Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Strong, classic album To me, somewhat unremarkable, I'm not a listener of hard rock and often can't meaningfully distinguish tracks
Better than expected but still too much meedly mee for me
6.5/10 Another one in the zone of metal I like. Fun, well played, excellent guitar Mostly good songwriting & vocals Didn’t like all of it, and probably outstayed its welcome even at 35 minutes Best: ain’t talkin bout love
It works as a showcase for EVH's obvious guitar virtuosity, but late 70s to mid 80s cheese rock is just not something I enjoy listening to.
Terribly uninteresting, not a fan of the vocals, and Ice Cream Man creeps me out. Still pretty epic at times. Leaning toward a ~4.5/10, rounded up to 3 stars.
Not really much to say about this van halen album that I didn't say about the last one, it's over the top 80s hair metal (ahead of the curve being released in the 70s) with better guitar than the others in the genre. I think EVH invented tapping and would hide his guitar when playing eruption? Read that some here once. I don't think any particular songs stood out but it was generally okay.
More entertaining overall than 1984 - not a fan of the cover of You Really Got Me, but Eruption and Jamie's Cryin' were excellent. A really fun record, nice and snappy. Not enough riffs for me though, outside of Eruption, I think they lean into that more later on. Good stuff, nice and average.
Thought this was considerably better than their last offering we had. Less cheesy. Not sure I'm a van halen convert yet but better then I was expecting
Toller Rock.
I don't really enjoy it, but somehow it's still good. The talent and energy are excellent but just doesn't come together into something I enjoy.
Interessant!
Loses a point for being a smidge too pervy. 3/5
Fun
Fav: Jamie’s Cryin Least Fav: You Really Got Me It was alright I guess
I enjoyed this one less than I expected (based on the name recognition). Might be partly because the technical proficiency with the guitar mostly goes over my head. Favorite track was "You Really Got Me" but that's just a cover so it only awards partial credit. "Eruption" is fun. "Runnin' with the Devil" is alright.
норм, но специально бы слушать не стал. подойдет для посиделок в баре.
its cool but I dont see myself going back to this album
nice
Pretty unimpeachable debut and guitar sound.
Man, EVH was a monster guitar player...
A lot of these songs are basically the same song, but slightly different lyrics? Still decent, at least for the melody.
Has something going for it and I see its place but it is just trying a little too hard to rock. Wouldn't complain to hear it again but won't seek out
This is quite enjoyable, although I have nothing with Van Halen.
Up and down for me. Some of it felt like very overproduced stadium rock, others felt like timeless music
Not really my kind of music but this was surprisingly bearable.
This is a fun album to have playing in the background when you are playing cards and drinking beers with your buddies. The hits are great, the others songs are fine. Eddie Van Halen was an amazing guitarist.
Van Halen are serious musicians but not serious songwriters. Eruption is parity at this point but for 1978 was undeniably RAD. Saturday Night Fever was 1977.... Runnin' with the Devil and Jamie's Cryin' are "B" songs and I think the comparison with average Aerosmith songs is a fair one. Ultimately VH is best experienced as a single song turned ALL THE WAY up or a best hits album...they don't have a single end-to-end good album. Note: The drummer in me knows that Alex Van Halen is criminally underrated and is a Top 20 rock drummer (Hot for teacher not on this album but is one of the more inventive and musical drum parts for a rock song).
Me gusto hartobastantefull. Pensé que iba a ser mucho más metal o algo así, pero definitivamente no se debe juzgar al álbum por la portada nomás. Es una combinación entre the police y dire straits. Mis favoritas: "You really got me", "Feel your love tonight" (que metí en mi playlist del amor después del amor) y "Ice cream man".
Divertido, aunque un poco monótono. Nada del otro mundo.
I'm not a hard rock listener but a lot of tracks were great. Second half kind of boring but I feel like people take listening to this too seriously. I liked it and I might change my rating after a few re-listens.
It's kind of crazy how many songs are on this 35 minute album. Erruption absolutely rips, but unfortunately I care a lot less about the songs where they're singing. They're probably also better live/thru speakers that aren't a laptop. If Mr Lee Roth was a woman I honestly might like this album more also but I guess that's a me problem.
Nuevamente toca escuchar por primera vez el disco de un artista/banda que sólo ubico por su nombre y alguna que otra contribución con otro músico. Sonidos ochentosos, hardrockeros, con voces que me recuerdan a las de Iron Maiden, casualmente en la misma época en que el punk y todas sus vertientes nacían. No es un sonido que particularmente me vuelva loco: me es demasiado luminoso y hasta un poco naif. No tengo mucho más para agregar. Hasta la semana que viene.
Very good, not what I would listen to but good listen. Not my type
Impressive but not my thing
I expected some iconic guitar solos but I did not expect the harmonies on Feel Your Love Tonight! Maybe not the most cohesive but I like the songs and even the cover of The Kinks
I'm saving the 4's in case Diver Down or Fair Warning show up on this list. Would do 3 1/2 if possible. But cant go 4 on this one
It’s an alright album. A bit too short for a rock record. I liked Van Halen ‘s guitar work. But I’ve already listened to many albums like this. If I had listened to it earlier, I would’ve enjoyed it more. 3 stars for “Self Titled”.
