Night Ranger - Tokyo Blitz-Greatest Hits Live In Japan

*=Staff's pick	Neverland Touch Of Madness My Elusive Mind Sing Me Away Someday I Will Brad Gillis Guitar solo Rumours In The Air Jeff Watson Guitar solo Eddie's Coming Out Tonight* Sentimental Street Goodbye Forever All Over Again Slap Like Being Born When You Close Your Eyes New York Time Don't Tell Me You Love Me Sister Christian* (You Can Still) Rock In America*

Genre	AOR	Jack Blades	Vocals
Tracks	18	Brad Gillis	Guitar
Runningtime	76 Min.	Jeff Watson	Guitar
Label	Mausoleum Records	Jack Blades	Bass
Release	21 March 2005	Kelly Keagy	Drums
Country	USA	Alan Fitzgerald	Keyboards
Similar artists	Toto, Journey, Cinderella

Night Ranger is another of those bands from the 80s that took a chance to reunite and live for a while on their old merits and hits. It has resulted in a row of greatest hits- and live albums, where Tokyo Blitz is the latest of the latter. Although I like the 80s very much, there are still some music from this era that simply has not survived freshly though the years. It may still work in the US, but will pass relatively unnoticed on the European market I guess. Confirming this thesis, all the forthcoming tour dates are within the home country.

This is nice and cozy rock 'n' roll with some great guitar work. But it never really lifts to something beyond the nostalgic trip I guess it is for some old fans. It adds nothing to the scene of today. Some of the old hits like Sister Christian and (You Can Still) Rock In America might still work for a moment of listening but could as well be kept forgotten in the long run. Eddie's Coming Out Tonight is pathetic enough to be kind of good. The middle part of the set consists of a bunch of acoustic ballads… Well, that doesn't help, so to say.

Jeff Blades (also in Damn Yankees) is nothing to write home about as a singer. Gillis/Watson should have some credit for a couple of nice flowing solos though. The production does not allow too much of a live feeling. Or maybe the band is just really boring on stage? It is more of a greatest hits record anyway, just as the subheading suggests. No, this was too harmless and edgeless. I almost feel sorry for the gentlemen, but they don't rock...

Production	Vocals	Compositions
5	4	4

Summary
4 chalices of 10 - David