Reviews (45)

A Good Melodic Hard Rock Album
This is a long way from Dokken's prime material ("Under Lock & Key," "Tooth & Nail," "Back for the Attack), but after listening to it, I found myself enjoying it. Granted, it's not going to change the music world, nor will it show you something new, musically speaking, but several of the songs on this album are very well done.

I like to listen to albums when I go out jogging. I have to find an album to be at least half way decent before I'll set off on the road with it. To me, there's nothing worse than being two miles from home, saddled with a CD player loaded with a dull CD!

I found myself hitting the repeat button on "Sunless Days," "Little Girl," and "Goodbye My Friend" frequently. Great songs, great music. What's the problem with the harmonies being "Beatlesque"? I think this works great. In some ways it departs from Dokken's traditional pop-metal sound to a degree, but not by much. DOn's voice sounds as good as ever, and John Norum fills George Lynch and Reb Beach's shoes very well.

Three stars to me rates an album as good. This is definitely a good melodic hard rock album. One half is really good, while the other half is rather bland and faceless. If you've got the rest of the band's albums and you're a fan, this is worth checking out.

Dokken Proves It Again
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.

Something's Wrong Here...
I've been a fan of Don Dokken for many years. I'm smart enough to know the truth. Don Dokken is why Dokken was and is successful, not George Lynch. George Lynch is and was a tremendous guitar player but the imperfections in his records since he left Dokken show how much Don brought to the table even excluding his tremendous vocals. Every Dokken record has been near perfect as Don demands. While this record might be produced to perfection, the material certainly falls short of the "p" word.

Many argue if Dokken was a hair band. Of course they were! You know what? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But, Dokken had a harder edge than the typical hair band. Songs like Tooth & Nail, Kiss of Death, and Heaven Sent are a bit intense for some of the more popular hair bands of the time. But, they were unmistakably Dokken and unmistakably melodic hard rock. There are only a few traces of this style on this record and I do stress a few.

Little Girl is a great song. It captures the feel of what Dokken was mixed with a Beatles style. Heart full of Soul is a short but sweet classic Dokken sounding song.

When I ripped this record into MP3's to add to my play list while I work online, those were the only two I bothered ripping. The rest of the record is lacking something. It has a bit of a gloomy feel that simply is boring or has potential to be a decent song but simply does not find the hook needed to make you sing along. The musicianship is good and Don sounds great when he isn't singing too mellow for the songs but there is, without question, something missing.

Reviews (539)

Bruce Is Back!
The cloud of 9/11 hangs over Bruce Springsteen's new album, "The Rising," but who better to address that horrible day than Springsteen, who can write anthem rock like no one else on the face of the earth? Songs like the opening "Lonesome Day," "Empty Sky," and the already well-known "My City Of Ruins" will make Bruce fans proud. The man still has a great set of pipes that can scare ships off the Jersey shore, and the welcome return of Springsteen's E Street Band co-horts, including wife Patti Scialfa, Steve Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons, and Max Weinberg, helps lift the material to the same glorious heights of "Born In The USA" & "Born To Run."With "The Rising," America's working-class hero of rock has returned in a big, big way. It's truly wonderful to have Bruce back in business. He's needed. :-)

Beauty Mixed with Tears
First things first: It's ridiculous to have to say this, but Springsteen isn't "capitalizing" on the events of Sept. 11th any more than he was capitalizing on the plight of Vietnam veterans when he wrote "Born in the U.S.A." If a popular artist is accused of selling out or taking advantage of people every time he forges an emotional connection with his audience, the very idea of creating art is moot. Britney Spears shakes her chest and rear-end in front of fifth graders for millions of dollars a year, and this guy's integrity gets questioned? Please.

That said, "The Rising" certainly isn't perfect, but it's as solid as any Springsteen album since "Tunnel of Love," and its best songs are as compelling as anything in his catalogue. I agree that a few of the tunes sound rushed. Lyrically, "Empty Sky," "Countin' on a Miracle," and "Further on (Up the Road)," aren't particularly thrilling. They're the kind of well-intentioned, half-finished songs that you might find on a Bruce bootleg. "Worlds Apart," with its Middle Eastern vocals, is also iffy, although it ends with a searing guitar solo that nearly saves it.

But there's a lovely, prayerful quality to many of the other tunes. (That's the idea behind the oft-denigrated chanting choruses, folks. The Beatles used to do it, too.) "My City of Ruins" is nothing less than a gospel song. I get goose bumps every time I hear it. The same goes for "Nothing Man," "You're Missing," "Paradise," and "The Rising." They're remarkable tunes, small masterpieces of sorrow and empathy. As usual, Springsteen brings a novelist's eye for detail to his work, and the results are often overwhelming.

