Guitar four-peice The All-Nighters offer a lively set of 13 originals on Dance 'til Dawn. Accomplished lead guitar player Jimmy Kastelic throws out a series of tasty flying licks with a clean and nicely echoed sound and is not afraid to use his whammy bar. Brother Jeff offers something that many American bands are prone to overlook, genuine rhythm guitar, while Bobby Lind and Gabe Taylor underpin everything tastefully on bass and drums.


The All-Nighters also distinguish themselves from the run of American three-piece outfits by ensuring that each number has a discernable melody. The variety that they bring to the album is another significant factor in its success. Escape From the Nuthouse makes a furious double-picked opener, Swingers Club has a jerky electric rhythm and a slightly exotic eastern feel and the fast flowing Cruisin' & Rockin' and N20 keep the tempo high. By track 5 its time to ease back jus a little for the exotic melody and lively latin rhythms of Crackerjack, a hypnotic minimasterpiece of an instrumental.

Things slow right down as James Taylor joins the band to add some background slide guitar for the second highlight Riding With Outlaws which is a moody theme full of western promise. Showdown is a fast East European hoedown while on Sex Maniac Jimmy shows he can hammer and widdle with a fuzzy tone if he has to. Starfish Lagoon is a smooth slowie, Glory Boy a catchy and unusual piano rocker, Surf Detective is a blend of twang and surf guitar and Drink The Night bounces along neatly with its punchy drum fills. The six minute Oceans of Time rounds off this satisfying and entertaining collection nicely with its smoothly shifting tempos and fine use of dynamics.