Shooting Star
Into the Night
Cowtown Digital
2015
Hailing from Kansas City, Shooting Star, were pretty big in the 80s with their first few albums, charting quite well… until the band was dissuaded by the music business and how Geffen handled their fifth album… that caused personnel friction, their line-up has changed quite a few times and you might have as of late heard their name, is when Ronnie Platt, who sung for them from the mid 00s till sometime early in the 10s, joined Kansas.
The album is quite reminiscent of the band’s classic sound, even though it omits the violin, that was a frequent staple for the band, in the past… but the omission, doesn’t feel that damaging, as the overall quality of the songs, goes beyond the choice of instrumentation. They have this typical late 70s/early 80s influenced, rather dry sound and production.
Leading the band is founder, guitarist/vocalist Van McLain, who’s also responsible for a good deal of the songwriting as well as the production, original drummer Steve Thomas, occupies the drums stool, while Dennis Laffoon is on keyboards and has been with the band for most of their existence. The band has a new singer in Todd Pettygroove, who proves to be a pretty good fit, not copying the band’s original vocalists, but coming close and being able to channel them, when he needs to. This latest reincarnation of the band just seems to be happy to be, and the undeniable chemistry between the members, old and new offers the songs an authenticity that’s both hard to muster and hard to fake.
Opener “Don’t Waste My Time” is a rather up-tempo rocker, followed by the sensational and melodic “Hole in My Heart” a quite excellent track that fares somewhat better than the rather, by the numbers ballad “Let Me Know”, that’s not bad, but just very predictable with its harmonies and everything...
“This is Our Town” celebrates the band and their city, as survivors, it’s a pretty hard rocking tune, considering the band's often displayed softer edge...
“Eye of the Needle” has a weird, slightly sci-fi, intro and a keyboard riff that has the band going for a somewhat more sophisticated, slightly prog sound.
“Time Never Surrenders” is a more typical ballad that isn’t bad, but just veers on for a little too long, by incorporating a lot of atmospheric, poignant ideas towards its closing couple of minutes.
“Never Giving up on Your Love” is quite reminiscent of the band in their prime, it is a rather bright and upbeat number that’s pretty nice.
“Bring Down the House” is a simple rocker that might translate well live, but certainly doesn’t feel “that” original. Sure to be a ‘live’ favorite. Many albums stick the weakest track toward the end of an album... a clear sign the writers were out.
“She Gives Me Chills” could have been pretty classic, if the chorus was a bit better as it’s a classy, love tune, that’s even somewhat reminiscent of the more laid back moments of Foreigner… the title track, that closes the album (apparently a free download of the album that the band made available seems to omit it? Although I cannot confirm that) is a sturdy and groovy rocker with a nice vocal and a pompous keyboard riff that run through its duration.
All in all, a very solid album by a band that’s been an on and off going affair for quite a long time. People who enjoy classic and classy 70s/80s rock should check them and the album out, asap…
The album is quite reminiscent of the band’s classic sound, even though it omits the violin, that was a frequent staple for the band, in the past… but the omission, doesn’t feel that damaging, as the overall quality of the songs, goes beyond the choice of instrumentation. They have this typical late 70s/early 80s influenced, rather dry sound and production.
Leading the band is founder, guitarist/vocalist Van McLain, who’s also responsible for a good deal of the songwriting as well as the production, original drummer Steve Thomas, occupies the drums stool, while Dennis Laffoon is on keyboards and has been with the band for most of their existence. The band has a new singer in Todd Pettygroove, who proves to be a pretty good fit, not copying the band’s original vocalists, but coming close and being able to channel them, when he needs to. This latest reincarnation of the band just seems to be happy to be, and the undeniable chemistry between the members, old and new offers the songs an authenticity that’s both hard to muster and hard to fake.
Opener “Don’t Waste My Time” is a rather up-tempo rocker, followed by the sensational and melodic “Hole in My Heart” a quite excellent track that fares somewhat better than the rather, by the numbers ballad “Let Me Know”, that’s not bad, but just very predictable with its harmonies and everything...
“This is Our Town” celebrates the band and their city, as survivors, it’s a pretty hard rocking tune, considering the band's often displayed softer edge...
“Eye of the Needle” has a weird, slightly sci-fi, intro and a keyboard riff that has the band going for a somewhat more sophisticated, slightly prog sound.
“Time Never Surrenders” is a more typical ballad that isn’t bad, but just veers on for a little too long, by incorporating a lot of atmospheric, poignant ideas towards its closing couple of minutes.
“Never Giving up on Your Love” is quite reminiscent of the band in their prime, it is a rather bright and upbeat number that’s pretty nice.
“Bring Down the House” is a simple rocker that might translate well live, but certainly doesn’t feel “that” original. Sure to be a ‘live’ favorite. Many albums stick the weakest track toward the end of an album... a clear sign the writers were out.
“She Gives Me Chills” could have been pretty classic, if the chorus was a bit better as it’s a classy, love tune, that’s even somewhat reminiscent of the more laid back moments of Foreigner… the title track, that closes the album (apparently a free download of the album that the band made available seems to omit it? Although I cannot confirm that) is a sturdy and groovy rocker with a nice vocal and a pompous keyboard riff that run through its duration.
All in all, a very solid album by a band that’s been an on and off going affair for quite a long time. People who enjoy classic and classy 70s/80s rock should check them and the album out, asap…