Artist: Dokken
Listenability Scale: 40%
Released by: CMC International A Review by:
– The Wimp
It’s always a good thing when you can dive into a new album from one of your oldest, most favorite bands, in this case the new album being “One Live Night” and the oldest, most favorite band being Dokken. But I am always hesitant when a live album/best of/stocking-stuffer type thing is released (remember “Beast from the East?”). So I placed the CD into my CD-ROM, and gave it a 4X spin.
The only disappointing thing about this album is that I didn’t attend the damn recording at The Strand in Redondo Beach, California. While I was performing my own personal West Coast Tour, I lived and worked very near Redondo Beach and knew where The Stand was. The Strand is a cool, small beach bar named after the walkway/bike path that runs parallel to the ocean. It would have been an ideal place to see this show. As I began to listen to the album and reminisce about those huge tracts of sand at Redondo Beach, I couldn’t help but reiterate some of Don’s opening words “Who would have known?” As I said before, the album is a greatest hits/live album. It has a mix of very old and a few very new songs. As for me, I am annoyed that the band is spending so much time reliving the past and not covering their best stuff. Here is a list of the songs and my comments.
| Into the Fire |
| Interesting version of their first hit song. Low energy, melodic. |
| Unchain the Night |
| George lets loose a bit on the electric but still low energy. Duet with Jeff Pilsen, but Jeff has more intensity then Don. |
| The Maze |
| The new stuff rules, should play more of it. Don picks up a bit. More mature sounding. |
| Nothing Left to Say |
| New ballad. Kind of grows on you…like a pimple. Awww wrinkles. ;( At this point, I agree with the annoying guy who yells “C’mon George” Instead we get this. |
| From the Beginning – Emerson, Lake & Palmer cover |
| Don’t like the seventies cover thing. This song is on “Dysfunctional”…fast forward. |
| Tooth and Nail |
| Funky acoustic beginning to another classic song, song by Wild Mick. Again, Mick has more energy then Don. This version wails. |
| Just Got Lucky |
| Lively acoustic rendition sung by Jeff. I can’t believe Don has given up the spotlight for this length of time. Maybe that explains the reunion, and has lead to a more complete sound in the music. |
| I Will Remember – Instrumental |
| Laid back. What this album needs is for George to let loose just once. |
| Alone Again |
| Piano version with Don singing. Of course the women go crazy not realizing it’s all their fault. |
| In My Dreams |
| Acoustic version of this MTV classic. Yeah, yeah, the 80’s ruled. |
| Nowhere Man – Beatles cover |
| I dislike 60’s covers even more than 70’s covers…fast forward. Actually, though, it’s not bad rendition. |
| It’s Not Love |
| Country-ish beginning and end to another 80’s classic. Hopefully not a sign of things to come. |
| After the show hubbub. Re-introductions and the like. |
I know if you haven’t bought this album already, you probably won’t. But my editor thought it would be a good idea to finish the review before their next album is released this year. Dokken fans will find this an excellent album to have in the background while working or driving to and from work.
This album gets a 40% on the Entertainment Ave! listenability scale from me.
That’s it – I’m The Wimp!