For a band that only released four studio albums during their ’80s heyday, Dokken sure has enough compilations on the marketplace. If it’s a budget-priced collection you’re looking for as a sampler of their ’80s output (which is by far their best era), then Rhino’s Alone Again and Other Hits covers most of the bases. Equally at home with anthemic arena rockers (“Breaking the Chains,” “In My Dreams,” and “Dream Warriors,” the latter of which was the theme song for one of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies) and syrupy power ballads (“Alone Again,” “Slippin’ Away”), there was also the rare instance when the band combined the two styles (“”Heaven Sent”). But by no means is this a definitive collection, as such MTV favs as “Burning Like a Flame” are absent, as are such fan favorites as “Kiss of Death,” “Tooth and Nail,” and the George Lynch six-string showcase, “Mr. Scary.” But the meat and potatoes of the Dokken catalog is here, and you can’t argue with its affordable price. – Greg Prato
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