Night Ranger- High Road

This was one release i was really looking forward to when i saw their Epk video. High Road does not dissapoint and i actually see this release as my favorite Night Ranger Cd and one of my top picks of 2014. The songwriting is superb and with the addition of Eric Levy (Keyboards) & Joel Hoekstra(Lead Guitar)seem the band has gone back to the classic sound which won them many fans. This is a cd which should be blaring through your speakers when you are taking long drives. Opening track 'High Road' epitomizes the latter description and the early drive is maintained with 'Knock Knock Never Stop' featuring the brilliant shared vocals of Blades and Kelly Keagy. 'Rollin' On' is the heaviest track on the album and a throwback to the 'Neverland' and 'Seven' albums. 'Don't Live Here Anymore' could have easily appeared on a Keagy solo album albeit for the blistering guitar solos of Brad Gillis and Hoekstra. 'm Coming Home' again with its combined vocals is pure bliss and a real album highlight and I could see this featuring in future live sets. Gillis and Hoekstra duel frenetically throughout the whole album, highlighted on 'X Generation' and 'Hang On' that perfectly blend the old school sound with a modern approach. No NR album would be complete without the odd ballad or two and we have 'Brothers' and 'Only For You Only', the latter rating alongside some of their best. 'St. Bartholomews' is another heavy kick-ass track that contains more melody than most bands put into an entire album. The album concludes with the bonus track, the idiosyncratic, acoustic, instrumental '...Name'. overall one of my favorite albums of 2014 Night Ranger HIGH ROAD track listing: 1. High Road 2. Knock Knock Never Stop 3. Rollin� On 4. Don�t Live Here Any More 5. I�m Coming Home 6. X Generation 7. Only For You Only 8. Hang On 9. St. Bartholomew 10. Brothers 11. L.A. No Name 12. The Mountain Song*