I'd probably like it more if I wasn't sick of 70s/80s rock at this point.
there are some classics on here
Not exactly in my wheelhouse but a good time nonetheless.
Too much cocaine 3.3
I only knew Van Halen from their 80s hair metal era, so this album was a pleasant surprise. There are interesting parallels between this and Iron Maiden’s first album, with both having a punk edge, but this album also includes blues and even some vocal scatting on one track. The highlight is probably the showboating guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen on Eruption that segues into a cheeky cover of The Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’. Good fun all round.
I was ready to hate it, but it's not that bad. Oh sure, Eddy was already a neck wanker in these early days, but it's still pretty raw on the edges and fun(nier) to listen to.
This was my first time listening to a Van Halen album - but I knew a lot of these songs already from the culture. High energy glam metal with some classic Van Halen shredding - no surprises here.
1/2
A classic.
Yeah the guitar is great. BUT. It is over produced poodle permed cock rock with some lazy filling. Good but not great.
Familiar sounds. Mostly good.
Cool guitar noise from some very talented guitarists. HOWEVER, I can’t help but find music a bit dull when everything is so full on all the time. It’s almost like it all blurs together and becomes less impactful as a result. I might be talking nonsense, but it just didn’t wow me somehow.
Hair metal is cringe.
It's Van Halen and they are a very distinct sound, but it's just not the type of rock or sound that caters to my ears. They slay, and have a ton of energy, but it's just not the most pleasant thing to listen to. I appreciate what they've done for music, and they have good moments, it's just not music that's for me.
Enjoyable but repetitive
I don't condone guitar-jerking metal, but this actually starts pretty strong although it becomes more and more cringe, and, the lows of hair metal should be noted as Van Halen's fault.
Okay, in a way.
Considering this is Van Halen’s debut album that kicked off their whole monumental career, the importance of this album can hardly be overlooked. It’s some great first steps that started the band on their way to superstar status. That being said, I feel that there’s only a few standout songs with the rest having that iconic Van Halen sound but lacking that pedal-to-the-metal energy to make them truly special. Outstanding debut, but unrealized compared to some of their other material.
Highlights: Eruption Atomic Punk It's hard to think about Van Halen impartially. On the one hand, they are held up up as unimpeachable Gods of rock and roll. On the other hand, I have heard so much of their music, so often against my will, that their sound is cliche. I had never given any VH album a full listen, probably because of their omnipresence, so this was the first time hearing some of the deep cuts. The solos rip, but the album becomes a bit of a slog, especially the back half. Not as bad as I feared, not as good as I hoped.
I’m pretty sure Jamie’s Cryin’ because David Lee Roth told her she was “semi-good lookin’” in “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”.
It's alright, I'm just not a huge fan. I tend to like rock, but little stood out to me here. The later part I enjoyed a lot more with Feel Your Love & Ice Cream Man. I really enjoyed Ice Cream Man; it started out sounding almost like a country song, before transitioning into something closer to Elvis's Rock'n'roll. Also lol at Eruption being a 1:42 guitar solo, and that's the whole song. Took me longer to catch on than I realized Favs: Ice Cream Man, Feel Your Love Tonight
I think someone here said that listening to AC/DC is like eating a bar of chocolate. It's the same through the way, but it's chocolate so it's very enjoyable. I have the same thoughts about this album. Although this chocolate is "only" good and you know there are better chocolates on the shelf nearby. 3.5/5.
Love the lead guitar on this album, but I have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
Not a fan of Van Halen, though I get the impact this album had.
Done
High energy guitar driven rock, it's pretty fun and up my alley. But gets a bit samey as you listen through the album. None of the songs are particular standouts for me
Great guitarist, obviously. But quite middle-of-the-road as a rock album. It might just be dated now, but I didn't find anything particularly special about it. Would probably listen again if I was in the mood
It was fun to listen to that all the way through, I honestly don't recall hearing it from end end since the early 80s.
Basta rock basta basta basta che due palle. Alla fine non ho nessuna critica sennonché il rock dell’epoca è tutto uguale. Non c’è nulla che sia eccitante, nemmeno sto “incredibile” assolo di chitarra
bello, bellissimo. ma è il solito album rock/metal anni 70/80, e per quanto riconosca i Van Halen e la loro importanza, purtroppo non mi ha appassionato così tanto.
Was hoping I'd like this more than I did. Their aesthetic just doesn't work for me. "Jamie's Cryin" and "Little Dreamer" were the only songs that made me listen a bit longer.
Didn't manage to listen properly but what I did hear I enjoyed
yeah its pretty good
Running with the Devil, Little Dreamer and Ice Cream Man are pretty definitive sounds of what Van Halen pioneered for the rock sound of the late 70’s early 80’s. Fun listen, probably won’t relisten often, given it’s not much of an album. 3/5!
Ascoltato il 5-SET-2024, buon album, non incontra il mio gusto al 100%.
at times mundane, at times brilliant
The best songs are really good but side two is weak in my opinion so 3 stars or C+ is my rating.
Not my vibe. They’re talented but I’m not really into the 80s rock scene
Another one from the meant for entertainment self- indulgent machismo rock list. Nonetheless, the musical content is surprisingly cool, performance and execution are convincing. The rating is more about it's cultural context and "meaning.
