Night Ranger
Midnight Madness

THE REVIEW

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.