Thunder – "Dopamine"

An open letter to an unfairly overlooked institution in rock

Dear Thunder,

It is with a happy heart and even a somewhat reassured spirit on behalf of rock music itself that I listen to your 14th studio album, "Dopamine".

Let me state right away that there is not ONE bad song on this newest long-player of yours. Impressive, considering its magnitude of no less than 16 songs. – Which in itself is an impressive feat, not only since hardly anyone these days releases albums of such considerable length, but also since it's only been one year since your last album, "All The Right Noises" came out. Is BMG paying you a by-the-song commission or something??

I'm kidding, of course. And in any case, it's only wonderful that a band who's as un-hip as yourselves – and I mean that in the best possible way, mind you – can be so productive and deliver so much quality material in this day and age. There also seems to be an honorable statement behind your massive delivery this time around, seeing as how your album cover and title suggests an understandable concern with today's shortening attention span, among other things.

It's only wonderful that a band who's as un-hip as yourselves - and I mean that in the best possible way - can be so productive and deliver so much qulity material in this day and age.

All this being said, however, I think there's still a point to the classic aphorism "less is more".

For example, the hard, dry, almost funky riff with its tense low second step in opener "The Western Sky" doesn't exactly make for a very effective opener. So you might have scrapped that one and opened with "One Day We'll Be Free Again" (which I'm assuming is a COVID observation), as its instrumentation and build-up simply work – all the way from the lone Angus Young style opening chord picking to the chorus' Hammond organ and gospel singers. Nice one.

I'm thinking also a couple of the ballads could have been scrapped, or at least saved for later output. You'd have to admit that "Unraveling" is a bit on the poppy side, and that "Is Anybody Out There?" is a bit on the sentimental ditto. And even though "Just a Grifter" is a nice, original touch with its violin and waltz time, it's at a point on the album where I need some more rock to keep focus.

Also, even though your conspiracy comment "I Don't Believe the World" has its cultural merit, it doesn't add much to the album. All in all, I'd say you could have made a more solid output with only 12 or 13 tracks here.

But still. I'd have to reiterate that however one might look at it, such a solid helping of such solid rock music from you is a treat, and, if anything, would constitute less than a first-world problem in this day and age.

However one might look at it, such a solid helping of such solid rock music from you is a treat, and, if anything, would constitute less than a first-world problem in this day and age.

I'd also have to highlight what I consider your best songs this time around: The wonderfully impudent riff-fest "All the Way", and the uptempo motorcycle-rocker "Across the Nation", which sounds like it could have been on The Cult's "Electric" album ('87).

Another stand-out is the coolly laid-back, piano-driven "Big Pink Supermoon" with all its minor-key atmosphere and smoky saxohpone – although the melody is a bit similar to The Zombies' "She's Not There". And an unlikely earworm, album closer "No Smoke Without Fire" is so wonderfully aberrant that it sounds like something Mike Patton is bummed out about not having written.

All in all, dear Thunder, I'm grateful that we still have such excellent straight-up rock bands like you around – especially considering your somewhat frequent breakups. Keep on fighting the good fight for real music, and please make your performance on this year's Copenhell festival at least as good as it was on Wacken 2013.

Your fan,
 – Andy

Rating: 4.5 out of 6

Genre: Rock / hard rock
Release date: 29/4/2022
Label: BMG
Producer: Luke Morley