I should like van halen - a talented front man, some amazing guitar work but it just feels like the single influence on 80’s hair metal and the US bands that made the genre a joke. Some decent songs but not enough for me to listen again.
Classic, short, a little repetitive but definitely an album with perspective
Classic rock.
Classic.
Great shredding, but the muted screaming vocals found in a lot of 70's rock has never been for me.
Tyckte inte om albumet så mycket. Inte jobbigt men inte heller njutbart att lyssna till gitarrsolona. Kände bara igen ”You Really Got Me”. Tyckte om energin i vissa av låtarna. Ett flertal upprepningar av samma text vilket inte är så kul. 3/5.
Honestly better than I was expecting. The guitar solo on Eruption is CRAZY. This kind of rock isn’t usually my vibe but it’s solid.
Ok
not for me
Pretty decent rock record. Really starts off strong the first half and slowly tapers as a lot of these kind of rock records can for me. Definitely crazy this was a late 70's record as I really associate this band with the 80's. The guitar playing was definitely ahead of it's time to usher in that hair metal sound. Great playing obviously from eddie but from the whole group. Some bits of Queen inspiration with the harmonies, great technical playing. David Lee Roth is an unforgettable frontman as well vocally.
These glam metal albums aren't really the type of thing I'm into but I can appreciate and enjoy them, which I did this one. I probably won't ever listen to it again, but I liked the whole thing.
El sonido de este primer disco de Van Halen, lanzado en 1978, iba a marcar la línea que seguiría el rock & roll en la siguiente década y parte de los 90. Sin artificios, en él destaca la forma de atacar la guitarra de Eddie Van Halen. Son 11 temas enérgicos diseñados para levantar al público, de ahí la inclusión de una versión sobresaliente del "You Really Got Me" de los Kinks. El disco abre con "Runnin' with the Devil" y un riff de guitarra fantástico en el que Van Halen describe la emoción por vivir al límite la vida sin pensar en las consecuencias ("corriendo con el diablo"). También me gusta la visión amarga del amor contenida en "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", el ritmo desenfrenado de "I'm the One" o todo un himno rockero, "Jamie's Cryin'", sobre la angustia emocional del protagonista abatido por le desamor y el rechazo. Mención aparte en mi opinión merece la empoderante "Atomic Punk", un temazo que nos habla de libertad y rebeldía.
surprisingly liked this. didn’t love it. but i was very pleasantly surprised.
It was alright I suppose, a two would be harsh. Does feel like other bands (Led Zep etc) do this kind of thing much better though. Simpsons: Yes
was ok. I liked the album's first half, especially the cover of You Really Got Me. The second half let it down slightly
Bueno, pero si no me lo sugieren jamás lo oigo.
Van Halen's self-titled debut album is a high-octane showcase of rock prowess, clearly highlighting the band's exceptional talent. With Eddie Van Halen's groundbreaking guitar work at the forefront, the album presents a series of tight, well-executed tracks that capture the essence of late 1970s rock. The chemistry between the band members is palpable, creating a sound that is both energetic and polished. While the album has its moments of brilliance, such as the iconic riffs in Eruption and the infectious energy of "You Really Got Me," it remains very much a product of its time. Some tracks are undeniably impressive and demonstrate sparks of genius, particularly in Eddie's innovative guitar solos. However, not every song reaches these heights; the rest of the album is solid but falls into the category of competent, if somewhat conventional, rock. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Ice Cream Man
This was actually much more fun and skillfully made than I was expecting - and aside from “Ice Cream Man,” never really annoying. Fairly or not, though, I’m finding it hard to justify more than a 3.
Brought back the 80’s for sure!
It's so good! It's like a greatest hits album! Very strong 3.
I can see why it’s great, I just personally didn’t enjoy it too much
Too much 80s cock rock on this list. This is better than some of the others though
don't like the singing, this album got me into guitars, specifically Eruption big surprise. Memorable songs that I don't ever choose to listen to
Least favorite song - Im the One Favorite song - Jamies Cryin
Sure !
Yeah yeah, I get it. You’re van halen. 🤘
quintessential dad rock!
Fun, quick and energetic! Now this is easy listening
Van Halen is super fun and I am especially partial to this early era of theirs... never been my fav band but its fun... kinda perfect watching hockey in the garage music
Very enjoyable, but another that didn't blow me away. Favourite track: Ain't Talking 'Bout Love.
Can't deny the guitar. I'm sure the sounds were crazy back then. Not my thing.
Classique
Some great tracks here (aint talking about love, you really got me) but I was overall pretty meh about this album
Sure - classic 1970s rock can't be wrong. I especially liked "Jamie's Cryin'," which I hadn't heard before.
If the song "Ice Cream Man" didn't exist this album may have gotten another star
Eruption
Not a huge Van Halen fan but this album has a lot of classic hits.
Surprisingly enjoyed this album. Impressive for their debut, how they developed a distinct sound for themselves. I think the Ice Cream Man would be my favorite track, but I also enjoyed the opener and “Jamie’s Cryin.’”
