Night Ranger, one of the most underrated rock bands ever, is back with new music! Their new studio album, ATBPO, which stands for And The Band Played On, is a killer collection that is comprised of 11 tracks, if you buy it digitally, and 12 tracks, if you buy it on vinyl and CD. Read on for my thoughts about Night Ranger’s newest offering, thought’s from the band, and more.

Some rock bands soften their sound as they get older — not Night Ranger! ATBPO is a hard-rocking affair, with a few tracks exuding different musical styles, creating a solid, diverse feast for the ears that is incredibly satisfying. Every song is good, and most of them are great. Below are my three favorite songs on this album.

MY TOP 3 ATBPO TRACKS

• “Can’t Afford A Hero” — This song is fantastic! It’s probably the most mellow track, yet Jack Blade’s vocals, the harmonies, the guitar, and melody, is superb. My only complaint is this song could be even better, if only they had included Eric Levy’s inspired piano playing amongst the guitars. What a missed opportunity! Nevertheless, this is one of the best songs Night Ranger has produced and my top track on this album.
• “Bring It All Home To Me” — This is melodic rock at its finest. The harmonies are spectacular, and the simple chorus hooked me right away. This is one of those songs that makes me happy because it’s so damn good and infectious. A real standout track!
• “Hard To Make It Easy” — I may have complained about the lack of Eric Levy’s piano playing on “Can’t Afford A Hero,” but this song makes up for it! He does an awesome job on this number, and the chorus is yet another earworm. Jack Blades’ fun vocal delivery makes this one even more enjoyable. This might be the happiest song on ATBPO. It’s truly excellent.

THOUGHTS FROM NIGHT RANGER

“The process was strange but the outcome rocks.” — Jack Blades

“This record was incredibly hard to do as we could not be in a room together with all the COVID-19 issues that were going on. But sometimes you do your best work when there’s a deadline approaching.” — Kelly Keagy

“It’s been a crazy but fun task trying to write and finish this new record in a Covid situation. A few zoom video gatherings got us started. With everybody in the band having their own home studios, we were all able to elaborate and add our own textures to each song. As a Vintage Guitar Collector, I was able to add some great classic sounds to rhythm and solos using my 57 Strat and 52 Goldtop! I hope everyone enjoys the record!” — Brad Gillis

TRACKLIST: 1. “Coming For You” 2. “Bring It All Home To Me” 3. “Breakout” 4. “Hard To Make It Easy” 5. “Can’t Afford A Hero” 6. “Cold As December” 7. “Dance” 8. “The Hardest Road” 9. “Monkey” 10. “A Lucky Man” 11. “Tomorrow” 12. “Savior” (Bonus Track — CD & LP versions only)