Customer Reviews

Dawn Patrol

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'll never forget the first time I heard Night Ranger's "Dawn Patrol." A couple of friends played "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" for me, and I was in air guitar heaven. That track blazes!! One of my friends said that it was incredible that two guitarists as good as Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson made it into the same band. How true. The best thing about this album is how it flows, maintaining a rocking yet melodic form throughout. I saw Night Ranger live in 1984 and again in 1999; they showcased their awesome talent as musicians on both occasions. They sounded great live. My favorite thing about this album is the unique guitar style of Brad Gillis. As soon as you hear his expressive solos, you know it is him, wailing away on his red guitar. I think this album shows the group at its rockin' best, before the pressure to conform to radio based hits took its toll. Check out "Can't Find Me a Thrill," "Eddie's Comin' Out Tonight," and "Night Ranger(the song)" for a chance to kick out the jams. Catch you on the Dawn Patrol, my rockin' brothers & sisters.

Recorded and released without all the hype and expectations of their later albums allowed Night Ranger to do on Dawn Patrol what it did best--record rocking anthems that shredded while staying true to its melodic roots. On Dawn Patrol, the Night Ranger formula of dueling guitars, in-your-face keyboards, thundering drums, and good songwriting melded into a rocking album from start to finish (notably, with no ballads). Though some of their most classic songs would came later, Dawn Patrol is Night Ranger's best album overall.

I get irritated with people who think that all Night Ranger entails is "Sister Christian". That is a fantastic hit from the also-5-star "Midnight Madness" album, but this band has had so much quality material. At the top of the list is this album. I have owned it on cassette for probably over 15 years, but am listening to it today for the first time on CD (via Amazon.com). All I can say is--unbelieveable still after all these years. "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" has one of the catchiest solos of all time. "Eddie's Coming Out Tonight" is a killer rocker, as is "Night Ranger" (the song). There is not one weak track on this amazing album--which sounds better than ever on CD. Very underrated album (by the public in general) by a very underrated band.

Paid a few dollars more for this cd because i thought Mad Cat record label would be the original record label. It wasn't, you can actually hear the scratches in the record that they recorded it off of on the cd. Worst sound quality of any cd that i have ever heard. Actually tossed this cd in the garbage. Will never buy any Mad Cat recording ever again. Had to give it one star to submit review, but wanted to give it a negative 10.

Just listen to the blazing speed from about 2 minutes on in the "Can't Find Me A Thrill" guitar solo! I never get sick of hearing it. As far as "metal" guitar duos, I always thought Gillis and Watson could stand up to anyone. So melodic...

I first heard this album when I was 10 years old, and I'm still enjoying it today, 24 years later. I only wish music today was this good.

Their masterpiece debut album in 1982 may not have huge hits as Sister Christian but the album as a whole shows what great rock is all about. Don't Tell Me You Love Me is a nice blasting opener copmparable to that Rock In America in Midnight Madness their second another excellent CD. Sing Me Away, dramatic power ballad literally makes me want to sing along. Eddie's Coming Around Tonight shows Alan Fitzerald's excellent keyboard with nice Brad's guitar riff. Overall their rock style may be close to Loverboy but with twin guitar performance by Brad and Jeff gave them clear distinction with keyboard laden Foreigner, Journey and yet retaining well-refined form of rock comparable to Survivor or Toto.

Essential for 80's rock lovers.

This was an excellent debut album by a very talented band. Every song is great melodic hard driving rock with excellent vocals. Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson are great guitarists and Jack Blades is a great singer and bassist. SING ME AWAY and DON'T TELL ME YOU LOVE ME are two of the best rock songs of the 80's in my opinion. There isn't a bad song on this CD. This album sounds just as good today as it did when it came out.

A bit uneven, but still strong, "Dawn Patrol" showcases the lead guitar work of Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson, who stuff each song with solos and riffs that set many young guitarists off and running. "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" remains an 80s rock standard, and though no other hits appear on the album, the polished harmonies and thundering drums of songs like "Night Ranger," "Eddie's Comin' Out Tonight," and "Play Rough" pretty much define the arena rock sound of the mid-80s.

DAWN PATROL is Night Ranger's first- and overall best- album. Although their biggest hits would come later, this album is much more consistent musically than their other albums, excluding compilations. This album is the sound of a band just putting it all on the line and rocking out. The reason some of their later albums- such as BIG LIFE- were wanting in excitement is that they seemed to be trying too hard for the big hits. Here, however, they're just rocking like it's nobody's business. Get DAWN PATROL, MIDNIGHT MADNESS, 7 WISHES, and LIVE IN JAPAN, and you'll have the ultimate Night Ranger library.