Kelly Keagy – Metal Express Radio

NIGHT RANGER – ATBPO

August 11, 2021 George Dionne

The Backstory ATBPO is the 12th studio album by the multi-platinum selling group Night Ranger. The album’s acronym stands for And The Band Played On, an ode to making music during the covid era. Night Ranger started the writing process in early 2020, but were forced to record it in separate locations throughout the year. The Album The album’s opening track “Coming For You” is full of energy and trademark Night Ranger vocal melodies. “Bring It All Home” is a mid-tempo rocker with everyone lending their voice to the chorus. Brad Gillis tears it up on the guitar during the solo. Gillis leads the charge with fiery licks all the way through “Breakout.” “Hard to Make It Easy” has a bluesy bounce to it, like Grand Funk Railroad’s “Some Kind of Wonderful.” It wouldn’t be a Night Ranger album without an emotional ballad. “Can’t Afford a Hero” is an acoustic track full of passion and layered vocals. Drummer Kelly Keagy employs a “We Will Rock You” style drum beat to kick off “Dance.” The track is as simplistic as you can get, but that’s how Rock ‘n Roll should be. Night Ranger busts out the acoustics once again again for “The Highest Road.” If you want to relive the piss-and-vinegar days of the group, look no further than “Monkey.” A funky blues riff dominates “Lucky Man,” while “Tomorrow” lifts and raises your confidence with its positive affirmations. The Verdict Night Ranger have nothing left to prove. With their long string of hits they could ride the nostalgia wave until the end, but they choose to continue making new music for their fans. It’s unfair to compare ATBPO to classic Night Ranger albums from 1982-1987. It was a different time, a different era for music, and they were a younger band. …READ MORE

KELLY KEAGY – I’m Alive

January 26, 2007 Frank Jaeger

Nightranger was not only a great Melodic Rock band in their early time who left fans with a handful of wonderful albums; no, the musicians continue to release solo albums, and while not every one of them can compete against the releases of the original band, these CDs always are a source for a few excellent tracks, and so for AOR fans buying them is a justified option. Therefore, a solo album by Nightranger drummer and part-time lead singer Kelly Keagy is a good bet for decent, handmade Rock music. However, I’m Alive, Kelly’s second solo output, is even more than that. This is an album that may very well stand among the top ten Melodic Rock albums of 2007 when the year comes to an end. Written in collaboration with Jim Peterik of Survivor and Pride Of Lions, Kelly created a dozen songs that are among the best that any of the Nightranger guys ever did. The production and the skilled musicians {among them Reb Beach (Winger), Mike Aquino (Pride Of Lions), and Michael Lardie (Nightranger)} do their part to make this record an enjoyable one. Compared to his first solo output, Time Passes, which was good, but made no lasting impression, I’m Alive is heavier, if that at all can be said about an AOR album. Except for “Everything I Need In A Woman,” there is no real, straight ballad on the whole CD, but rocky and quiet parts alternate nicely and keep the album interesting. Even slow songs like “Back Of Your Mind” or “Re-Imagine” never become too shallow, although it doesn’t hurt if one likes a bit of Bryan Adams once in a while, who comes to mind a few times during the hour Kelly celebrates old fashioned Rock music (for those who don’t know –- …READ MORE

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Rock The Bones: Volume 4

October 20, 2006 Dan Skiba

A label that just seems to be getting bigger and bigger each year is Frontiers Records out of Italy. 2006 has been a notably impressive year for Frontiers, who had at one time trudged a path as a cookie-cutter Melodic Rock label, as they continue to significantly grow their list of recognizable bands and artists … along with expanding their reach into a few other “heavier” musical genres. With bands such as Pretty Maids, Thunder, and Shark Island, and with projects such as Andersen-Laine-Readman and Giuntini, Frontiers has clearly established themselves as a force in the Hard Rock/Melodic Metal arena as well. To commemorate what they’ve accomplished in 2006, Frontiers has released Rock The Bones – Volume 4, a 2-CD, 31-song/band sampler. 27 of these bands legitimately released albums via Frontiers in 2006 … however, Frontiers is offering a bit of a teaser with respect to what is coming in 2007 as well, by including a track from the forthcoming Danny Vaughn, Hartmann, Kelly Keagy, and Jorn CDs — all scheduled for release shortly after the turn of the new year. Obviously a matter of opinion, but by and large each track included here is the “money shot” from each album, so in buying this CD, one could definitely argue that you’ll get nothing but the best from each of these bands. The only somewhat “unusual” pick, perhaps, would have to be the track “You Can’t Save Me” by Richie Kotzen … this otherwise positive-spirited sampler goes off on a small tangent here via the lyrics of this song, where “f” bombs flow from Richie’s vocal chords like a raging river. But, with songs like “Blinded By A Lie” by Bob Catley, “These Are The Times” by House of Lords, and “Right Up Ahead” by Winger, this minor faux pas …READ MORE

RADIOACTIVE – Taken

November 11, 2005 Gary McLean

Tommy Denander’s website describes him as “the busiest man in the biz,” and with his name appearing on about 80(!) projects in 2005 alone, there are few people who could disagree with this statement: one wonders when this guitarist/keyboardist/writer/producer finds time to sleep or eat. In the time it took you to finish reading this paragraph, Denander probably recorded another song! Radioactive is one of Denander’s many side projects, and Taken is the third album from this “supergroup” that specializes in slick, Melodic Hard Rock. In addition to Denander, over 30 musicians are credited with playing or singing on Taken. The talent list is impressive: Bobby Kimball, Gary Barden, Robin Beck, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kelly Keagy, Bruce Kulick, Neal Schon, and Steve Lukather are just a few of the artists who make at least one appearance on this disc. Denander also plays on and wrote or co-wrote all of Taken‘s 13 (14 on the Japanese version) tracks. Busiest man in the biz indeed … Fans of Melodic Rock will find a lot to like with Taken: the songs are all well-written, well-arranged, and polished to such a high sheen you shouldn’t look at the album without wearing protective eye wear. The playing and singing is professional; given the talent level on display, one would expect no less. Although Taken has a lot of prime talent, no one noodles about or tries to shatter glass with their voice; the songs come first. Even Malmsteen’s solo on “Shattered” is restrained and tasteful, especially by his standards. With the exception of album opener “C.O.W.” (a short, impressive guitar piece by Denander) and closer “Never Gonna Let Her Go” (a mellow instrumental), nearly all of the songs on Taken are upbeat, hook-filled, melodic rockers that would go down great while you were sitting on the …READ MORE

KELLY KEAGY – Time Passes

October 25, 2001 Frode Johnsrud

As far as I know, this is the first solo album from the Night Ranger drummer/vocalist, and it is released by specialist AOR label, Frontiers Records. Kelly Keagy delivers a collection of songs written and played by a lot of famous friends. Names like: Jack Blades, Jeff Watson, Gary Moon, Brad Gillis crop up in the liner notes, so it’s no surprise that this still sounds very much like another Night Ranger record. Maybe with a little bit less guitar-showcasing, and of course with a lot of lead vocals from Mr. Keagy. Fans of the man, and Night Ranger should check this out, although the bands early 80s stuff is where the real gems are buried. Still, this is not a bad album. Also look out for the remastered version of Night Rangers: Big Life. Coming soon! Highlights. The Journey, Time Passes, Before Anybody knows I’m gone