Customer Reviews

Midnight Madnes

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love the song "Sister Christian", as did millions of others in the day. It is a fantastic, defining power ballad that was Night Ranger's biggest hit. HOWEVER, Night Ranger has numerous other songs that are equally as good and better--including on this album!

"(You Can Still) Rock In America" is a fantastic, patriotic hard-rocker that leads off the album. If this song doesn't get you pumped up, then check your pulse; you may be dead. "Rumors In The Air" also absolutely rocks. After that famous aforementioned hit ballad, "Touch Of Madness" is a different-sounding track that is truly a great hard rocker--offsetting the previous track nicely. "Passion Play" and "When You Close Your Eyes" are both great anthems, the latter which was a top 20 hit. "Let Him Run" is a very underrated and nice ballad to close the album--more accoustic than the rest of the album, which is generally hard-rocking. Every track on this album, in my mind, is an absolute winner.

Every melodic hard rock fan should have this album in their collection. While Night Ranger has had several great albums, this album is clearly the defining moment for one of the most enjoyable bands of the past 20 years. Strongly recommended--from the first through last tracks.

Following fast on the heels of their splendid debut "Dawn Patrol," the boys in Night Ranger clock in with another great pop-metal masterpiece. They haven't strayed too far from the formula they perfected on that first CD, but that's a GOOD thing in this case. If anything, "Midnight Madness" rocks even harder than "Dawn Patrol," with the flag-waving lead-off "You Can Still Rock In America," the stormy "Why Does Love Have To Change," and the pulsating "Rumors In The Air" leading the pack and of course, the indelibly classic "Sister Christian," a power ballad to end ALL power ballads. Then feast on the wistful nostalgia of "When You Close Your Eyes," the steamy rock of "Passion Play" and finish it off with the delicate acoustic-folk balladry of "Let Him Run." There's honestly not a weak track on the whole CD and I think it's one of the most perfectly paced collections by any 80s metal group out there.

Combined with "Dawn Patrol," Night Ranger haver created back-to-back classics that stand the test of time!

Oh the eighties,and how we were lucky to have been a teenager.This album thanks to MTV pushed these talented muscians to the top.Classic fast paced album which seems to end quickly but never a dull track.You Can Still Rock In America,the lead track right through is non stop.These albums are hard to find in stores.Thank god for amazon!Jack Blades,Kelly Keagy and Brad Gillis gave it all.I was fortunate to have seen them perform live and WOW! Damn Yankees stuff is hard to find too. Crank this baby up and You Can Rock In America TOO

You had to be there. I suppose the people who experienced the '50s have the same tough time explaining why they listened to the music they did... and why they dressed the way they did, but...

The cool thing about the 80s is we can remember it too! This CD is SO 80s. It is so fun. If these songs don't take you to somewhere really cool in your life, well you might not have 'been there'. The songs here are well crafted from front to back and bridge with fine guitar work and vocals. You can't go wrong with this CD. Touch of Madness is one that some may have forgotten--- if so, you must get this to remember!

Have fun!

The two big hits are here: "Sister Christian," commonly mistaken as "Motorin'," which showcases guitarist Brad Gillis' technique, and "(You Can Still) Rock in America," the patriotic whirlwind that boasts Jeff Watson playing one of the most original guitar solos ever recorded. Most of the other songs are decent, but they derive a lot from the group's debut album: "When You Close Your Eyes," another big hit, is a rewrite of "Young Girl in Love"; "Chippin' Away" is a carbon copy of "At Night She Sleeps," and "Why Does Love Have to Change" is a pale substitute for the fiery fretwork of "Eddie's Comin' Out Tonight." All in all, the album succeeds because it sticks to the formula that made the first LP so popular, and thus, all Night Ranger fans need this CD, but most others may prefer the greatest hits collection.

Midnight Madness one of my all time favorite albums was released in 1983 amid the metal fury which dominated the music scene. Night Ranger made the album which was pure form of melodic rock when melodic rock giants such as Survivor, and Journey struggled to creat one. Night Ranger is made up of top quality musicians in any fields. Particularly I like Alan Fitzerald's excellent command of keyboard and excellent playing by twin guitarists Jeff Watson and Brad Gillis. Vocalists are super as well, featuring Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy which are both the finest vocals. You already know You Can Still Rock In America it is strikingly one of their best songs so far. And great follow up for their debut and masterpiece album Dawn Patrol. Ironically it is a ballad Sister Christian which made them the top American band and made the album double platinum. To me Sister Christian was a swan song for heavy metal era and Night Ranger was led into more Journey or Survivor like mainstream pop rock. But what was good about them is even in ballad hits they did so well. Other than hit tracks I like When Love Have To Change and Passion Play and the last nice ballad Let Him Run(one of the best non-hit tracks).

Now they are facing difficulties due to demise in melodic rock itself but I am sure they will be back with a new studio album when we will it!

Night Ranger were the perfact blend of music. Jack blades was the rockin' front man. Kelly keagy was the balladeer. Brad Gills was the excellent lead guitarist. Night Ranger were a mix of Bryan Adams AOR rock, and Hair Metal. From "YOU CAN STILL (Rock in America)"
to the ever popular "Sister Christian" to "When you close your eyes (best song), People call Huey Lewis and the News "THE 80's band"
as good as they were, Night Ranger has gotten them beat.

Everyone who listened to rock or watched MTV in the 80s knows the hit balad Sister Christian from this CD. But there is much more to this CD than that one song. There are no fillers here - every song on it is good. This is one of those few CDs that you can leave on and play all the way through without getting bored.

Night Ranger won me over from the start with the albumn Dawn Patrol. Their balads are catchy, their up-tempo rockers are solid. Versatility is a sign of good musicianship. Tight vocals and great guitar work made them a frontrunner band in the 80's, with a little help from MTV.

This is one of the three best Night Ranger CD's, and definately one to have in your collection.

MIDNIGHT MADNESS is the second great Night Ranger album in a row. The ballad "Sister Christian" is way overplayed, but there are numerous great rockers here. If you buy DAWN PATROL, MIDNIGHT MADNESS, 7 WISHES, and LIVE IN JAPAN, you'll have the ultimate Night Ranger library.

If you're even just a smidge of a Night Ranger fan, you'll always find some foundation in this album. From start to finish, each song has strong momentum, including the by-now-classic-and-cliche'-to-some, "Sister Christian". Jack and team deserve all due credit for this power collection of Night Ranger tracks that, especially to those of us who are true children of the 80's, still gets the heart pumping....Great Job Guys!