J.P. Ranger - Living Here (Independent) You’ve got to sneakily admire anyone who’s been in a prog band called The Rape Of The Lock. Having shed his progressive inclinations, Ranger has emerged butterfly-like as a rockin’ singer-songwriter with an R&B sheen. I’ve never heard his previous outfit, who may well have been the best thing since sliced bread - these things are subjective - but I really do like this new direction. Like a cross between Tom Petty, Richard Marx and early John Mellencamp, Ranger never forgets the importance of a big chorus to hang his songs on. That and the heavy keyboard / guitar dominated sound make Living Here a compulsive listen, and a flashback to earlier, simpler times. Opening cut, “Dark Horse Rider”, is my favourite track; a gritty slab of classic rock, chock full of road-infused imagery. Great stuff. Rob F. Next