Van Halen - Van Halen
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Free Music Notes for Van Halen
Free Music Review: Landmark
Hit: 5 Stars
Hard to believe this is a blast from the past. My son is learning some of the guitar solos so I've had a chance to listen to the disc quite a bit lately. It really shook up the rock/metal scene, didn't it? In some respects, this is not a five star album. I mean, it's a classic and I love it, but as an album, it is not as consistent as a five star disc should be. I can appreciate Atomic Punk for what it is, for example, but it disturbs the flow. On Fire never did much for me, sorry to say. But the good is really good. The playing is incredible and Dave's singing style fits the music. Michael Anthony was a highly under-rated background vocalist. These guys were such a great band and the evidence is all right here.Free Music Review: great album but there are better guitar players, JASON BECKER, RANDY RHOADS, AL DI MEOLA
Hit: 5 Stars
I love every track on this album. Everyone is really good. They were great. However, in my opinion. Randy Rhoads was better than Eddie at guitar. He didn't depend on tapping in his solos, his compositional skills were better (just listen to the song ''Diary of a Madman), he basically INVENTED neo-classical (listen to the song Mr. Crowley). He wasn't all flash most of the time. AND he could have soul (listen to goodbye to romance). Oh, and he didn't talk badly about people in the band in interviews. These are exact words from a guitar one interview about Fair Warning ''the truth is, I don't think Dave sang as good as I played''. Even if you think that, you don't talk about your bandmates behind there backs. You say it right to them. I would like to see him singing. Free Music Review: their first and their best
Hit: 4 Stars
The David Lee Roth era of Van Halen was definitely the "classic" era and the best, and this first album I think really sums up what the band was all about. It strikes a balance between party metal, heavy metal, Edward's guitar skill, and a little bit of lighter fare. Something I hadn't realized before becoming a fan of the band was that they were also capable of vocal harmony and I think the instrumentalists sound very good backing up Roth. Well, on with the list:
Runnin' With the Devil--This to me is the theme song of the album. It's got a great march tempo with that incredibly heavy distorted trademark guitar sound, introduced by Michael Anthony's pounding bass at the beginning. I think David Lee Roth's voice sounds best on this song, with a good balance between the jazzy vibrato and his famous overtone screams and yelps. It's a catchy, listener-friendly song but such a great example of Edward's adaptability to poppier songs, in terms of showcasing his playing but containing it within a song that would get played on the radio.
Eruption--An instrumental that is the opposite of what I said above. This is a minute and forty-two seconds of Edward Van Halen unleashed on the guitar with maximum distortion, whammy bar, echo effects, and crazy Baroque-like shredding. I'm so glad that this track is included on this album.
You Really Got Me--I often skip this track when listening as I don't think they did much for it by covering it. It's really just the old Kinks song with Roth's yelps and Edward's distortion kind of dressing it up.
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love--My favorite song. The opening guitar riff is, I don't know, sexy, and the heavy minor key makes it a classic, ominous heavy metal song. The overdubbed electric sitar adds interest to the refrains and we get to hear some plain clean guitar during the quieter bridge.
I'm the One--Classic speed metal, pretty straightforward without anything really outstanding about it, just more good vocal harmonies and terrific wild guitar playing. I do like the bridge in which they all scat in a capella harmony for a few measures, though.
Jamie's Cryin'--A good poppy, catchy number with a moderate tempo, wailing guitar riff, and a good storyline in the lyrics. I seem to really notice Michael Anthony's high vocal harmony and Alex Van Halen's drumming on this track. The fade-out ending make this one even more radio-friendly.
Atomic Punk--What I like most about this one is the way it makes fun of the punk movement that was trying to stir up trouble at the same time that Van Halen was spawning hair metal. The song has a punk beat but otherwise is all VH in its sound, right down to the tuneless distortion in the introductory guitar riff.
Feel Your Love Tonight--This one reminds me of "Jamie's Cryin'". I don't have much to say about it for that reason but it's a good party-metal song.
Little Dreamer--The only song on the album that I blatantly don't like, it just sounds like filler or an afterthought and I usually skip it.
Ice Cream Man--From what I understand, this is another cover song, though I haven't heard the original. Definitely brands Diamond Dave as a hedonistic ladies' man while we get to hear Edward play an acoustic guitar during the opening blues jam.
On Fire--The band may have made fun of the punk movement in "Atomic Punk" but here, punk's influence is obvious. This song is really too frenetic and screamy for my liking, but the title is appropriate and it's not a bad song.
Free Music Review: one of the best Rock albums ever!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Another gem that killed Disco, and soon Rap.Free Music Review: From Gazzari's to the world
Hit: 5 Stars
The first VH and the best most energized raw recording. They managed to capture the 1976 Gazzari's and Whiskey a go-go current stage act here. All Ted Templeman had to do was set up the mikes and we have a monster album by a great band.