Night Ranger is a strange band for me, never a fan back in the day, I’m actually a huge fan of what they are dong now, especially since 2011’s ‘Somewhere in California’. That was an album which really took Night Ranger’s signature sound and updated it. ‘Don’t Get Up’ takes that sound further still, building on ‘Somewhere…’ and 2014’s ‘High Road’ to give the listener a really great, multi-layered take on Melodic Rock.
Many will have heard opening track ‘Somehow Someday’ and those that have seen the band live recently might also be familiar with second track ‘Running Out of Time’ which along with ‘Day and Night’ have been already been road-tested by the band (the latter also appearing on last years live album ’35 Years and a Night in Chicago’). Those tracks are pretty representative of what you get here – mature, classy Melodic Rock dripping with Melodies and accented by some great refrains that like all the best, just stick.
There’s plenty to like here, and the twin guitars work a treat, adding so much to the material. And when you’ve got a rhythm section like this things are also as tight as a drum. If you are looking for rockers then try ‘Say What You Want’; ‘Day And Night’ and the already mentioned ‘Running Out Of Time’. If you like it more mid-tempo then ‘Truth’ should float your boat. Or maybe the stripped back simplicity of tracks like ‘We Can Work It Out’ and ‘Nothing Left Of Yesterday’,or the gentle ballad ‘Jamie’. There’s even a touch of blues in ‘(Won’t Be Your) Fool Again’.
Even more consistent maybe than its most immediate predecessors ‘Don’t let Up’ is sheer class, pure fun and great melodic Rock N Roll.