A decent heavy rock record, and a Kinks cover is always a good touch
goofier and more fun than i anticipated. not keen on the kinks cover, however. ⚡🎸👩🏻🎸🔌 highlights: i'm the one. see also: chicago, freaks and geeks (1999).
rip eddie
is ok
I’m not a big Van Halen fan
I was never a huge Van Halen fan, but I appreciate some of the hits on this release.
under-hated album
Not really my type of music but it was cool 🤘
Great guitar as expected!! Bassist killing it too. Easy background music and awesome to focus on too.
Another impressive debut album on this list. The guitars are absolutely shredding and redefined the sound of rock and roll. The vocals are certainly charismatic. The album is concise and maintains a satisfyingly steady pace without major lulls. There's really nothing bad to say about 'Van Halen'. It's a staple of any hard rock collection. Personally though, I'd have to be in the mood. I really respect their accomplishments here but it's hard not to hear them as a parody of themselves at times. But that's unfair because I recognize that they're great.
It's fine. I understand the appeal and the innovation, but I've never really enjoyed Van Halen, and this time was no different. I think part of it is that I really don't like Dave as a singer. EVH is amazing technically, but it seems kind of lifeless to me. No soul. No emotion. Just really fast playing.
Clasique
It's rock and it's okay
Kitaraahan tässä soitetaan jossain kai.
Great guitars. But no emotion and the songs sounds the same.
Can't seem to decide if it wants to be Glam Rock or Hard Rock (Screamy parts and guitar aerobics).
Van Halen's got some solid replayability and this album shows it. Nothing mindblowing, but some solid tracks I'll come back to. And this album cover goes ballistic. So simple yet extremely effective
64/100
First of 1001! I wouldn't turn it off if it was in the background, but I found it difficult to just listen to. Except Eruption and \"I'm the one\" - they made me put my phone down.
Some of the songs in the second half are a bit ropey but it’s a good album
I feel like the one thing this album is lacking is some song diversity. The opening three tracks are incredible, and then the rest of the album doesn't really go anywhere else or explore any other musical ideas. Every song being the same length and same tempo unfortunately makes them all start to blend together; when everything tries to punch, nothing really does. Top tracks: Runnin' With the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me
The definition of “not for me”
running with the devil rieeese gitarre intro. tone isch huere geil. song cool. sehr roooock aber au wegwiisend glaub. eruption isch de tap stuff, cool i guess. you really got me hani nöd gwüsst dass das ufgnoh hend aber macht sinn. sehr en früene reelativ herte song. sint talkin bout love isch cool i guess. im the one isch huere schnell mega hogh energy i like jamies crying ischmer no recht nogloffe atomic punk isch echt zimli punk mit heeertem eddie solo. feel ypur love tonight chli rapey text? nöd sooo cool. little dreamer no cool mit de bgvs und s solo slappt. on fire isch wieder afoch roooock aber de bass im refrain isch huere nice. guets album, sehr sehr guete rock und glaubega wegwiisend aber cha jetz nöd hebaupte dases mir soo fest gfalle hetti zum es vieri geh
Not bad but not great, my favorites were “Runnin’ with the Devil” and “Jamie’s Cryin’.”
Not sure why I was expecting hard metal. But this was pretty approachable rock. Surprisingly enjoyed. Wouldn't have guessed there would be some doo wop too. Favourites: Ain't talkin bout love, Feel your love tonight
I want to like this more than I actually do. The guys are clearly immensely talented, but the end product ends up a bit over the top, and mostly just playing all of the notes all of the time.
It's good, but I'm sure it was better when it was new. Favorite song: ain't talkin' 'bout love
Good album
This style of rock just always feels like a bunch of dudes who are super obsessed with sex in the least sexy way possible. Still, catchy at times.
Not the biggest fan of hard rock but this was good
I needed a bit of rock today. Apart from a rotten Kinks cover, not a bad attitude.
5/10
cool
#209. Eddie Van Halen is a fantastic guitarist but Van Halen as a band is annoying, and D̶r̶. R̶o̶c̶k̶z̶o̶, t̶h̶e̶ r̶o̶c̶k̶ a̶n̶d̶ r̶o̶l̶l̶ c̶l̶o̶w̶n̶ David Lee Roth is just terrible. I've always had a dislike for this band, and a disdain for their popularity, and listening to it one more time didn't really sway me. I'm going to give this a three instead of a two for at least not being the album that Jump and Hot for Teacher are on. 3/5: really, Eruption saves this otherwise intolerable album.
this goes so hard
Wild how Eddie Van Halen seems fully in control of powers already on this album. Some cool stuff. David Lee Roth seems not quite as magnetic here. Compared to later stuff where you appreciate what he's doing this seems a little sedate from him. Guitar solos lined the music of my youth, and i appreciate how much points to this. EVH
To be honest, I've always thought Van Halen is the only one who did glam metal interesting with his atmospheric, virtuous, powerful guitars. But listening to this made me realize that they took themselves a bit too seriously, and this is a big move against glam metal's just-have-fun aesthetics. Of course it's not their fault I labeled them glam metal. Genres are funny. But I guess we can all agree that it is definitely a powerful guitar-driven album, despite being a bit uninteresting and "glammy".
Some classics but mostly not for me.
