1st New Van Halen CD w/Roth since 1984!!!

[Cail]

It's a far better album than I expected. I'll be amazed if they can pull this stuff off live.

There's nothing really memorable at first listen, but the musicianship is top-notch. I really liked a lot of the Sammy stuff, but clearly Dave's songwriting was missing. Ed's playing is phenomenal, Alex's drumming is competent, and I'm pleasantly surprised by Wolfie's bass. But damn I miss Mike's harmonies.

[Zarathustra]

Vraith, I thought the same about "You and Your Blues," but I think now that's because there are such better songs on the album that distracted me from it. Now that I've played it to death, I've gone back to some of the less flashy songs, and they're growing on me. I love part where Dave sings, "...woman, you suffer from a color ... I suffer 'cause of you ... now everybody's suffering." Dave is really struggling to sing at the limit of his vocal range here, and pulls it off. But the lyrics are pretty cool, too. It's not a blues song, but an anti-blues. He's telling her to stop being such a depressed, whiny *&%$ and stop bringing everyone down. Nothing profound, but a neat twist on the blues tropes (crossroads, dust my broom, etc.)

I totally agree on the bass effects. I have no idea why most bassists don't utilize a fuller palette of sound.

I liked MA's playing generally...but this sounds to me not only beyond anything he did play, but likely beyond anything he could ever have played.

Like I said, Wolf has a few tricks that MA never used. Sometimes he matches Eddie note-for-note, so well that I wonder if it was Eddie on bass (he did this on the VH III album, played some of MA's parts, but I doubt he'd do that to his own son). Eddie used to say that he liked the fact that MA wasn't a flashy bassist, always filling the spots in the song where Eddie would like to noodle. This never made much sense to me, because music is about everyone filling space together, and there is infinite room for talented musicians to play "in between" each other, even if they're doing it at the same time. I always had the sense that Eddie was covering for Mike, making excuses. But maybe it was about ego, too, and that explains why he pushed Mike way down in the mix. And now, maybe Eddie doesn't have as much to prove, and has an easier time keeping his ego in check when it comes to letting his own flesh-and-blood shine. But I have a feeling that you're right: Wolf is better. This means more, however, than technical skill. This also means that he has a better sense of what notes would benefit the song. He plays things that never would have occurred to Mike. Damn, those VH genes have got some talent!

There's nothing really memorable at first listen, but the musicianship is top-notch.

I thought so at first, too. That's why I said there weren't any hits. But after a few more spins, I find myself crawling with VH earworms.

I, too, wonder if they can pull it off live, but mostly because of Dave. I have no doubt the other three could do this in their sleep. There really aren't many layered guitar overdubs. Even when it sounds like there are, it's really Wolf with a guitar effect on the bass, or Eddie playing a stereo guitar that sends the signal of some strings to the left channel and some strings to the right.

[Vraith]

This means more, however, than technical skill. This also means that he has a better sense of what notes would benefit the song. He plays things that never would have occurred to Mike. Damn, those VH genes have got some talent!

Yes, full stop.
I still can't get into you and your blues musically, but I do like the lyrics because of what you said and the quoting of very famous stuff to do it.

[Mortice Root]

I, too, am finding what I initally though to be some of the "lesser" songs growing on me. I'm totally digging "Tattoo" now, and I thought that was the weakest on the inital spin. "You And Your Blues" is getting better with each listen too. I really like the acoustic version on the DVD also.

Wolf is fantastic - the more I listen, the more impressed I am with him. And yeah, the bass effects are a definite bonus.

I honestly can not remember the last time I played a new CD this often, back to back. It's totally addictive. And I'm still picking up new things with every listen.

I'm very interested to see how much of this stuff they do live. The reunion tour a couple of years back was certainly proof that they can subsist on just the older material, but this stuff is so good, I'll be disappointed if they don't do a fair amount of it.

[Cail]

This album is unapologetically heavy. I'm very pleased they didn't play it safe.


ETA: It's got a lot of similarities to DLR's "A Little Ain't Enough" album. That's a really good thing.

[Zarathustra]

Eddie was on fire last night at the tour opener in Louisville. I wish I'd bought tickets, but it would have been $500 for the three of us to have crappy seats.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwtioCzLXk

[sgt.null]

you guys did it - i bought my first ever Van Halen cd. I was never a huge fan and liked Van Hagar better, but i trust you guys. (especially reading Cail' sopinions of the group) will report on my next day off what i thought of it.

[sgt.null]

found recent live clips of the Band from 2/18/12. to me they sound great...

You Really Got Me, Running With the Devil, Romeo Delight

Everybody Wants Some, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, Mean Street, Unchained, The Trouble With Never

Dance The Night Away, I'll Wait, Hot For Teacher, Ice Cream Man

Panama, Eruption (Guitar solo), Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Jump