One of my favorite debut albums from a band is ‘Dawn Patrol’ from the band Night Ranger. Most people got in to Night Ranger thanks to either “Sister Christian” or “(You Can Still) Rock in America”, but for me, it was actually their debut album which came out November 1, 1982 and I’m sure I saw the video on MTV as I am not sure how else I would’ve heard of them at that time.

For those that don’t know, Night Ranger is made up of a bunch of extremely talented musicians. The guitar duo of Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson is an unbeatable duo and it almost wasn’t meant to be as Brad was playing with Ozzy Osbourne in 1982 after the tragic death of Randy Rhodes, but he didn’t end up fitting in with the band so he came back to Night Ranger. Kelly Keagy (drums) and Jack Blades (bass) were from a band called Rubicon which also happened to have Brad Gillis in it as well. They then brought in Alan Fitzgerald on keyboards and he came from the band Montrose. The band was complete and what I liked even more was that they had two singers with Kelly and Jack. Kiss had two singers as well and I loved Kiss so I was high on these guys as well for that two singer approach as it gives so much variety to the music.

And the music was great. It was hard rock with a hint of AOR as well. The guitars were immense, the drumming was sensational and the vocals were the best. The keyboards accentuated the music and not over powering it. The debut album was probably the most raw, most intense and the heaviest of that 80’s run which makes it my favorite.

An interesting fact about the band is that they were originally called Ranger and the debut album was printed with that name. Before it was shipped, it was discovered there was a country band called Ranger in California (where Night Ranger is from) and they were worried about getting sued. So, they destroyed all the albums and reprinted them with the new name Night Ranger which was taken from a song on the album. I wonder if any of those Ranger covers ever slipped through and somehow survived as that would be a pretty impressive collectible if so.

SIDE 1:

The opening track of this album, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” was like a runaway locomotive. The chugging of the guitars and the keyboards felt like train racing down the tracks. It was powerful, it was heavy and as I was only 14 at the time, it was totally killer to me. It got me exciting and amped up. I was really starting to get in to music at this time and this just blew me away. The guitar solo between Gillis and Watson was a total shred fest and was the steam that kept the engine pumping. This was a new world for me and I was pretty damn excited.

“Sing Me Away” saw Kelly on vocals and the song had some heavy moments, but it was also a slower track and Kelly’s ballady type vocals were very Journey like as they were so smooth and amazing. The chorus was pretty catchy and the keyboards were gave the song some texture. The guitars were still exciting if they weren’t as heavy and I would catch myself singing this one long after it was over as this song was made for radio.

Then it got back to rocking with “At Night She Sleeps” and Jack back on vocals. I was starting to think already that Jack did the Rock songs and Kelly did the softer songs, but that was proven false before the album ended. The song had a great groove and was a straight up rocker with a little keyboard riff (maybe) that was thrown in that actually dates the song a little, but it was still contagious and rocking so that was enough for me.

Then we get “Call My Name” which goes a little darker in tone. It has a keyboard/piano like opening and is softer but there is seriousness to it. Jack did the vocals which surprised me at the time because it is a ballad, but see my thought process was wrong on who would sing what. When the song gets to the chorus, it gets heavier and more powerful, but still a little eerie and morose which I found that I liked a lot. The sirens blaring, horns honking and added to the sounds and took it to another level. The songs didn’t have to be all happy and upbeat, nope, the more depressing, the darker, I found I liked even better. I was a strange child. Sadly, I’m still that way now.

The final track on Side 1 might be my favorite on the album with “Eddie’s Coming Out Tonight”. It starts off all dark and scary like the last song, but the guitars were heavier, the drums more bombastic and overall the song was a beast. There was an organ sound that added to the darkness, but when Jack gets to that chorus, the payoff is huge. It was so catchy and hooked you in solid. The guitar solo was another brutal attack and you worried you might run in to Eddie when you out at night and you weren’t sure if was a good thing or not.

SIDE 2:

Side 2 kicks off with another blast of a rocker. It opens with another killer riff and some fine playing by Gillis. This one is more upbeat and a lighter tone even if the subject matter is a little darker. “Can’t Find Me A Thrill” seems to be about chasing that high, but not finding anything to satisfy you. The payoff comes with the chorus with the pounding drums and a repeating the title over and over, but what makes it work is the inflection Jack uses that is different each time he says it and makes it stick in you head. This song gave me a thrill so I would say I found it with this one.

“Young Girl in Love” is more of an AOR song than a hard rocker. It was another very radio-friendly track that would probably draw in the ladies as well as the guys. Kelly’s on vocals and that higher register really fit the era and damn, he sounded great. How this wasn’t all over radio, I have no idea as it has the hooks, the chorus and fits the time so well. Oh well.

Then you get “Play Rough” which takes the album back to heavy and Jack’s back on vocals. His gritty style really fit the heavier tracks as he could sound tough and still take it up a notch on the chorus. The song has all you need to make a solid rocker and I would just be repeating myself more than I already am if I tried to explain it.

Another song I like on here is “Penny” and it is back to being more Journey-like then heavy rocker. Another uptempo rocker and even though it has a stellar opening riff, it still seems on the lighter side. Kelly on vocals shows that he can rock out as well. And the chorus is probably as contagious as Covid and as hooky as the Red Light District. It is a fun track you can’t help but singalong too. At least I can’t.

The album ends with the band’s namesake “Night Ranger”. Like the opening track, it feels like a train coming down the tracks, albeit a little slower chug. The song has a darker edge to it and its deliberate pacing is a nice change of pace. It has an epic vibe to it and an importance in its tone. The chorus lifts it up, but still has the edge to it, and then at the break all hell breaks loose The tempo goes up, the vocal delivery is faster, the drums pick up the pace and the guitars go ballistic. There is a new urgency to it that makes it explode. It turns in to a shredfest of a rocker and one hell of a way to close the album.

If you can’t tell, I really like this album. I wouldn’t delete or skip anything on this one. For me, it has to be played front to back in order each and every time. The guitar duo of Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson is so underrated as well as the singing duo of Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy. The album rocks out when it needs to and has its more tender moments when it needs it as well. There a upbeat rockers, some with a darker edge and some that are so good you can’t describe it. The Night Ranger debut album, ‘Dawn Patrol’, is a band that is young, fresh, hungry and ready to take on the world…which hits new heights for the next one even though I think this is and will always be their best. My Overall Score is a 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars and must be heard!! Grab a copy if you see it!