Dokken-Tooth and nail, 1984
Dokken's 1983 debut Breaking the chains showed some flashes of the band's potential yet it was overall just okay. However something must have clicked over the next year because their sophomore album is something else. The album kicks off with the instrumental "Without warning" with it's strained chords and slow build-up. Then the band launches into the title track with it's steady, thumping beat plus the wailing guitar solo and clear vocals. Next it's on to the melodic "Just got lucky" only melodic can be and is a good thing here. It's catchy and memorable without being overdone. "Heartless Heart" is a fairly simple song that cuts straight to the chase and keeps the flow of the album going. The opening riff of "Don't close your eyes" is one of George Lynch's best and this might be my favorite track on the album. Every detail of this song is sharp and precise. "When heaven comes down" starts with a nice thick riff and it's just a nice head bobbin' kind of song. The next track is "Into the fire" and despite the number of times I have heard it I still think it's very good. A perfect example of this band's ability to control the pace and put a lot into a song without overdoing it. This album is good example of how a band should mix up the styles of songs as we go back to another basic song. "Bullets to spare" is a mid-paced track with strong vocals and a solid rhythm. Ballad isn't always a dirty word in the world of hard rock and "Alone again" is a good example of that. A ballad that manages to convey emotion and show strength yet avoid being sappy or dull. The final track "Turn on the action" flies on and tears it up. My scorecard says ten good tracks with no fillers. This is just an excellent example of how 1980's hard rock could be if all of the band members were talented and they knew how to play together. Easily the finest moments for all involved.
posted by Metal Mark at
12:39 AM
12 Comments:
Somehow I totally missed out on this band - Iknew about them but an oppertunity never came up to hear them.
Another great review. A lot of my friends really liked this band but I never really listened to them.
Excellent, Mark. You completely 'nailed' it.
I can honestly say I like the entire album and cannot choose a favorite song. These guys were so great and it was so much fun for me, being the catholic school girl, to be blaring this everywhere I went while the rest of the supposed cool people were listening to Billy Ocean or whatever the hell it was they were into. haha.
Played it over and over back then and still love it just as much today.
Good review... However, I never liked Dokken that much... I love most metal old and new though.
:)
Never got into Dokken. Don't know why, just never did.
Agreed through and through. I didn't appreiicate Dokken as much at the time as I have in recent years re-listening to all of the band's stuff.
Without Warning/Tooth and Nail is still one of the best openings to an 80s pop metal album, period.
-- david
off topic -- just sayin hey
I was deliberately waiting for your Tooth and Nail review so I could pop my Back for the Attack blog piece, so I'll plug yours here.
Needless to say, you and I had many discussions and plays of this album over the years. I agree, this is Dokken's finest hour. They progressively slacked over time, which is why I'm going to do Back for the Attack. Under Lock and Key is very good for a pop metal album, but Tooth and Nail is still to this day an amazing slab of rock.
Good shite, man.
One of the common comments in metal is how this band or musician is "underrated." But I think George Lynch really is an underrated guitarist. Great band that would have really be remembered fondly if they could have avoided the poodle hair album cover for Under Lock and Key and some of the cheesier "Dream Warriors" type tunes. Overall great album, great review. ROCKIN WITH DOKKEN!
I was rockin' with Dokken back in the day. And I totally agree that instead of a sophomore slump it was a pure breakaway.
Yeessssss. I loved Dokken. Still do. I have this on vinyl somewhere...but I no longer have a stereo. I think I had all their records, as a matter of fact. I ended up getting their greatest hits CD instead of replacing all the albums.
This was my very favorite band back in the day. The band’s sound generally hasn’t aged well (why do I remember “Back For the Attack” being so much better than it actually is?), but this record is dated in all the right ways – sort of the way that the earliest Van Halen and Aerosmith records “sound” like the era they were recorded in.
I’m willing to disagree with you on the “no filler” comment, though. “Bullets to Spare” and “Heartless Heart” are both too weak for my tastes (despite that very, very good pre-chorus on “Heartless Heart”). Excellent call, though, on the opening riff to “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, which features some of Mick Browns less-forgettable drumming. Damn…..how great would that band have been with a less plodding drummer and a vocalist who knew his place??
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