Somewhere in California

Night Ranger | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 21, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Frontiers Records
• ASIN: B004VFYOMU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,989 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Growin' Up In California 4:25

2. Lay It On Me 4:36

3. Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight) 4:34

4. Follow Your Heart 6:45

5. Time Of Our Lives 5:15

6. No Time To Lose Ya 4:29

7. Live For Today 6:03

8. It's Not Over 4:34

9. End Of The Day 4:07

10. Rock N' Roll Tonite 4:11

11. Say It With Love 5:18

Editorial Reviews

2011 album from the AOR rockers, their first album since 2007's Hole In The Sun. Featuring original members Jack Blades, Kelly Keagy and Brad Gillis, Somewhere In California has a sound that is modern yet doesn't stray too far away from the band's winning formula.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Surprise June 21, 2011

By John Dietrich

Format:Audio CD

I've been a Night Ranger fan ever since Dawn Patrol hit the air waves and have stuck with them through the high and low points, even the Gary Moon phase. Their last few CDs were very hit and miss and in my mind were kind of disappointing as they tried to find a "sound."

On Somewhere in California, Night Ranger takes their two new members on a trip back to their old sound. Quite honestly, this sounds more like a follow-up album to Midnight Madness to me than 7 Wishes does. You will find a lot more up beat, guitar driven songs on this CD. Like typical Night Ranger, the lyrics aren't going to change the world as cliches abound. But this is feel good rock with great guitar work. I even like the new touches Eric Levy brings at keyboard.

Stand out songs include: Time of Our Lives -- a power ballad, No Time To Lose Ya -- a guitar driven mindless anthem, and Bye Bye Baby(Not Tonight).

This is simply their best CD in years. Enjoy!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stunning CD Considering It's 2011 June 21, 2011

By Chris Martin

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

WOW! That's my initial reaction to this CD. I honestly never thought Night Ranger could make a CD this awesome at this stage of their career. It is incredibly consistent and contains a great variety of upbeat tunes along with a couple of slower songs.

Time Of Our Lives would have easily been a top ten hit in the 80's and is one of the best songs they have ever recorded.

Pick this one up without hesitation - it's that good. Cannot wait to see them on tour...

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Their Classsic Sound Returns - Great Hard-Rocking AOR June 21, 2011

By Cory T. Shaeffer

Format:Audio CD

Longtime fans of Night Ranger will love this release, as the vocals of Jack Blades sound as good as ever, and the harmonies and other instrumentation is also perfected throughout. This album is by far their hardest rocking set, and just like 2007's "Hole In the Sun" it is a very high-energy, umptempo release, aside from two excellent ballads (most notably "Time Of Our Lives" which is hands down the band's best song since Sister C).

The thing that separates this album from "Hole In the Sun" is the outstanding songwriting. The hooks return here, and this is a revitalized band that has recaptured everything that ever made them good. They don't expand on the formula much - and that is a good thing, because it works so well for the duration of the album. "Bye Bye Bye (Not Tonight)" is a classic melodic rocker along the lines of "You Can Still ROck In America" or "Don't Tell Me You Love Me," while "Lay It On Me" may be the band's heaviest song released to date. It too carries a good melody, and even on the harder tracks, Night Ranger does not abandon the hooks (as they did for the most part on releases such as "Seven.")

There is nothing negative to say about this album really. It's such a refreshing thing to hear after all these years, these guys have made their best album in decades, and while listening to it, one wonders how it is still even possible for them to be this good in 2011. But they are, and it is every reason to go out and purchase this. Night Ranger has paid their dues over the years, working hard and touring extensively all over the world.... And even though this album sadly is not likely to burn up the charts, it is a relevant and noteworthy release even in today's market, decades after their commercial peak, because of the quality of the material and the realization that rock and roll can and still should occasionally be fun. Read more ›

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE album of the summer of 2011!!!!!! June 30, 2011

By Thomas Hoifors

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

ARE YOU READY FOR THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE???

Let me first say that if you don't know Night Ranger, buying this album is the best way to get to know them as it's their best album ever, and freshest sounding, too!

