Album Review: Heavy Hitters II by George Lynch & Jeff Pilson

The former Dokken members, George Lynch and Jeff Pilson, have joined forces once again for a second round of Heavy Hitters. Reinventing songs from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and beyond, this dynamic duo have added their own edge to some of the world’s most beloved pop and new wave tracks. With the help of Bernard Fowler on vocals and Brian Tichy on drums, the heavy hitters have once again created an album full of diversity and fun. 

Kicking off the album with a hard rock version of Peter Gabriel’s 1986 hit “Sledgehammer”, Lynch and Pilson bring new life to this timeless classic. Replacing the classic 80s pop saxophone with an electric guitar, while having Fowler stay true to Gabriel’s vocal tones and melodies, the heavy hitters version honors the original track in the best ways. It grabs your attention within seconds and has you curious for what’s to come. 

Continuing on the journey of the album, up next is an electrifying version of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young acoustic folk track, Carry On. Keeping the 70s tone of the song, while making it their own, Lynch and Pilson have transformed this into hard hitting rock song that’ll have you headbanging along. Lynch stays true to the guitar melodies in the original, while adding his signature flare to the guitar parts that adds a new excitement to the song. 

As the track list continues, the more broad the genres become in the song choices. From Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive”, to Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” and even the christmas song “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the former Dokken members have transformed these vastly different songs into something that is cohesive and fits strongly together. “New Sensation” by INXS and “Shout” by Tears For Fears start out the second half of the album, two popular new wave/pop tracks in the mid 1980s. Blending hard rock into these classic hits, it’s interesting to see Lynch and Pilson dive into a different side of the 1980s music scene while making the songs feel closer to the genre they played a large part in. 

Creating these Heavy Hitter albums for the fun of dissecting hit songs and diving into what makes them all so great in their own ways, the guitar and bass duo have created a body of work that is unique and exciting. Transforming songs you’d never expect rock musicians to cover, the album keeps you intrigued from top to bottom.