Tag: VanHalen
11 Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth (2012)
It is finally here! The album you have been waiting for since 1984…….. A Different Kind of Truth. It seems like I have been waiting for ages to hear David Lee Roth sing with Van Halen again. I enjoyed the tunes from the brief, but short-lived reunion in 1996, “Can’t Get This Stuff No More”, and “Me Wise Magic” . A Different Kind of Truth is exactly what I have been waiting for…… An album that sounds like classic Van Halen. While I enjoyed the Sammy Hagar years in Van Halen, I have always longed for Van Halen’s return to their classic sound. That is exactly what A Different Kind of Truth sounds like. Classic Van Halen! This album has a massive production, and will please most audiophiles out there.
I am sure there are many of you that would love to have an album that is on a par with Van Halen I. This album isn’t it. If you want a heavy Van Halen album, with tons of guitars and that fun party rock that Van Halen is known for, A Different Kind of Truth will put a big smile on your face.
I read where many folks were slamming the song “Tattoo”, and while I can understand other people’s opinions, I like the song. It kind of reminds me of David Lee Roth’s song “Sensible Shoes” from his 1991 album, A Little Ain’t Enough. It is a catchy song, but it is one of the lesser songs on this CD.
I have to admit that I like the original demo version of “She’s The Woman” better than this latest version. I miss Michael Anthony’s background vocals. This version is good, and if you haven’t the original unreleased version of this song, you will probably love it.
Alex Van Halen makes his presence felt on the song “China Town”. I have always though of Alex as an incredible drummer. He continues to show just how awesome he is by pulverizing his drum kit, with a super fast tempo, and pounding rhythms. This isn’t a song that would be used as a radio single, but it is one of those deep Van Halen tracks that long time fans of the band will appreciate.
“Blood and Fire” screams radio hit. This song isn’t super heavy, and this song could have easily worked in the Hagar years, but David Lee Roth owns this one.
“HoneybabySweetiedoll” has a strange intro, but this is the kind of aggressive VH tune I have been waiting to hear for years! I love this! “The Trouble With Never” is a catchy, heavy rocker that Van Halen should release as their second single. Those fans on the fence after hearing “Tattoo” will certainly jump on the Van Halen train, after hearing “The Trouble With Never”.
“Stay Frosty” has that same type of acoustic guitar style as the Van Halen classic “Ice Cream Man”, but nowhere near as good as that song (which is one of my Van Halen favorites). The song gets a little heavier towards the middle, but even with Eddie Van Halen’s awesome riffs, this song is still one the weaker tracks.
A Different Kind of Truth closes out in strong fashion with two heavy rockers back to back with “Big River” and “Beats Workin”. It often sounds like to be me that David Lee Roth is singing “Big Trouble” in “Big River”, but it is a cool song nonetheless. Eddie tears it up on “Beats Workin'” and rest assured, but the time this song ends, I am hitting repeat to listen to this CD again.
Thanks to the Van Halen clan and David Lee Roth for releasing the Van Halen album, I have been longing for. A Different Kind of Truth is a tremendous comeback album that I can’t stop listening to. All Van Halen fans should pick up immediately. Highly Recommended!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Tattoo
02. She’s The Woman
03. You and Your Blues
04. China Town
05. Blood and Fire
06. Bullethead
07. As Is
08. Honeybabysweetiedoll
09. The Trouble With Never
10. Outta Space
11. Stay Frosty
12. Big River
13. Beats Workin’
Van Halen is:
Eddie Van Halen – Guitars
Alex Van Halen – Drums
Wolfgang Van Halen – Bass
David Lee Roth – Vocals
9 Van Halen – 5150 (Release Year – 1986)
I still the remember the day I heard the news when David Lee Roth quit Van Halen. I was in a state of disbelief when I first heard this news.
When Van Halen announced Sammy Hagar as their new singer, I had high hopes. Sammy Hagar is a better singer than David Lee Roth, and also has some very good guitar playing skills (although the band Van Halen hardly needs them).
5150 is the first Album with Sammy on vocals. With this release being 22 years old, it seems like an eternity ago. Listening to this album again today, I realize how big of a departure this CD was from the classic Van Halen sound.
5150 is more of a main stream pop rock record, than it is hard rock. Sammy’s vocals are
good, but this music is a lot more pop than their previous records. The tunes on this record rely on the keyboard far too heavily. Some may say that Van Halen’s sound matured, but I didn’t really care for this new direction.
I am a Sammy Hagar fan, but I can not deny, I prefer any of the David Lee Roth era of Van Halen albums to the tunes on 5150. I also prefer Sammy Hagar’s solo work to this record. Van Halen has had a ton of success with this record, and continues to sell copies of it today.
I don’t hate 5150, but I don’t love it either. When this album came out, I liked it fairly well, but today, I find this a lot harder to listen to. I believe some of their later work with Sammy Hagar was far better than this. The best cuts on 5150 are Good Enough, Best of Both Worlds, and Dreams.
Dust this record off, and let us know what you think of 5150!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Good Enough
2. Why Can’t This Be Love
3. Get Up
4. Dreams
5. Summer Nights
6. Best of Both Worlds
7. Love Walks In
8. 5150
9. Inside
Van Halen is:
Sammy Hagar – Vocals
Eddie Van Halen – Guitars
Michael Anthony – Bass
Alex Van Halen – Drums
6 Van Halen – S/T (Release Year – 1978)
All the talk about the 2007 Van Halen Reunion, I thought I would break out VH’s debut disc from 1978.
I think it is safe to say that this is one of the biggest debut discs by any hard rock band, and is certainly one of the most influential records of all time.
As far as debut’s go, Van Halen has only been outsold by Guns N’ Roses‘, Appetite for Destruction. A Diamond Level in sales (10 Million Copies sold) is certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing on this record, changed
the face of rock music. Countless guitarists tried to replicate his style of playing over the years, and he continues to influence young guitarists today.
The dynamic front man, David Lee Roth was nothing like anyone else at the scene at the time, and he too has had plenty of imitators over the years.
This record is one that you can listen to from beginning to end. It rocks all the way through. Several of the cuts have been over played on rock radio. Four Singles were released from this record, Running With the Devil, (The Kinks‘ cover) You Really got Me, Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love, and Jamie’s Cryin.
One of my all time favorite Van Halen tunes, is the John Brim cover, Ice Cream Man.
In 2003, Rolling Stone picked this record as one of the greatest rock records of all time. I may not accede with all of their picks, but this is one that I would certainly agree with.
If you don’t own this record, Do NOT pass go, do not collect $200.00. Get you tail to your local record store and pick this up.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Runnin’ With The Devil
2. Eruption
3. You Really Got Me
4. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
5. I’m The One
6. Jamie’s Cryin’
7. Atomic Punk
8. Feel Your Love Tonight
9. Little Dreamer
10. Ice Cream Man
11. On Fire