I am Thomas. I've been a fan of the band for 20 years. This is when I discovered them over here in Norway, where I live. I am proud to say that I am a fan of these wonderful guys, and I have spent the best moments of my life seeing them live 11 times so far. It was with great expectations that I started listening to their brand new studio album, their first album in 4 years since 2007's more experimental "Hole In The Sun". Now, the bands first comeback album in 1997, "Neverland" was a great album, so was 1998's "Seven", but these three albums were more or less experimental as far as sound goes. Some tracks were classic Night Ranger, some were just very different. It is with GREAT pleasure I can reveal that the ORIGINAL Night Ranger sound that so many people have LOVED for such a long time is BACK, and this time, it's for real!!!!!!!

For all of you who DO know the band... Night Ranger is really, really BACK in their true classic Night Ranger style with blazing twin guitars, dual lead vocals between Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy, beautiful keyboards and piano, ULTRA CATCHY melodies and hooks beyond belief, and a perfect blend between easy hit-single lyrics and deep, deep lyrics that will make you ponder and make you get in contact with the Love inside your heart and beautiful thoughts in your mind!

The 80s never ended, and this album proves just that! AND keeps the 80s rocking on and on and on!!!

To make it short and sweet: This is THE perfect rock album. In fact, the best album I ever heard by ANY (!) band....

Here you have this amazingly talented band with roots in the 70s (They once started out as Rubicon, turned into Stereo, a separate band, then forming into Night Ranger in 1981!) that became one of the biggest bands of the 1980's selling millions upon millions of albums over and over (more than 17 million albums sold this day today), still sounding so incredibly young and fresh, and for the first time in more than two decades, Night Ranger sounds HUNGRY for success once more! And from the looks of things, they are more popular now than they've been since the 1980s!

"Somewhere In California", the brand new studio album by the legendary NIGHT RANGER, features true catchy rock songs, hard rock songs, one beautiful ballad (and YES, it's even BETTER than "Sister Christian", the mega-smash hit of the 1980's!!!) and some progressive rock songs that will blow you away!

All in true, super cool 80s style.

I can't say enough positive things about this album. Some professional reviewers have tried to find flaws with this album, but they can't! It's just impossible to talk negative about this album, as each track on this album is a keeper, a stayer and a grower! You simply WON'T find a BAD song on this album! NOT ONE FILLER TRACK!!!

Oh yeah. The only bad thing about this album is that it has to end. 11 songs. All pure melodic perfection. With this level of quality, it should've been 22 songs. But an audio CD won't find that many songs. Jokes aside. This album really is something special. Read on to find out more!!!

If you liked Night Ranger in the 1980s, you'll LOVE this album as it sounds like Night Ranger did back then, BUT with a much crisper and more updated production! You got the same vocals, the same guitars, only the guys are more experienced now, so they are in fact BETTER players today than they were 20-30 years ago!

If you hated Night Ranger in the 1980s, you'll probably like this album today! Why? Because they sound so FRESH today, and you WILL find several songs on this album that you will be humming on all day long til you hear these songs again!

Hot tips for ultra catch songs are; "Growin' Up In California", "Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight)" and "No Time To Lose Ya". The latter having the most beautiful, dream & summer-like guitar solo I've ever heard in my life and a chorus to die for!

Kelly Keagy pounds those drums better than ever before, and Jack keeps thumping that bass guitar! Newcomer Eric Levy on Keyboards is a PERFECT replacement of Fitz, and Joel Hoekstra, now with the band for 4 years, compliments Brad Gillis' playing in a way I haven't heard since Jeff Watson was in the band. Yes, Joel does 8 finger tapping too, and you have to see him live to believe it! He's really THAT good!

Oh and did I say no other bands in the world does blazing twin guitar attacks like Night Ranger does? Well you get that on this album too! Just like they did in the 80s!

Ok, here we go guys!

Track by track review:

1.) "Growin' Up In California" - You are really blown away from the first track til the last with this album. "Growin' Up In California" compliments the title of this album ("Somewhere In California") and was written by the guys to give the fans the tale of how this band was started, growing up in California and all! The music video to this track is really cool too and can be found on several popular video places on the net! You will LOVE this tune! It's like the new "(You Can Still) Rock In America" only it's brand new and fresh and original! It's uptempo, rockin', catchy, makes you feel good, lifts you up, showers you with melody abundance, delivers awesome "singing" guitars, cool verses, awesome choruses, features some really, really cool lyrics and is crafted in a way that makes it THE perfect melodic rock song! You ARE going to love this tune! Believe my words!!!

