continuously blend with ballads, thus with a sound close to pop and a melodic rock that will particularly distinguish them in the subsequent albums where they will almost fully abandon glam. The cover depicts the 5 members with various other characters in the background who should represent the "madness" of midnight, also reflecting the atmospheres of major American cities at night in the eighties. The opener track "(You Can Still) Rock In America" is one of their most famous songs and perhaps also the most rhythmic, with a glam riff that influences the entire song. Certainly more complex and, let's say, superior to the first is "Rumours In The Air" where Blades with his warm voice, suitable for more "hard" melodies, and the legendary Alan Fitzgerald (current keyboardist of Van Halen backstage) take the lead. The chorus goes "rumours in the air like a thief in the night". The third song is also the first of the album that does not appear on the track lists of their subsequent collections (the track list is more or less always unchanged, with the same masterpiece songs) but does not disappoint the listener with a chorus, as usual, very catchy and enterprising. I believe the secret to the success of Night Ranger's songs are precisely the choruses, always lively and engaging. The fourth track is their signature song: the timeless ballad "Sister Christian". No comments needed here. The song speaks for itself, and thanks to it, the group's success arrived. "Touch Madness" is the song you don't expect, an almost gloomy intro gives way to a stunning and electrifying chorus. The song has a particular Hard-rock style that culminates into the usual melodic chorus. "Passion Play" has a distinctive sound marked by keyboards and accompanied by harmonies and guitars. Not bad, like the subsequent "When You Close Your Eyes" and "Chippin' Away" that partly reprise "Passion Play" and its sound. The album closes with "Let Him Run" where Blades gives his best accompanied only by keyboards and guitars.
In conclusion, I can only say that I highly recommend this group, although unknown, to all lovers of 80s' rock, you'll like it. I also hope to receive more comments than my other review on the Night... even negative ones, of course.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 (You Can Still) Rock in America (04:15)
Little Sister by the record machine
A tiny dancer such a sweet sixteen
She's goin' out she's gonna party tonight
She's gonna shake and make it last all night
Little brother's got a drivin' machine
A fast driver such a clean machine
They're going out they're gonna put out the lights
They gonna rock it rock it rock it
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah s'alright
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah all night
You can still rock in America
Little sister makes a move for the door
The door squeaks she's on the second floor
Her daddy wakes "Is everything OK?"
Not a sound as she makes her getaway
Little brother's got it ready to roll
Tires burning as they head for the show
Light it up and turn the music up loud
And Rock it rock it rock it
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah s'alright
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah all night
You can still rock in America
Rock In America (you can still)
Rock In America (rock in America)
Rock In America (Yeah you can still)
Rock In America
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah s'alright
You can still rock in America
Ah yeah all night
You can still rock in America
You can still rock in America
Well you can still rock in America
02 Rumours in the Air (04:33)
Used to call me
By my first name
Now you never even call me at all
Used to say
I was your only flame
It was so simple
I believed it all
Now I hear
You've got a new friend and lover
Who keeps you warm
On the cool cool nights
There's a rumor in the air
Don't seem right
Rumours in the air
Like a thief in the night
Taking more than their share
Taking more than their right
Rumors in the air
Like a thief in the night
Rumours
Rumors in the air
Used to call me
When you felt the pain
Now you never even feel it at all
Used to swear
That we would never change
And like a fool
I believed it all
Now you say
You had a weekend of trouble
As you stare me down
With those cool cool eyes
There's a rumor in the air
Don't seem right
Rumours in the air
Like a thief in the night
Taking more than their share
Taking more than their right
Rumors in the air
Like a thief in the night
Rumours Rumours
Rumors in the air
Used to call me
By my first name
Now you never even call me at all
Now you say
That I'm the one to blame
Doesn't matter
How I feel at all
Well I hear
You've got a new friend and lover
You'll take him down
It's so plain to see
Well there's a rumor in the air
Killing me
Rumours in the air
Like a thief in the night
Taking more than their share
Taking more than their right
Rumors in the air
Like a thief in the night
Rumours Rumours
Rumors in the air
Rumors in the air (x3)
Rumors (x3)
Rumors in the air
04 Sister Christian (05:03)
Sister Christian, oh the time has come
And you know that you're the only one to say, OK
Where you goin', what you looking for
You know those boys don't want to play no more with you
It's true
{Refrain}
You're motoring
What's your price for flight
In finding Mister Right
You'll be all right tonight
Babe, you know you're growing up so fast
And momma's worrying that you won't last to say, let's play
Sister Christian, there's so much in life
Don't you give it up before your time is due
It's true. It's true, yeah!
You're motoring
What's your price for flight
You've got him in your sights
And driving through the night
{Refrain thrice}
Sister Christian, oh the time has come
And you know that you're the only one to say, OK
But you're motoring
Yeah, motoring
07 When You Close Your Eyes (04:16)
What do you do when it's falling apart
And you knew it was gone from the very start
Do you close your eyes and dream about me
A girl in love with a gleam in her eye
I was a younger boy all dressed in white
We're older now, Do you still think about me
I remember we learned about love in the back of a chevrolet
Well it felt so good to be young, feels like yesterday
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
Do you still dream about me
I guess I don't know what I'm thinking
Coming off a hard night of drinking
Angie come closer to me, I need a soul to bleed on
It coulda been done in a different kinda way
But that ain't you, you play tough when you play
It's over now, I bet you still think about me
I remember I held you so tight
And we danced the night away
With the moves of two wide-eyed kids
I need you so much today
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
I remember we learned about love in the back of a chevrolet
No good for an old memory, to mean so much today
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you close your eyes, do you dream about me
When you go to sleep at night, do you dream about me
Loading comments slowly