He also includes three charmingly upbeat songs that celebrate life in the midst of tragedy. "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" and "Mary's Place" could have easily found a home on "The River." But the biggest surprise is a soulful little confection called "Let's Be Friend's (Skin to Skin)" that's intentionally derivative while being catchy as hell. It's unlike anything Springsteen has ever recorded, and, in a strange way, is as impressive as the dramatic songs. I find myself returning to it over and over again, but I'm sure hardcore fans who feel like they own the guy will be happy to hate it. It would make a great single, if people still bought singles.

Take it from a New Yorker who stood on the roof of his apartment building and watched the twin towers burn- this album aims for the heart, and, more often than not, reaches its mark with subdued grace and beauty. It's another step in a healing process that won't be over for a long time, and Springsteen deserves a lot of credit for addressing the situation with such dignity. It's been said before, and it should be said again: you can call him The Boss, but he really works for us. Buy the album, and pay him the attention he so richly deserves.

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Reviews (20)

LIVING IN THE SHADOWS
There is always time for another WASP album and the reason for this is you always get what you came for. This time however I really wanted something new, call me selfish. Perhaps the game plan is set and its time for me to step of the merry-go-round. I doubt not that most WASP fans will be well pleased with this musical outing, its dark and its angry and the subject matter is bleak. But something is missing, namely stretching out in new directions. Retro from the get go if you will. Anyway here goes the analysis with song one "Shadow Man" which must have Gene Simmons setting a court date for the evident 'God Of Thunder'rip off. The mix is murkier than ink and takes away much of the punch and sparkle. What is apparent that if Blackie wanted a Holmes-clone in new boy Darrell Roberts he has found it, a shame cause new blood can often give a much needed kick to a well trodden formula. The plagerism continues unabated with "My Wicked Heart" so evidently "Ravenheart" from Unholy Terror I blushed. "Black Bone Torso" should be skipped despite all its angst another rehash this time "Kill Your Pretty Face" from KFD. "Hell for Eternity" gallops along and is in possession of a chorus, "Hallowed Ground" is epic yet feels like it was painted by numbers. "Revengeance" has swagger and balls but slides through third base without an all important hook so you hardly notice it at this late stage, "Trail of Tears" and my eyelids are drooping. The best is saved for last in "Stone Cold Killers" a keyboard tectured outing in the Hammond style, and "Rubber Man" which owns a monster riff and provides hope for what may follow on the next outing. Suggestions for next time may to allow outsiders to mix with the main man's ideas and stretch the boundaries a little more musically, take a risk cause you have nothing to loose. Solid yet no cigar.

Great CD! Blackie's '9/11' album
Mix 2 cups "Unholy Terror",add 2 tablespoons of "Still Not Black Enough",and a pinch of "The Headless Children",and you have "Dying for the World". Blackie writes about the pain and anguish he felt over the 9/11 tragedies (he's a native New Yorker).The songs "Stone Cold Killers' reflects Blackie's view of the sadistic killers who took so many lives that fateful day."There are 2 versions of "On Hallowed Ground",the regular and acoustic version.This song reflects Blackie's sorrow of losing the World trade Center,and iis easily one of the best WASP songs ever written.
Blackie is the most underappreciated man in music.Just put "Dying for the World" in your CD player and see why.He isn't flashy,he just writes some of the best heavy metal songs ever recorded.

Reviews (98)

Another classic album
The reviews this album received on it's release were mostly disappointing, and this surprises me. If you are a Poison fan then this album is essential to your collection, period. There are some true classics on here and for those of you thinking about buying this album I'll elaborate for you.........

The opening track Hollyweird is a real powerful tune to kick things off, starts off with motley crue style guitars sounding like a bike revving up. Then CC's fingers get to work on a riff that would not be out of place on any of Poison's older albums. Brilliant lyrics by Bret, on the whole this song is the high point of the album, a 9 out of 10 hard rock song.

Then something that the boys have not done that often - a cover song! Not bad, but sounds much better live. CC makes the song his own with his trade-mark riffs. "Shooting star" and "wishful thinkin" have been condemned widely by poison fans for sounding similar to "fallen angel" - the songs are basically about the small town guy/gal who goes to hollywood to make it big but things are not as easy as they seem. I agree, a similar concept to previous songs, but the experiences of Bret, Bobby, CC and Rikki will always be based around this - after moving to California they spent the best part of one year living in a busted down basement surrounded by cockroaches and eating scraps of food. Songwriting is, I guess, all about portraying your own life experiences so I can understand where these songs are coming from.

Now the most frustrating part of this album - the song "Get ya some" - a tune that possesses the catchiest groove you've ever heard, then progresses to a heavy metal riff you could bang your head to....absolutely breath-taking! Why frustrating? Because despite the great music, it sounds like Bret spent five minutes while he was on the toilet writing the lyrics!! for example :"she make a dead man come, I got to get me some"!!!!!

