Van Halen - Fair Warning
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Free Music Notes for Fair Warning
Free Music Review: Fair Warning fellow Van Halen fans!
Hit: 5 Stars
While there is no denying that Van Halen's album leaves you gasping for breath from it's endless guitar assault. II and Women And Children equally leave you exhausted from the driving guitar and bass, I like Fair Warning the best. Van Halen stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park. Creatively, they moved into new territory but kept the trademark sound.
1. Mean Street - Typical VH, *****
2. Dirty Movies - Best song EVER laid down by VH! Ever! *****
3. Sinner's Swing! - David Lee Roth lyrics rule this one. ****
4. Hear About It Later - Love Eddie's guitar on this. *****
5. Unchained - Typical radio-ready VH ****
6. Push Comes to Shove - VH stretches out and is a winner. ****
7. So This Is Love? - Brilliant, fun. *****
8. Sunday Afternoon in the Park - Sure didn't expect this at the time. *****
9. One Foot Out the Door - VH kicks it up a notch! *****
This said, Fair Warning is the best Van Halen album ever! Personally, I do not like Eddie (the person) or care much for Alex's drumming. David needs to get over himself. Michael is a supreme being. Thank God one of them are down to earth. Michael is the magic in Van Halen.
Free Music Review: Someone Said Fair Warning (Oh yeah, it was me. Oh wait, no it wasn't.)
Hit: 4 Stars
Thoughts about Fair Warning after listening to it for the first time in roughly 10 years...
A few months ago I found myself ravenously hungry for Fair Warning. I hadn't given the album much thought over the past decade, but for some reason it found its way back into my head recently and I just couldn't be satisfied until I heard it again. Fifteen years ago, I used to own Fair Warning on LP and have long considered it to be my favorite Van Halen album. However, since I no longer own a record player, I recently found myself needing Fair Warning on CD and needing it fast. I hurried over to Best Buy and was pleased to see that a remastered version of the cd retailed for 11 bucks. I barely stopped long enough to pay the cashier on my way out and expertly slid the cd into my car stereo.
The intro to "Mean Streets" blasted out of my speakers and a smile crept across my face. Could the song always have been this good? By the conclusion of "Mean Streets", I had a feeling Fair Warning was going to be even better than I remembered it. Then came "Dirty Movies" and I was reminded that Van Halen sometimes favored lasciviously cheesy lyrics. To call "Dirty Movies" disposable would be generous. When "Sinners Swing!" came on, I grimaced again. Did I ever really like this drek? What sort of chorus is "Get, get, get, get, get out and push"? "Hear About it Later" is Van Halen toning down the rawk and trying to sound sensitive. Instead, they end up sounding like crap for the third straight song. At least "Unchained" musically continues to live up to its classic reputation, though that whole "come on Dave, give me a break" nonsense lays on a cheese veneer that's gone stale over time. "Push Comes to Shove" and especially "So This is Love" make a respectable attempt at rescuing the album from banality. However, "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" and "One Foot Out the Door" have to come along and drag it back down again.
Hungry as I was for Fair Warning when I bought it, I found myself quite full after only a single helping. If I made a practice of selling my disappointing cds, my copy of Fair Warning would be a strong candidate for appearing in a used cd bin near you. However, luckily for you, I don't sell my cds so you can ignore that ridiculous urge you have to buy my copy. I told you, Fair Warning really isn't much good. Someone said Fair Warning - oh yeah, that was me - don't buy this cd!
Thoughts about Fair Warning after listening to it for a second time in about 10 years...
Hmm, now I'm starting to worry about the review I wrote above. Maybe one's opinion of Fair Warning depends on one's mood. I listened to it again this afternoon and found myself really enjoying it. The guitar playing and overall production sound are both very pleasing. I think what the album suffers from is a dearth of catchy hooks and a surfeit of uninspired lyrics. Fallen prom queens, nights out chasing tail, lots of patented David Lee Roth squawks - pretty standard fare for Van Halen. My initial inclination had been to give Fair Warning 2 stars and shake my head in disbelief at my musical tastes in high school. However, having listened to it again and finding myself genuinely enjoying it despite its lyrical juvenilia, I'm starting to think 4 stars might not be too generous. Especially if you find yourself in the same mood for guitar-shredding 80s party rock I unexpectedly found myself in this afternoon.
The third time's the charm...
OK, after a third listen, I'm finally ready to confirm Fair Warning as a highly enjoyable 4 star album. I apologize to any band members or fans whom I may have offended with my initial impressions, but leave my earlier comments in this review as a cautionary tale to those myriad Amazon reviewers who are overly eager to review albums. Knee-jerk reviewers are a plague on this site and are ready to proclaim a new album a masterpiece or a colossal failure within days of its release. It's taken me 20 years to pinpoint exactly how I feel about Fair Warning - the least we amateur reviewers can do is live with a new album for a few months before passing judgement.
Free Music Review: The Peak of Roth era!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I can remember...spring 1981, I was in 8th grade and was very curious about this band called Van Halen. One night, the dj on the FM station that played VH said that they were going to play Fair Warning in it's entirety and he said that "this is Edwards best guitar work.." It was like 1 in the morning and I made it through half of Meanstreet and feel asleep...well about a week after that I heard Eruption...and I freaked out!! Not knowing what album it was on, I went and bought Fair Warning..the "new" Van Halen album and that was it!!!! TO THIS DAY.... at 38 years of age...this is Van Halen's BEST album, BEST guitar work and THE highlight of the Roth era!!! After this album, they started to become superstars with 1984 and Diver Down...and I feel that the music started to lighten up. So, for those of you not familiar with Fair Warning...it's a good place to start...and finish!Free Music Review: Van Halen's masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1981 all was not well in the world of the mighty VH. Tensions between guitarist Eddie Van Halen and singer David Lee Roth had been mounting, and it got to the point where Eddie had wanted to quit the group. He recorded music, possibly for a solo album, Roth heard it, and promptly wrote some lyrics--the result...FAIR WARNING. A rather, dark, cynical album, and one of the finest, if not finest, recording Van Halen ever made. The tensions within the band helped to fuel the fire, the intensity, and the passion of the recording process.