Firat heard this in the mid 80's as a teenager. Running with the devill and eruption really resonated with me then and still do today. Apart from a couple of songs this could be a greatest hits album👍👍
Few decent tracks to bang my head too
Un peu violent pour moi mais clairement intéressant à écouter et envrai pas mal
Interesting... this is quite a niche album for sure. Only heard some of mr. Van Halen's guitar solos before, and I guess this is pretty much what I should have expected an album of that to be. I am not a big fan of this frankly. It feels very over the top in a sense that I don't like. 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' is a cool song, and it's cool what he does with the guitar, but it just doesn't speak to me. Still, I think this could definitely be in some peoples' taste, especially if you like power guitars and glam rock. I'll give it a weak 3 for 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' and for recognizing his influence on guitar playing.
I have a love/hate relationship to Van Halen. I really like old school metal and this is pretty close to that. However it also feels like the fratboy version of it. Where it was watered down and made more commercial and poppy. Not in a hipster gatekeeping way, more that i prefer my metal to be nerdy with devils and dragons and less about sexy women?! I dunno. Anyway this was closer to what i prefer as this is clearly inspired by heavy/rock metal. Running with the devil is a good track. But for every good heavy rock/ judas priest-esque (is that a word) track like "I'm the one", "Running with the devil", there is a more poppy track i do not like as much ("Feel Your Love Tonight", the "You really got me" cover etc.) Going to settle for a 3, it just made me want to listen to some Rainbow, Dio and Judas Priest.
Eddie må vara en grym gitarrist.. Aldrig varit ett superfan av Van Halen och denna gitarrtunga pop/glam rock.
Probably responsible for a lot of terrible hair bands to come but still cool and innovative. Ice cream man is the best song off the album.
Cock rock
should probably listen to again
Super fun and impressive for it being their first album. Like drinking coffee but not needing the actually coffee. Van Halen 1978.
Fun! The type of album I like to see on this list. Classic.
5/10
whatever. good but not notable. well that's van halen.
Well it’s fine. Not my cup of tea ig
best song: running with the devil
I’ve never been crazy about Van Halen but I enjoyed this a little more than I expected.
The first half of the album hits like a cannonball to the chest - four of their 7 most played songs on Spotify are the first four songs of the album - but it's wildly uneven after that. They're almost certainly over-represented in the Rock Canon, but their singles are pretty much all aces.
hear me out: VanHalen was to the 80's what nirvana was to the 90s. sorta broke the mold on the musical zeitgeist (disco) at the time, and spawned a bunch of derivative copy cats (hair metal) that watered down the sound. they obviously did it in different ways (and david lee roth and kurt cobain couldn't be more different) but I see them sorta fitting into the same role in popular music when they really got to the scene. eddie was a great guitar player and most of the other hair metal frontmen felt like a pastiche of David Lee Roth. when I was a kid like 8-12ish I thought they were awesome. don't really ever listen to them anymore but damn I remember air guitar battles at sleepovers listening to eruption. I don't really listen to the anymore, and in my head I sorta grouped them in with a lot of the bad hair metal-y 80's hard rock, but relistening to their debut was lots of fun.
It might be hard to listen to this earnestly, since this kind of silly rock has been parodied so much. Like most of these albums, it's... perfectly okay.
крутая штука... Классический хард рок с оооооочень крутыми гитарами, При первом прослушивании этот альбом казался более монументальным что ли. а при повторном уже стало куда скучнее по этому только 3
The intention of cock rock, which is not my thing. But I have to admit, there are a lot of bangers on Van Halen, especially on Side A. Eddie is obviously a guitar god. His guitar riffs are cooler played alone then in the context of the band. Van Halen is the best of the genre most likely 7.1/10
I just can’t get the image of Jack Black from School of Rock out of my head screaming the face of prep school kids that THIS IS REAL ROCK N ROLL while his slobber nails some poor soul in the eye. Just like that movie, there’s a weird sense of naivety to this album. Don’t get me wrong, Eddie Van Halen is a baaaaaad man on the guitar, but other than that it feels a little uninspired. Call it being inundated with decades of rock music just like this, but if this era is defined by sex, drugs and rock n roll, I’d say these guys are in it for the former not the later.
It was a part of my youth. Appreciate its place in rock history but wasnt in my rotation.
Super energetic and upbeat throughout. Great for car jams. Not my favorite style of music, but I can respect the quality of this album within the genre.
I sat in awe listening to the guitar work in this album. Anything that can make me stop what I am doing and make my face scrunch up in a good way is worth relistening in my book. I rated it only a 3 because even though there were some awesome moments in the beginning, including an awesome Kinks cover, the album as a whole tapered off and got less interesting.
Great guitar work, fun songs. A little too cock rock for me personally but I can see why this was so influential. I appreciate how short and sweet a lot of the tracks are, none of them overstay their welcome.
Great Rock album. Some crazy riffs on the guitar and some bangers.
I'm sure it's nice, but could not bring myself to listen.
That guitar tone though!
I don't know if this is my genre, but the guitar was legit
Start heel sterk maar valt daarna wel een beetje weg. Ik ga bij deze toch streng zijn een een 3 geven, Van Halen is nooit echt mijn ding geweest. Ik kan de simpele rock en zijn stem niet echt uitstaan.
Better than I thought!
Brings back memories!
I'm in the middle on this. At times I like it, and other times I want to turn it off.