CC does 3 songs, "Emperor's new clothes", "Livin in the now", and "Home" - all good songs but I can't help but think that these were a pre-requisite to this album being made. Nevertheless they are entertaining a don't drag the quality down at all.

"Devil Woman" and "Wasteland" are both decent 7 out of 10 rock songs, and the album gets stronger towards the end with the hilarious "Stupid, stoned and dumb" and "Home" which is a song done twice - same musically but Bret sings one and CC the other and they both tell their own stories - kind of like an after dinner speech detailing their exploits. Check out CC's version, very funny!!

"Rock star" sounds like it was written lyrically by a 14 year old, but there is also a large element of tongue-in-cheek and it is a great song to finish the album with.

This album is not up to the standards of the 1st three classics from the late 80s/early 90s, but as a Poison fan I would rather have this collection of decent tunes to listen to as opposed to nothing at all, hence the five stars I have given. There are some trade-mark moments on here if you listen carefully.

I really hope Bret, Bobby, CC and Rikki play more songs from this album when they next play live. If you enjoyed the Greatest Hits compilation, then this cd will provide you with hours of enjoyment!

Poison Brings Back the Days of TRUE Rock n Roll!!!
All I have to say is, other bands from the '80's should LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM AND FOLLOW POISON'S LEAD!!!!! If Skid Row (w/ Sebastian), Cinderella, Guns n Roses (With Slash, Axl, and the boyz), and Motley Crue were to follow Poison, and put out PURE, TRUE '80's style Metal, then we would have a musical rebirth!!! The greatest thing about Poison is they stuck to what they do best - making pure rock n roll. The lyrics are Poison's best to date, with songs like "Stupid, Stoned, and Dumb", and "Get Ya Some". This is certainly their best album since "Flesh and Blood". The only drawback are the Three songs with CC on vocals. CC is a great guitarist, who can create some incredible riffs, melodies, and guitar solos...but...CC - Leave the singing to Bret!! The best songs in my opinion are Wasteland, Wishful Thinkin, Shooting Star, Get Ya Some, and Devil Woman. These songs alone are well worth the album purchase, and they truly make you "Wanna Go Back to a Simpler Time, Where Nothin' Really Mattered at All, No.....". Poison should be praised for raising their middle finger to the current popular music scene (which is a total joke and complete musical disaster!!), and putting out an incredible album that stands on its own, whether it's 1985, 1994, or 2002.

Reviews (624)

Bouncing Back
The new Bon Jovi album is a well rounded pop rock record with something for every fan both young and old. After the last two more mellow efforts this album has some rousing arena rockers in Undivided, Hook Me Up, Everyday, and The Distance. There are also the wonderfully corny but heartfelt ballads that you come to expect from Bon Jovi such as All About Loving You, You Had Me From Hello and Open All Night. A nice surprise are some numbers that fall in between. Misunderstood is a tribute to every husband who has ever been in the doghouse. Joey is musically inspired by Elton John and lyrically tells the story of a friendship with someone with a disability that is sweet and touching. Right Side of Wrong, a modern Butch Cassidy story, has a Tom Waits meets Billy Joel feel. This album does have some 9/11 inspired tracks but unlike The Rising which deals with specific stories from the event, songs such as Undivided, Bounce and Everyday speak to the sense of hope and unity that our country felt in those terrible days afterwards and our resiliance and resolve as a nation to live our lives to the fullest and make each moment count. Diehard and casual Bon Jovi fans alike will not be disappointed.

BOUNCE
Twenty years together and still resolutely the ultimate rock act with an audience to match Bon Jovi Bounce back into our lives with what could arguably be their best album yet. The album written around the same time as the September 11th attacks on New York opens with the resounding hope and resilience portrayed by the haunting lyrics on the track Undivided. Everyday and Bounce are also tracks of hope directly related to the aftermath of September 11th. The album continues with arguably it best song 'The Distance' where the unmistakable brilliance of Richie Sambora on guitar rings true. The album contains tow fantastic story telling songs in the vein of Elton John and Billy Joel in Joey and Right Side of wrong. The Bon Jovi love songs are also compelling on the album none more so that "All about Loving You'. Songs such as Misunderstood and Bounce stands out for their brilliance in their lyrical content and the message that song portrays. The album closes with a song penned by Jon and Richie inspired by Jon's character in Ally McBeal.
For me this is by far the best Bon Jovi record released as each song bring you on a journey - each song has a message. It is an album where each song stands on it own and there are definitely no fillers. All I can say it lie back, put on your headphones as take a journey with the music and don't forget to "BOUNCE"

OUTSTANDING TRACKS: THE DISTANCE; MISUNDERSTOOD; UNDIVIDED;