With the exception of Van Halen 3, (with vocalist Gary Cherone) "Fair Warning" was the least commercially successful Van Halen album. Although it is generally regarded among fans (especially VH purists) to be one of the bands' best albums.
Although still a "party" album, complete with sing-along choruses, "Fair Warning" is by far the band's darkest album. The overall vibe of the album, as well as Eddie Van Halen's riffs and solos, while undeniably catchy with great hooks, also have a cloudy somberness to them. David Lee Roth's lyrics, for the most part, are also somewhat more cynical than most of his work, before or since.
"Fair Warning" shows Van Halen at their zenith. Truth be told--the first six Van Halen albums are all masterpieces and essential to any great rock collection, but "Fair Warning" is the crown jewel of VH's output. Even more so than the classic debut album. "Fair Warning" simply shows each member of the band, and the band overall as a unit, at their finest. "Fair Warning" demonstrates Eddie Van Halen's best riffs, solos, and overall playing. It's flashy, yet not self-indulgent, intense, yet also has a lot of soul, something that a lot of technical wizards lack. It was on "Fair Warning" that Eddie found the "brown sound."
"Fair Warning" is also singer David Lee Roth's finest hour. His lyrics and delivery are at their most witty, ironic and colorful height--like in the classic "one break, commmming uppp!"--from "Unchained" (which was on the spur-of-the-moment, and not pre-planned). On "Fair Warning," David Lee Roth is immortalized as the world's coolest frontman, ever.
"Fair Warning" also shows Van Halen's rhythm section at their best. Bassist Michael Anthony has never been hailed as the world's greatest living bassist. He is primly there to serve, along with drummer Alex Van Halen as the musical backbone of the band, to let Eddie do his thing. On "Fair Warning," although his lines are pretty straightforward, they are also right upfront. You can hear the bass throughout the entire disc, it really stands out and enhances the sound and vibe of the album overall. On songs like "Push Comes to Shove" and "So This is Love," you can get into the bass as much as any other aspect of the sound.
"Mean Street" opens with the sound of a guitar--quite at first, and then getting louder and louder--of Eddie noodling on the fretboard. And then the main riff kicks in, a mean, killer riff, one of 80s rocks' finest. At this point you are thrust into the all-consuming greatness that is classic Van Halen. This mid-tempo rocker simply shows classic Van Halen at their best--young, invigorated, ready to kill. "Fair Warning" then moves into the dark, highly underrated "Dirty Movies." This song starts out melodic, yet somewhat morose and creepy. The underwhellming drums at the beginning add the perfect effect. After a few seconds the main riff kicks in, and this loud and heavy, yet midtempo, melodic rocker begins. This ode to the porn industry shows the band at it's most cynical--from the perspective of its rowdy audience. The radio staple "Sinners Swing" is a bit more upbeat, but only slightly so. The midtempo "Hear About it Later," a song about unfaithfulness, is bitter, yet confident. The rhythm section towards the end of the song--with Michael Anthony's pounding bass over Alex Van Halen's light percussion is magnificently stunning. "Unchained" is undeniably the albums' highlight and one of Van Halen's, and rocks' greatest songs. From the classic opening chords, the fast paced riff, to it's conclusion, this song is a masterpiece, and simply shows VH at their peak. The album comes back to earth with the funky, disco-like "Push Comes to Shove." "So This is Love?" is one of Van Halen's best songs. It's incredibly catchy, with a great bass intro, and great riff and hook. If you listen to "So this is Love," it is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, that's how magical it is. "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" is a foggy, somewhat offbeat instrumental. It adds a nice touch to the album overall. This instrumental leads into the short-but-sweet closing "One Foot Out the Door" which shows Diamond Dave at his meanest, with lyrics like "Now I'm gonna lose it 'cause that son-of-a-bitch"...A perfect conclusion to the perfect record.
Before Van Halen wrote songs like "Why Can't this be Love," before the lead-singer soap opera, there was a time when Van Halen was rightfully called the Mighty Van Halen, and "Fair Warning" proves it. The best word to describe Van Halen at this stage in their career is, quite simply, cool. "Fair Warning" is simply one of the best, coolest rock albums you will ever hear in your life.
The 2000 remaster sounds especially clear and sharp. You can make out subtle things that were easy to miss on the original CD pressing. Now "Fair Warning" can be enjoyed in all its greatness.
Free Music Review: 4.5 STARS, Van Halen In A Heavy Metal Mood
Hit: 5 Stars
The Fan Favorite. There darkest heaviest album. Hugely underated. Heres What I think of the songs.
1.Mean Streets (5/5)- My favorite Van Halen song, Eddies sweetest solo ever
2.Dirty Movie's (4.5/5)- Funny Song about porn stars
3.Sinners Swing (3.5/5)- cool song
4.Hear About It Later (4/5)- good ballad song
5.Unchained (5/5)- Sweet Riff, listen for what dave has to say after the solo
6.When Push Comes Too Shove (3/5)- Disco like
7.So This Is Love (5/5)- A really catchy song, cool bassline
8.Sunday Afternoon In The Park (3/5)-Dark song done by synthesizers
9.One Foot Out The Door (4.5/5)- A pissed off song, sweet lyrics
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