Liking Van Halen more now than back when the album came out, but still only a take it or leave it fan. (I hafta admit they would get the poker stick on occasion.) This album has huge hits that still hold up and no fillers. Enjoyed the listen, this is a really solid freshman effort (3.3*s)
I never knew half of these songs were Van Halen.
Corny and fake, but fun.
Although competently performed and Eddie VH being a guitar playing pioneer, this kind of slow, blues based hard rock does very little for me. However, you can’t deny the hits, which are all found in the first part of the album, and makes the second part kind of a drag to get through, with the exception of Little Dreamer
Liked it. You really got me from the kinks is still better imo. Good enjoayable Album
its fine
Gotta finally admit, I like Van Hagar better than Van Halen. I can admire early VH, but it is not music I seek out and truly enjoy.
Wonder how many groupies he had 3.5/5
The dutch know what they are doing The kinks cover was a special touch 3.5 / 5
How do you make a guitar do that?
This thing keeps picking bands I like but not my favorite album. Maybe they will come back around.
A solid rock album.
Vibrante, mejor de lo que esperaba. 3/5.
Awesome sexy guitar damn
pretty good
Met veel plezier geluisterd, net geen 4.
Ok, a little heavy for me
I remember some of these for sure. First song brings me right into Little Nicky.
Best Songs: Running With the Devil, Eruption Listen Again: Yes
Best Song: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love. Even though Eddie Van Halen's virtuoso guitar playing obviously contributes a huge amount to the band's success, and Eruption is an iconic track, I've always felt like David Lee Roth brought the heart necessary to make the band actually interesting. And on this track, his voice really soars. Worst Song: Little Dreamer. David Lee Roth is far too subdued on this one. Overall: Sexy in a dumb way. Music for and by big, dumb, beautiful, technically-proficient beefcakes.
I have never been a Van Halen fan. Their songs always sound messy and imperfectly put together - which is maybe the point. The guitar is obviously monumental and was a role model for guitar to come, but I find it overshadowed by the erratic drumming.
it defo rocks
A couple good songs. Not every song was my favorite but I enjoyed a good number.
Who knew that Van Halen was into Doo Wop?!
This isn't my usual stuff but I didn't find it offensive. Some fun stuff and a surprising amount of variety. But I'm never going to go back to it.
To be honest I had initially thought that Eddie’s guitar playing was a lot worse than this, but there is still a lot of soulless shredding - don’t understand why everyone gets wet over this. Will never forgive them for popularising hair metal
This was fun to listen to, after so many years. I was never a big fan of Van Halen but there’s no denying that Eddie was a heck of a good guitarist. The thing that struck me as I listened this time was the good vocal harmonies in most of the songs’ choruses. I enjoyed listening to the album, but I’m not likely to seek it out to listen again.
Ok, alles goed scheurende gitaren? Van Halen is echt de ultieme hair metal band voor mij, Runnin with the devil vind ik meteen een lekkere opener, je weet meteen wat er de rest van het album gaat gebeuren. Eruption pakt mij wat minder, das gewoon alleen maar scheurende gitaar.. Het album is super kort met maar 35 minuten en daardoor blijft het nog net interessant genoeg ook dat ik me er niet aan irriteer. Metallica let je op? Hier zitten ook continue gitaarsolos in, maar dan in nmmers van 3 minuten ipv 8, dat maakt dit zoveel prettiger om te luisteren. Im the one heeft opeens een stukje scat in het nummer? Hilarisch, dit is dus gewoon fun, de band neemt zichzelf ook gewoon niet te serieus, denk dat dat mijn grootste punt is waarom ik dit beter vind dan eerdere metal albums. Wel vind ik het nog steeds niet geweldig ofzo, ik vind dit gewoon prima. Het is allemaal zo lekker over de top, dit is echt prime 80s metal/rock, je ruikt de haarlak bijna. FAVO: Runnin with the devil, Im the one
Pretty decent! Guitar solos are not for me though. 3⭐️
Great
Un cambio en la manera de hacer hard rock alternativo aunque la producción es bastante floja con un sonido marquetero
This was a new experience for me. Vaguely familiar with Van Halen but can't say I've listened to them before. Can definitely play guitar. Can understand the lyrics which I always appreciate. Not exactly in my wheelhouse but not too bad.
Call him one of the best front man in rock and roll, I still think David Lee Roth is intolerable. His vocal choices are, to this day, still some of the cringiest and awful choices ever. Just listen to vocal isolations from Runnin' With The Devil. He continues to do this throughout his career and he has some nuances in later songs like Hot For Teacher: "I got my pencil.... Give me soemthing to write on." That being said.... He can hit some high notes that are without a doubt difficult. It's too bad he isn't even a fraction of what he used to be now. This record doesn't get hindered by DLR. If it wasn't for EVH this album would be sub par at best in my eyes. EVH's guitar work is iconic in this record. He single handedly (should I say two handedly?) put two hand tapping into the mainstream. Eruption is one do the best guitar solo songs ever written. The effects he uses on his guitar makes his guitar sound nothing like a guitar... Now a days this isn't as impressive as digital recording and production has given a lot of tools to work with.. But EVH was doing things on a guitar people couldn't even think or dream of. He truly is the saving grace to band and I honestly think Van Halen wouldn't have been given a second look at if it wasn't for Eddie Van Halen's explosive guitar work. For a debut album, this record rips. It isn't perfect. Songs like Ice Cream Man could have been left out and put on a singles 7-inch as a bonus song. It's not awful but it ruins the flow of the record. Atomic Punk is slept on. Perhaps I've heard the other songs far more and I've got ear fatigue... The singles are classics of course. Solid album. Van Halen still isn't my type of band. Eddie Van Halen is a legend. David Lee Roth is awful. That's all I gotta say.