2.) "Lay It On Me" - This is a REAL show-stopper, and the heaviest track Night Ranger ever did! Brad Gillis came up with this song, and he's really LAYING it on you with this killer heavy track! From the catchy, badass riff, to the stadium-rocker-like chorus, this is a track that will punch you in the stomach and leave you wanting more! Only Brad Gillis can come up with a riff like this. "Da-da, dadada-da, dadada-da, dadada.. LAY IT ON ME!!!!" Awesome! This song makes the album rock even harder and there's no sign of slowing down the pace yet!!!

3.) "Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight)" - This could be a huge hit on the radio and on MTV! It really sounds like the new "When You Close Your Eyes" with dual lead vocals going on, and beautiful guitar lead ins and outs between choruses! The lyrics are interesting and keeps you hooked to the story! Beautifully sung by Jack Blades who sings like he haven't done since the 80s! I honestly, honestly love this song so much!!! I can't get enough of it! The chorus is really off the top! The guys are screamin' their lungs out, in the best possible way! They deliver and more! True 80s sounding stuff! The whole song is simply mindblowingly good! Did you miss original Night Ranger? Look no further! Here it is!!!!!

4.) "Follow Your Heart" - Don't let the title fool ya! This is a rocker, not a ballad! At almost 7 minutes running time, what a cool progressive song this is! I won't give away too much, but it features some of the best guitars I've heard in a while!

5.) "Time Of Our Lives" - Get ready for one of the most beautiful songs you have ever heard in your whole life! I know I will be playing this in the future when I get eventually find the girl of my dreams and get married. "When I look in your eyes I forget for a while there's a world spinning around, life in motion. And I just wanna stay in your arms for a day and we'll live out loud, it's the time of our lives". Just wait til you hear these lyrics SUNG by Kelly Keagy, the most emotional voice in rock music today. This songs gives me goose bumps. And I thought Journey did good ballads... This is such a gorgeous song about Love! You WILL love it! Trust me!

6.) "No Time To Lose Ya" - This song surprised me SO much! I had NO idea anyone could write SUCH a catchy song! I have to admit it... This is the catchiest songs I have ever heard! It's really number one! It beats all the bands old work for catchiness! From the uptempo and bouncy-feeling light beat, to the well written lyrics, amazing lead vocals by Jack Baldes to the most PERFECT chorus ever written, in my opinion! The melody just gets you going, totally hooks you to the song, and keeps lifting the album up, up and further up! In a way similar to "When You Close Your Eyes" too, one of the bands big hits from the 80s, but MUCH better! Jack sings. Then Kelly sings. The the whole band sings. They change how Kelly leads into the chorus from the first chorus to the second chorus, which makes the song sound surprising to the listener! Then they create a beautiful bridge, and an even more beautiful twin-guitar solo which just blows you away with it's PERFECTION in melodic power and lead out into the chorus once again! THIS IS TRUE NIGHT RANGER! And to understand what I mean, listen to the last minute of the song. Here the guys will repeat the gorgeous chorus, and replace half of the words with guitar playing instead of vocals! By the way, did I mention Night Ranger are song write GENIUSES? They are. And it's well visible in this song. The perfect song in ever singly way. POW. Next track! :D

7.) "Live For Today" - The lyrics to this song will tell you a wonderful tale that you will learn from, appreciate, and just feel good hearing! A laid back tune that really soothes your soul! Jack Blades once again sings beautifully, and delivers the lyrics with integrity and emotions.

8.) "It's Not Over" - This track could EASILY be off of 1988's "Man In Motion", which is a MUCH loved album by Night Ranger fans across the globe! This is a REALLY catchy uptempo beat song with cool vocals by Kelly Keagy and some very cool licks and tricks by Brad Gillis! Just very, very true 80s sounding! "Man In Motion" lives!!!

