Customer Reviews

Long Way Home

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Once again Dokken proves there more than just some 80's hair band. They've constantly evolved their music and that's nothing different with "Long Way Home". John Norum mans the axes for this album (Amazing guitarist, worked with Don Dokken on his incredible solo record, "Up From The Ashes")with Barry Sparks taking over bass duties from the immortal Jeff Pilson. This cd proves Dokken hasn't lost a step even with its departing members. The album is driven by melody with a very varied set of songs, from hard rockers to acoustic, piano consumed ballads. "Sunless Days" (Excellent, Excellent rock song), "Under The Gun", and "Magic Road" are your typical Dokken rockers tweaked in a much more complex composition than the normal 80's rock songs. "Little Girl" (Probablly my fav on the disc) and "You" (Another killer track) show some of the sound off of their Dysfuctional work. The ballads "Goodbye My Friend"(One of the finest songs for any genre of music), "I've Found", and "There Was A Time" are just beatiful masterpieces and show how much more talented Dokken is then they ever got credit for. All in all, this album is one of their best works and kicks, beginning to end, but it's a shame that most people won't ever hear these songs because of the bias of record companies and radio airplay. Hopefully Dokken will someday get the credit they deserve for what they've done.

As a die-hard Dokken fan for 20 years, I have been eagerly anticipating the release of this album for quite some time. I was skeptical of the new line-up. I didn't want an album that was a half-hearted effort. After the great momentum of Erase The Slate, I expected this album to be more PR than actual substance. I am happy to say that this may be the most balanced and well written Dokken album, well, maybe EVER! The songs are passionate and well produced. Don seems to just get better with age, and John Norum captures the Dokken sound superbly, without coming across as a Lynch/Beach clone. A few more ballads than I would like, but they are GREAT songs, and the songs that do rock are awesome. Its time these guys get the hit song they so desperately deserve. C'mon corporate radio, give us a Dokken hit, PULEEEZZZ!!

After just getting into Dokken via the Flashback cd, I heard about how great the Lynch/Pilson cd was. I also heard how bad Dokken was since 95. I've owned Dysfunction for years and never liked it, but I was curious to hear Long Way Home.

This album really is not that bad, it just sounds very different from classic Dokken. The first track is pretty good, much better then anything on the Lynch/Pilson cd. Some of the rockers on here are just ok, but there isn't anything I'd say is bad. The ballads here really stand out. Not exceptional, but good. Certainly very good for a band in this stage of their career.

This is a very solid album, and I feel it's not given a fair shake due to not sounding like classic Dokken. It also doesn't have Lynch and Pilson, but the lead player on here is really good.

If you like hard rock music and aren't hungup on something with the Dokken name having to have George Lynch while also sounding like classic Dokken, give it a try.

It has come to my attention that several rock bands that I'm a big fan of release albums that are weary and mopey sounding and are defended by the fans even though we know it isn't on the same planet as they are capable of doing. I refer to this as "stuck in a rut" and examples of these things can be found on Jackyl's Night of the Living Dead, Guns 'n' Roses' Spigot Incident, KISS' Carnival of Souls, and everything Metallica has released both live and studio since the Black Album. At first listen, this album seems to follow the same description (weary and boring.) It grows on you, but it sure is not what I hoped it would be.

First, I will not use this review as a chance to take a shot at hair bands because I am a hair band fan and am not ashamed to admit it. But this album doesn't resemble Dokken's classic material very much. You will not hearing anything even close to It's Not Love, Breaking the Chains, or Into the Fire on this album. While the songs are solid, they are not as amazing as they are capable of doing. I still may ride down the road with this blowing out my speakers, but tat is only half because I think the music's good and half defending the album because of who they are and not what they play, like Carnival of Souls.
A brief synopsis of songs. I'll be brutally honest. 1. Sunless Days, depressing and down. The very reason why I compare this to Carnival of Souls, though it is more melodic than KISS' album. 2. Little Girl, being polite, it's bland. Being honest, I couldn't stand listening to it after 2 minutes in. Awful. 3. Everybody Needs, far more up beat musically but still a tad down lyrically. I do like the song though. Melodic metal, what brought Dokken to the dance. 4. YOU, has the typical "spaceman singer" sound quality. I actually have bitter contempt for that uncreative style. Don makes it okay because he's a great singer and the band is great, but it's very hurt by the "spaceman singer" quality. 5. Goodbye my Friend, if I knew what it was about I may be able to appreciate it. But it's really an off sounding ballad. 6. Magic Road, great song. Can't find a fault in it beside the feeling of the album, weary. It is the bright spot, though. 7. There was a Time, a bit bland but good music. It's just the entire album has this bland weary feeling. 8. Heart full of Soul, oh yes my friends, another bright spot. Very melodic, heavy, and not run down rock and roll, it's great rock and roll. 9. Under the Gun, awesome guitar work on this song. Great vocals. The first time I heard it, I didn't think too much of it but I like the musical aspects of the song but the melody does contain the run down rock sound, though the music for it does not. 10. I've Found, beautiful. Simply beautiful. One of the best ballads I've heard in a long time.