3.5
Pretty good! Better than I thought for some reason. 3.4
Hair metal! Kan tellen als debuutplaat, ik zou 't als album niet zo snel opzetten, maar er staan wel een aantal heel goeie tracks op. Eddie speelt crazy. Positief, fun, energie, eruption!
Few great songs (or rather great riffs and guitar solos), few duds, and nothing else. I really wanted to give a good note for this album mostly because of Eddie Van Halen's talent, but I actually have such a hard time listening to their songs, it's unthinkable to give anything more than 3/5. Vocal and compositions on this album are atrocious. Biggest discrepancy between talent of the guitarist and the rest of the band. Three stars, all going to Eddie.
Fun rocker, didn’t grab me a ton admittedly.
some good tracks eruption you really got me ain't talkin bout love jamie's cryin little dreamer
Way ahead of it's time. Brings me back but I doubt I would listen to it much.
I’ve listened to 61 albums since I was given 1984, with 38 albums labeled rock and 7 labeled hard rock. As a result I am wondering how much my opinion was shaped by the circumstances I was in then versus now and by how much more rock I’ve experienced; overall this album sounds more serious but more partyable. Per usual I was drawn more to the rhythm created by the drumming rather than the riffing of the guitar, yet they complemented one another well and created a cool vibe. I liked side A more than side B, maybe because my ear isn’t refined enough to pick out the fine differences and the songs started feeling repetitive in certain ways. 6/10
A classic debut album
bubu
It's funny this is rated as Hard Rock and Metal. Maybe it was back in the day. I've heard many of these songs before and it's alright. Maybe it was big for its time because of the guitar skills? Anyway decent album. 3 out of 5.
Really cool guitar but weak vocals and by the numbers songs
the melodic stuff is a bit repetitive it seems, cool guitar stuff obviously, Eruption is a classic for a reason, but I think I enjoy that kinda stuff more with a full band behind it, cool bass tone on Ain't talkin' 'bout Love, even though the bass line is pretty boring, nice vocals and harmonies too, cool bluesy tune with Ice Cream Man
Enjoyable album that has stood the test of time remarkably well considering its a hair-metal album.
Great start, makes me want to chug a budweiser and crush the can on my forehead. Never listened to that entire album but I liked it.
Not my favorite type of hard rock/metal/hair but hard to deny Eddie Van Halen’s guitar. Dude is a master on it. Solid 3
David's vocals hurts my rating on this album. The music is ok to good, depending on the song but his voice is horrible. I've never liked him or his vocals. There are some really good songs on here and then there's Ice Cream Man. I'm ok that I listened to this album but I'm not in a hurry to do it again, anytime soon
Un clásico.
Fun
What a wild pop phase. It’s not terrible, but multiple listens are not for me. It’s fun and lively, but also silly.
Every single Hair Metal album has at least one song who's just is "Sorry I committed sexual assault, but I'm down to fuck again." 3/5
Never was a huge fan of Van Halen, and still am not. Not as bad as some classic rock but probably low/middle of the pack in my opinion. I can appreciate the technical skill of the guitar which is cool, and probably liked the instrumentals the best. I started getting a little tired of Van Halen by the end of the album and was glad it was finally over. I feel like this is a “had to have been there” band - for someone to be a real fan, you had to be living through this in the late 70’s to 80’s. Three stars
Favorites were: Runnin' with the Devil You Really Got Me Jamie's Cryin' Ice Cream Man Overall decent, I can appreciate it for what it is. Does not stand out to me as something I would go back to a lot but since it is their first album I think I would listen to their later songs.
Van Halen, great guitar, crap music.
Like rock, but this is just too flashy for my liking.
I think I’m supposed to love this. Just too much for me.
Some great songs but unfortunately overplayed now in my eyes
# 107 : Good album, some nice tunes on here, a real rocker … but that guitar playing…. Favourite track : Jamie's Cryin' Listened : 10/11/2023
do i care about van halen? as a guitarist myself? yes. do i care about the music he created though? not really.
Enjoyed that, some nice surprises.
It is a fun listen. I like their style. 3-4 stars. ish.
Listened to this while playing Bullet Star solo. Lost one game, won the second. This is the first Van Halen album I've listened to, though I recognized a couple of the songs. This album brings me back to a very specific childhood memory...even though it might not have been Van Halen. When I was a little kid, I'd often go on ski trips with my parents. This is usually the kind of music they'd have blasting from a mid-mountain chalet at the base of some race course. I didn't like it much as a child...this was more my older half-brothers type of music. I appreciate it more now that I'm in my 40s. The musical technicianship was pretty excellent, but it kind of was all at the same level for me. This isn't an album with peaks and valleys...it is just cranked up to 10 the whole time. I must say, I enjoyed the range of skill much more in the Yes album I listened to the other day. While also technically excellent, there was so much more variety. Also...the "sorry I got kinda date-rapey" (definitely a paraphrase) song isn't one that stood the test of time all that well.
