DAKOTA – Mr. Lucky [Reissue 2016]

Most part of American AORsters DAKOTA discography was out of print from some time now, fortunately some of their albums are getting a deserved reissue this year 2016. “Mr. Lucky” is one of the more treasurable, as in fact it’s Dakota 3rd unreleased album recorded in the mid-80s.

The Pennsylvanian band which core consists of Jerry Hludzik and Bill Kelly have continually popped up at irregular intervals both as musicians, songwriters, and producers. They debuted in the Seventies with an album under the name of “Jerry Kelly”, but they become famous in AOR / Melodic Rock circles as Dakota with their classic self-titled album and “Runaway” excellent albums.

By the mid-80s Dakota recorded a third album but their record company rejected the material – more Melodic Rock oriented than the previous LP – and asked for a poppier sound. Hludzik / Kelly refused and the label dropped Dakota.
Anyway, the band released it in 1987 as ‘Lost Tracks’, and this “Mr. Lucky” is essentially an expanded version of that with additional material.

The sound in “Mr. Lucky” is just as you’d expect if you’re familiar with any of the 2 previous classic 80s AOR Dakota releases (and you shoulda, both are essential), except there’s a bit more emphasis on the guitars and and overall Melodic Rock feel.
Title track ‘Mr. Lucky’ proves this with its catchy riffs, a song mostly guitar-driven, we have a pulsating rhythm in ‘Heaven Or Hell’, a racy class on ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ (you have to hear this chorus!), and the midtempo style and grace of ‘Remember Me’.

Of course we have Dakota special and unique ballads as ‘Forever To Never’ with a sweet West Coast melody, or the superb ‘One For The Heart’ with some Journey overtones all over.
‘These Eyes’ and ‘Good Old Time’ provide a more restrained take on the midtempo AOR theme, both memorable and of high quality.

All the songs are of a uniformly high standard and have the absolute refinement of these widely experienced songwriters. Why this Dakota material was rejected by MCA Records is beyond me, but it’s not strange as the label made many mistakes in the ’80s which ended in bankruptcy.
The sheer quality of the songs makes this “Mr. Lucky” a must into any AOR / Melodic Rock collection.

01 – Brothers In Arms
02 – Remember Me
03 – Mr. Lucky
04 – One For The Heart
05 – Heaven Or Hell
06 – Forever To Never
07 – Don’t Stop Believing
08 – These Eyes
09 – Good Old Time
10 – The Next Time
11 – All Thru’ The Night
12 – Mr. Lucky (Rocky Version)

Jerry G. Hludzik: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Bill Kelly: Guitar
Rick Manwiller: Keyboards, Programming
Jon Lorance, Eric Kudy, Nat Gardner – add. Guitar
Eli M.Hludzik: Drums

BUY
www.amazon.com/Mr-Lucky-Dakota/dp/B01EG0QZ3K