9.) "End Of The Day" - Another track that could easily be off of 1988's "Man In Motion" album. The intro builds up and leads into blazing twin guitars. Then Kelly Keagy starts singing and it's clear that this is NIGHT RANGER. Accept NO substitutes! Calm verse vocals. Aggressive vocals leading into the chorus which is off the top. The songs keeps revealing itself during the next verse. This is, once again, TRUE Night Ranger, and TRUE 80s style songwriting! I can't say it enough... NIGHT RANGER IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!! And this is possibly my favorite song on this album! It's just so unbelievably good! The bridge TOTALLY got me! I was so surprised by the melody and lyrics! Wow..... And the guitar solo(s) just gives me the chills all over! And keeps going on and on and on! Reminiscent of some of the solos Brad and Jeff did together on 1987's "Big Life" album. Again more synch playing leading into the last choruses! Perfectly executed. This is NIGHT RANGER. Like we grew up to LOVE them. Period.

10.) "Rock N' Roll Tonite" - WELCOME Night Ranger's new SHOW opener! Yes, this is what you'll hear when you see NR live this year (2011) - And what a HAPPY rockin' tune this is too! "We're gonna rock n' roll tonite, it makes everything allrite!!!" Man!! I just wanna dance when I hear this song! Eat your heart out, KISS! THIS is how it should be done! Jack sings like he haven't done since the 80s, and he's got this cool attitude that just proves how awesome he is writing and singing true rock songs like this! This song got the London crowd on the June 23rd show at the 02 Academy Islington arena going from the first time they heard this new song live! BRAD GILLIS rips in this song! So does Joel Hoekstra! Switching guitar solos has also been one of Night Ranger's strong sides! And in this song you'll get exactly this! Like they did back in 1982 on the "Dawn Patrol" album. Another awesome rock track off of this brand new Night Ranger album!

11.) Guess what. The album ends with a BANG! Yup. There is only ONE ballad on this album (And it's Perfection; Look at track #5!) - Here we have another song title that will fool ya! When it blasts off though, it's quite clear that this is a rocker and it's here to rock you one last time before the album ends! Jack Blades delivers some awesome vocals, and Kelly leads the chorus with the guys trailing nicely along! There is A LOT of vocal harmonies on this album! True 80s style! Think... Journey choruses! Def Leppard choruses! Night Ranger choruses from the 80s! Yup! This is how it sound! Like true classic Night Ranger, once again! What a nice uplifting song to tend the album with! After this song is done you will be quiet for a moment... Start thinking.. Then possible start crying (like I did) and feel some kind of rush through your body.. Feel the Love... Then start the album again! This isn't an album you'll play only once in one day. It's not possible. This is an album you'll want to hear over and over again!

I just had to add that all my friends, family, etc. have loved listening to this album. I haven't heard ONE negative comment from ANYONE. This album is crafted in such a way that everyone will find something they like on this album.

Night Ranger is BACK, with a vengeance! And this is indeed their best album in more than 20 years, if not EVER! It could very well the the best album of all time.

It is THAT good.

Yours truly,
Thomas in Norway Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Night Ranger Still After All These Years June 21, 2011

By N. Kobrowski

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Night Ranger has been through a lot of changes over the years most notably their line up and change in sound during the early 2000s. I've been a fan since the start, love the classics, listen to the music almost daily. I collectively listened to Seven through Neverland for the first time in one week a couple of years ago. Seeing the progression of the band, I loved how they were able to change with the times. The thing about Night Ranger is that it is melodic and not overly dark, like a lot of music today. Yet I was still missing something- and in this CD, I've found it. The band is back to what makes them unique. And the orgasmic mind candy that results is SO very good.

On "Somewhere in Calfornia" Night Ranger proves again that they can rock- hard, soft, in-between. It is all here on this CD. The songs are great for a summer day's drive. You want to be in California- or at least out somewhere having fun. Everything sounds good- guitars, drums, and thankfully a more prominent place for the keys.

The majority of the tracks are light and catchy, showcasing new line-up's ability to insnare the listener. "Lay it on Me" and "Follow your Heart" are dirty, gritty, grinding, hard-rocking songs in which Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy continue to sing off of each other while the other members drive the melody home in a blaze of hard guitars and keyboards.

The power ballad "Time of Our Life" could have easily be written for all the military couples separated by war and distance (although I don't think this was the intent of the band). Especially nice is "End of the Day"-a pure, glorious mid-80s rewind.

Yes, folks, I listened to this all day at work and at the end of the day, the songs kept winding through my mind putting a cheesy smile on my face. Now that's good music.