Good, a true classic
Está bueno, la viola es tremenda, pero. O es tanto el rock que más me gusta.
bardzo spoko
The guitar obviously rips but I've never really vibed with late 70s-80s arena rock. Just not my thing
Ah, nothing like some Van Halen in the morning. This is nice, it reminds me of riding around in my dad’s truck as a kid listening to his favorite radio station.
The original. Gems and some crazy forgotten songs
Fun album. Full of anthems. Not my favorite, but not bad
This album starts out really strong. Love the energy and the guitar-foreward style. I'm not much of a heavy rock person but there's some aspects that I like. The 2nd of the album starts to feel a bit predictable in song structure and like something a dad would listen to?
Tsja Van Halen, prima. Wist niet dat you really got me van hun was. Prima
I thought the album sounded good, again not really my style. I grew up listening to classic rock so I heard a lot of these songs.
The best part of this album, besides the entirety of the song, 'Running With the Devil' is the moment when they take a scat break. When David Lee Roth said 'I am not a musician, I am a circus performer' he validated all of the non-sense sang and intended in these lyrics. Side note; so many jump references too.
Eruption and You Really Got me are ones that I was quite familiar with, but Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love and Jamie's Cryin' are getting added to my regular list.
Un disco de hard rock común y corriente, salvo con la excepción de que el talento de Van Halen (guitarrista) explota en todas las pistas. Si bien, su estilo puede ser polarizante, con canciones como Eruption que mas que claro que el lider de la banda tiene gran carisma y precisión al momento de tocar la guitarra (quizás no así al momento de componer).
Eddie's guitar is insane. I just thought the songs were a little too similar.
3.5
This was really an awesome album when it came out. After the fantastic music of the '70s there was a huge lull and then this come out and we had something to listen to again. It seemed like there was hope. That's it I don't really appreciate it that much anymore but no one can deny that Eddie Van Halen pushed the guitar world forward in regards to technique
Better than expected and starts off very strong but despite the album only being 35 mins it still felt way to long come the end. Most songs sound pretty much the same
Eddie is great, but I really do not like David Lee Roth on vocals. The hits are good, but the album cuts and covers I do not like at all
I liked this more than I thought. The Kinks cover was terrible though. And guitar solos of any sort leave me cold. Wish I could mark these out of 10, as the disparity between all the albums I’m marking as 3 or 4 stars is huge
Overall: - 70-80s sound is there for sure, if you like it then you'll like this album, if not I doubt it'll change your mind. - A bit repetitive. Build up to choruses kinda meh. - Guitar solos were probably more impressive before but not interesting compared to modern guitarists. Overall solos are way less melodic and more just playing a ton of notes fast. Favorite song: Little dreamer
Strong first half of album weak back half
Great blues band, kinda wafty when they do 80s hair metal. Good riffs, silly solos. Fun, camp.
Dont like david lee roths voice
felt like I was in a 90s comedy intro
funny but conventional
Good album, although never had listened to Van Halen before. Will definitely listen again.
a fun lil album, but not my cup of tea
Bom.
You Really Got Me is fun, the rest is whatever.
faktiskt inte så dåligt, alla låtar var ok
3.5
good, not my taste
I think it's an okay album, but still I thought it lacked a bit.
3/11, 27%
I was thinking that I would mention in my review that you can always tell a Van Halen song, because they have a very distinct sound. But when I got to the song ‘Jamie‘s Crying’ I had to pause and wonder why an Aerosmith song was on this album. And then I realized that I was mixing it up with ‘Janie‘s got a Gun’. This is a very solid album
I can dig why people love this album. I didn’t realize all the hits are on this. I appreciate Eddie’s guitar chops. But it ain’t my bag.
Really solid, hard to fault. Comparing like to like, though, AC/DC's Powerage from the same year shows it LEVELS. Bon Scott decided to take things in his OWN HANDS. Great cover of You Really Got Me
Couple of bangers
i wish i had a dad
Points for shredding
Good songs: Ain’t talking bout love You really got me Atomic pink The rest is pretty meh
Going into this I had only negative feelings towards Van Halen and the type of hard rock they represent. But this was pretty fun. You can really hear eighties hard rock in formation here. It’s plastic and over the top but the guitar shredding also has some lasting power. Highlight was “Ain’t talkin bout love”
Classic rock album, second half gets a bit slow. Aint talkin bout love is a CLASSINC
hairy, glittery
the guy on the guitar were putting their entire pussies into it
-my second van halen album!!!! -guitar is just as good as i remember -eruption is CRAZY -i HAVE heard you really got me before -they definitely are more traditional rock in this album than the other one i listened to -i’m the one is very cool -UH???? THE SHOO BE DOOP????? -was fully not expecting that at ALL -i really really like jamie’s crying, probably my favorite
One of those "it was probably better at the time" albums.
Good but not my favourite music
"Van Halen - not Van HAGAR" - Joe Dirt While I agree with Mr. Dirt, I'm not a huge fan of either. They were definitely better with David Lee, and Eddie shreds. They at least helped invent a sound that a lot of others copied and never quite achieved. This is an impressive debut album with a few classics. Respect (event from a fair-weather fan).