Veteran rockers Night Ranger will release their first new studio album in four years, ATBPO, on August 6.
The album, the title of which stands for "And the Band Played On," was recorded remotely in 2020 during the global pandemic and is considered a salute to the COVID-19 era.
An advance single from ATBPO, a hard-rocking tune called "Breakout," has been released digitally and via streaming services, while a companion music video has premiered on the group's official YouTube channel. The clip features the band members performing the song at a desert locale surrounded by dilapidated buildings.
You can pre-order ATBPO now on CD, digitally and as a vinyl LP, including several limited-edition colored-vinyl options.
"The process was strange but the outcome rocks," says singer/bassist Jack Blades about making ATBPO.
Drummer/singer Kelly Keagy adds, "This record was incredibly hard to do as we could not be in a room together with all the COVID-19 issues that were going on. But sometimes you do your best work when there's a deadline approaching."
Meanwhile, guitarist Brad Gillis notes, "It's been a crazy but fun task trying to write and finish this new record in a COVID situation. A few zoom video gatherings got us started. With everybody in the band having their own home studios, we were all able to elaborate and add our own textures to each song."
Night Ranger currently has nine concerts on its 2021 tour schedule, including two shows later this week -- on Thursday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Saturday in Boone, Iowa.
Here's the ATBPO track list:
"Coming for You"
"Bring It All Home to Me"
"Breakout"
"Hard to Make It Easy"
"Can't Afford a Hero"
"Cold as December"
"Dance"
"The Hardest Road"
"Monkey"
"A Lucky Man"
"Tomorrow"
"Savior"*
* = Bonus track, CD & LP versions only.