Yesterday and Today - Dokken

Dokken's career has been a turbulent one full of ups and downs. But as longtime fans can attest, the group was one of the better live acts from the '80s pop-metal movement, as proven by its 1988 live swan song Beast from the East. When the original lineup reunited during the mid-'90s, its first release was another live set (albeit an "unplugged" one): 1995's One Live Night. In 2000, a slightly altered Dokken lineup issued another live album, Live from the Sun: Best from the West (with ex-Winger guitarist Reb Beach replacing original member George Lynch). As if the group didn't already have enough live sets in record stores, another concert release reared its head in 2001: Yesterday and Today. Unlike the other ones, however, this ten-track, budget-priced set collected previously released highlights from Dokken's earlier two live discs. If you already own those discs, there's nothing here you haven't already heard; indeed, if you're looking for an affordable introduction to latter-day Dokken in concert, Yesterday and Today is barely adequate. You'd be better off with the older titles. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide