Well you can read it at GDM. Nearly every Shooting Star album has been written up here. We now include their latest in 2015 ‘Into The Night’.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Shooting Star
ALBUM: Into The Night
LABEL: Self Released
YEAR: 2015
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Van McLain – lead guitar, vocals * Steve Thomas – drums, percussion, vocals * Todd Pettygrove – lead vocals, guitar * Dennis Laffoon – keyboards, bass, vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Don’t Waste My Time * 02 Hole In My Heart * 03 Let Me Know * 04 This Is Our Town * 05 Eye Of The Needle * 06 Time Never Surrenders * 07 Never Giving Up On Your Love * 08 Bring Down The House * 09 She Gives Me Chills * 10 Into The Night
RATING: 90/100
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Well you can read it at GDM. Nearly every Shooting Star album has been written up here. We now include their latest in 2015 ‘Into The Night’. This album has been generating the right sort of figures for the wrong reasons. Given away as a ‘free album’ by the band, I saw some of the freebie stats on Shooting Star’s Facebook page; 22,000 free downloads in 3 days!
Staggering really, but hey, that was the band’s decision. Who are we to say? So what of the material on ‘Into The Night’? The overall glossiness of previous albums such as the debut or ‘Silent Scream’ might not be found here. It keeps to the same pedigree as their last couple of studio releases, but I also believe there are some excellent moments to be found, if you dig deep enough.
The new singer Todd Pettygrove looks like he buffs up in the gym quite regularly, judging by the look of him, but I gotta say his Gary West vocalisms are to be admired, and he sounds damn fine to these ears!
The Songs
‘Don’t Waste My Time’ kicks things off. It’s an earthy rocker, with Laffoon’s organ work prominent from the outset. ‘Hole In My Heart’ was one of the first tracks leaked before the album release, it is a mildly appealing track, and one that you might keep coming back to.
‘Let Me Know’ is straight out of the backroads of the midwest, a lolling piano/guitar unwind which could make a good accompaniment on the front porch during a late summers evening. The chorus is straight out of the Shooting Star sock-drawer! ‘This Is Our Town’ is one to belt out at local Missouri or Kansas gigs, much like what Michael Stanley does in Cleveland.
The organ work is again prominent on ‘Eye Of The Needle’. Perhaps a dose of Steve Walsh era Kansas, or maybe Presto Ballet at a pinch. I do like this one, very prog based for mine. ‘Time Never Surrenders’, a 70’s flavoured ballad, complete with some smokey flanger based guitar from McLain.
‘Never Giving Up On Your Love’ is mid-paced, melodic and acoustic/electric based. I could imagine this song appearing on either of the band’s first two albums with ease. ‘Bring Down The House’ is a cranky rocker, similar to what Foreigner used to do on occasion (think ‘Urgent’).
Another favourite track for me is the lush ‘She Gives Me Chills’, which sounds like something Roger Scott Craig did with his fantastic band 101 South. Shooting Star complete the set with the title track ‘Into The Night’, a rampaging pomp rocker, with synths and guitars doing battle over the course of 4 minutes.
In Summary
Considering this band has released so many albums, the lines might be a bit blurred when you’re trying to retrieve gold nuggets from a stony and rocky riverbed across the course of their weaving discography. For me previously, those classic moments were confined to just two albums: ‘Shooting Star’ and ‘Silent Scream’.
However, I can definitely hear a few tracks on this set which could make my SS Classics playlist into the future. ‘Let Me Know’, ‘Eye Of The Needle’ and ‘She Gives Me Chills’ are definitely in that list. It’s lovely to see them back (did they really go away?), and in support of the band, I’ll keep playing ‘Into The Night’ well into 2015 for posterity’s sake. This album gets my 2015 Comeback of the Year Award.
Video
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