I did not like it much at first listen, but it grew on me fast. I still say it is not their best work, but it is better than anything new out there today. It may not be as energetic as I'd like and it may have that run down quality that KISS' Carnival of Souls did, but the album all in all is a 7. I won't throw it on the ground and stomp on it like I did one of Metallica's more recent albums, but I also don't think it will be in my travel case for my listening pleasure on the two cross country trips scheduled. If you're a Dokken fan, you'll find a way to love it. If you're not, it's not the one to make you a fan. It has been 20 years of great music for Dokken, I like this album but I hope their future releases lose the weary quality and pick up the energetic rock sound that made them famous. They had it on Erase the Slate, lets see how they fair next time around. I will say this, even if the next album is like this, I'd still probably buy it.

Dokken can still rock with the best. I was a little disappointed with alot of the guitar work on this album as it always seemed to be more powerful. I have always been a George Lynch fan and have missed him the last 2 albums, but the previous album, Erase The Slate, was done excellently with Reb Beach. Now with John Norum at the helm, it definitely has a different sound, but that is not a bad thing.The lyrics seem a little dark and depressing on most of the songs, but Don's voice still remains. And this album rocks pretty good.Sunless Day, Under the Gun, and Magic Road are 3 good rockers and the song I've Found is a great ballad. I'd say there isn't a bad song on the CD.I didn't like this one as much as Erase The Slate, but it's a definite buy for any Dokken fan.

Basically I liked this music, but it just didn't move me. It makes me want to kick back and relax...

From what I've heard from John Norum, I was excited to hear he would be playing on this album. I don't know if Don was suppressing the guitar on this album or not, but John doesn't get a chance to shine. This is a total sleeper. Why does Don Dokken keep putting these psychedelic, Beatlesque sounding songs on his albums? Where did his voice go? It's so soft and meodic. Is it too much to ask for an album to rock? I've read the other reviews and, no, this album does not rock and its not a return to the classic Dokken sound. Some bands can progress and some cannot. Here, the latter holds true. He had such a powerhouse of players in Norum/Sparks that I thought this album would have some life to it. Sadly it has none. There are a couple of songs where the guitar takes off, but sadly it's in the final 3 seconds of the song ending and fading out. What the hell has happend to this band?

Huge long time Dokken fan; all of it. Each album has its own flavor; some rockin' with anthems and pyrotechnics, some more somber and emotional. Don has one of the sweetest metal voices ever, I just LOVE his wail. I have seem him twice, once with Reb Beach, and once with John Norum, and both times Don was the show! This album is a great collection of straight ahead rockers that tell a story, and dare I say smooth, soulful ballads. No, this is not a George Lynch style of music, but I am not certain Don's voice really fits that shredding type of mentality and music. And a clue to those who have not heard George live, he is much better as a studio musician. Let Pilson/Lynch have their thing...Don is just fine without them! This album grows on you...the first listen I was disappointed; but by the 5th or 6th I was HOOKED!

Since you're reading this you must know about Dokken (or have come here via "see more about me").

After my first listening I wasn't sure if I liked the album or not. The music is heavy metal with a modern approach but of course it's more melodic than say Slipknot (or any other modern metal ...). "Long way home" is certainly much better than "Dysfunctional" but can't be compared with Dokken's finest in "Tooth and nail". The sound is quite metallic and that was the main problem for me. But after several listenings (I believe a lot of people give an album a wrong rating cos they rate it just after hearing it once...), this album surely grows on you.

Dokken deliver fine rockers like "Sunless days" (a tune that gets better for every time I hear it) and "Heart full of soul" (is it 1984 again?). There's also a great ballad in "Goodbye my friend"; and "There was a time" shows us that Dokken are capable to go beyond the metal formula - very beautiful and strong! "Under the gun" is the albums fastest track and like "Everybody needs to be with someone" and "You" it gets better and better.

Don Dokken is a very talented singer and I believe that's very important, far more important than having a guitar virtous like George Lynch, who by the way is no longer a member of the band. But you get John Norum (anyone remember Europe?).

I have been a Dokken fan for many years and I think this CD shows their maturity and great musicianship. Barry Sparks and John Norum are an added plus to the exsisting members of Don Dokken and Wild Mick Brown. There is a great mix of slow, meaningful ballads and heavier driven tunes that really rock. The songs grow on you with each listen and it is one that you will listen to over and over again only getting better and better. I hope the radio stations get wise to this CD, there are a lot of hits on this one!