Dokken - Under Lock And Key

Details:

• Year of release : 1985
• Label : Elektra EKT 28
• Review format : vinyl

Okay, so I’m a sucker for a bit of advertising, even when its not conventional advertising! I once bought a Nissan Almera car because of a cool “The Professionals” themed advert, I regularly just think of or read something about a band and I’m on eBay buying up back catalogue so it was almost inevitable that after visiting the excellent Hairball John Radio Show site and clicking through to the hilarious ‘Donny “The Doc” Dokken’s All Dokken Radio’ You Tube spoof that I would end up just having to reach for a Dokken album to review!

1985’s Under Lock And Key marked Dokken’s third full length release and featured the ‘classic’ line-up of Don Dokken (vocals), George Lynch (guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass) and Mick Brown (drums). Opening up with the fantastic rock anthem Unchain The Night they set a high standard with a fine track featuring some excellent vocals, stunning guitar and a hook that catches in your head and sticks for days. From the atmospheric build up to the final note its perfect melodic heavy rock and you wonder whether they can maintain the standard here on in. The Hunter is a little slower in tempo but follows much the same template with solid rhythm and another catchy chorus whilst the harmonies introducing In My Dreams along with the higher range used to sing the chorus are made for rock radio and also perhaps hint at the 70s AOR giants of Journey and Boston as influences to Dokken, although also make me think of the first Bon Jovi release of the same vintage. Power ballad time next up with Slippin‘ Away and despite a voice perfect for the genre, nice guitar work throughout and a suitably mournful solo the lyrics seem repetitive and the song falls below the standard set so far. Back on hot rockin’ form with the final track Lightnin’ Strikes Again which features superb guitar work (a definite pattern developing!) and is a cracking track that reminds me a little of later Europe so it’s perhaps no surprise that John Norum has graced both bands at different points in time.

It’s Not Love once again features superb riffing with a mass chorus and a sound reminiscent to these ears of Kiss’ Not For The Innocent before it’s lighters out again for Jaded Heart, a slowie that works so much better than Slippin’ Away with its gently backed verses giving way to the punch of a big chorus. Don’t Lie To Me is another fine up-tempo rocker cut from the same cloth as the album opener without quite achieving the same end result in standard although once again a fine George Lynch solo stands proud. Will The Sun Rise Again is an agreeable slice of US Radio friendly rock with Lynch’s solo sounding similar to his moment in the spotlight on the Hear ‘n’ Aid project whilst Till The Livin’ End rocks a hell of a lot harder than much of the material on this album and makes a fine closer. A real fist punching, driving track with magnificent soloing seeing George Lynch complete the guitar hero application in full - indeed I’m very tempted to state that his performance shines so much brighter than anything else on here.

Summary : It’s not easy to assess Dokken as they were never that big in the UK although I do recall a poster on the 6th form common room wall in Grange Hill! Time and sound-wise they sit alongside the likes of Motley Crue, Ratt and maybe Y&T as pre-cursors to the US ‘hair’ metal explosion of the late 80s although perhaps a bigger compliment is paid in that their sound clearly influences modern rock bands like Harem Scarem, Emerald Rain and indeed Sacred Heart (featured in a New Artist Spotlight post here a while back). Certainly the album is a more than enjoyable listen, George Lynch shining on guitar throughout, whilst in Unchain The Night they have their own ‘rock classic’ entry sewn up. It has to be said that in opening the set with that track they played their ace card first up but there’s certainly enough to make me seek out more of their work in future.

If You Listen To One Track Listen To : Unchain The Night

Score : 3.5/5

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That ‘Dokken Radio’ sketch…

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and now the real thing…. “Unchain The Night”, a superb if more laid back version from One Night Live.