Reviews (page 13 of 14)
The inspiration for Wyld Stallyns make their debut. It's a weird thing - a bit like the Slayer album, the guitar solo stuff is often just plonked on top of whatever the rest of the song is doing. He's undoubtedly doing difficult things, but you don't need it slathered all over everything. Eruption is particularly egregious. It's just that annoying bit on stage at the end of a song when the guitarist wants to show off - but they put it on the album as a real song. Janie's Cryin' has him scale it back a bit, and it's better for it. But then there's nothing very interesting going on. I'll see what I think when I get the album where he discovered the synth. I did not enjoy this.
Meh. Not for me
The mixing of the album doesn't sit with me. The drums sound like they're coming through a screen, the kick sounds like someone hitting a speaker cone, the bass is only hinted, and the guitar is heavily reverbed and overly panned (I understand it's the idea is to bring VH's playing to the front, but it's a bit heavy handed, especially in a continuous listen to the whole album on heaphones). The songs themselves don't feel anything special to me, just generic hard rock with more shredding than usual, with the exception of Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love which is a song I'll want to relisten to, and Runnin' with the Devil a distant second (it has a great starting riff but that's about it). IMO this album sounds exactly like what it is: A debut album of a band that's better at playing than writing, and packaged in unfortunate mixing. I think VH got better later in their career in songwriting. This one leaves me wanting.
This kinda sucked ass, I really hate cock rock and this was a slightly better execution of it so it's spared of a 1, but still didn't like it. Unfortunately, I'm also really behind on this list, and I can tell this won't be my last Van Halen album. I'm not mad listening to this, but I'd probably leave a bar if this was playing on the Touch Tunes.
The problem with selling out is that future generations cannot enjoy your creations as art. When I hear any song from this album, I do not hear music. I hear car commercials. I hear movie trailers. I hear needle drops used to the point of cliche. Corporations have used these tracks to invoke feelings in consumers for so long and so often that there is nothing left in the well. I've never intentionally listened to this album. I have never put on a single van halen song willingly. Yet I listened to this album today, and with disdain I knew every single track. Which is a shame, because i can faintly hear how this could be an exciting album; It would blow my socks off in 1978. But today it's nothing but banal backing tracks, with each measure printed on a hundred dollar bill.
Kind of cool. Nice stuff here. For me it jumps around just a little too much. 'you really got me' feels like a novelty cover which takes the mood away from hard rock into 60s dance pop. Then the mood jumps around a little more between anthemic stadium type rock, hard rick/metal feel, poppy stuff, blues boogie.. It just never seems to settle somewhere and fill out that mood? I thought the guitar style would bug me but it's kind of awesome. In the past I would have criticised it for serving the guitarists ego above serving the soul of the music.. But I found myself getting behind it - kind of like listening to a technical rapper. Hope there's more van Halen as I expect I will might like a later record more.
missing the smell of cigarettes in my dads car
eh just not for me, don't even really enjoy the songs I know.
How did i get so many albums behind.
I got my.....pencil.... "Running with the Devil" is the first track on my 666th album of this project, which seems fitting. But upon further inspection, Van Halen is about as demonic as the guy who used to hang out by the smokers' area in high school with his acoustic guitar trying to get us to join his youth group. It's faux rebellion for the future cops of the world (and I know a lot of cops that LOVE Van Halen). Still, David Lee Roth is an entertaining vocal monkey, I liked the bass player that looks like a pro wrestler and the drumming is top notch. I know Eddie is a guitar legend, but I really fucking hate guitar noodling, and his tone sucks. A mixed bag overall.
Hard rocking maybe but hard work generally. No idea why they felt the need to cover You Really Got Me.
2/5
Eddie Van Halen can play the guitar really well. That's about it from an album substance point of view. Maybe because this is a retrospective listen and I'm influenced by all 80s metal that came after, but it all sounds formulaic and lacking any tune, just some chorus wailing harmony and heavy guitars. All a bit boring.
I don't really like Van Halen, but their debut is still better than what they did later in the 80s - commercialised hair metal with all the posing. This is still a 70s album but I can already hear what was to come later in the 80s. Sure, they are technically good but at the same time it's not the kind of pure heavy metal I enjoy.
I just don't like this kind of hair metal shit, sorry
82/1089 not bad but also not particularly inspiring or groundbreaking for me either. i enjoyed my time with it enough but don’t need to go back to it 47/100
I thought I was going to like this album as I love a bit of 80s rock but, maybe I just wasn't in the right mood as I just didn't gel with it. Sorry! Hate to say it, the only bit I like (I didn't make it all the way through) was the opening riff of Ain't Talkin' Bout Love and that's because it's samples on Apollo 440's Ain't Talkin' Bout Dub, which is a cracking piece of music.
Van Halen or Van Hagar…the eternal debate Don’t really care for either of them. The sleazy cock rock of the 80s just sounds dated and lame…even with the amazing guitar work Still better than KISS. Not my thing, but I did like ain’t talking bout love. High point of the album for me
I have already heard an album by Van Halen, 1984. A second album from them on this list is redundtant. This might be slightly better than 1984. Certainly it was less outdated. 1984 came out the same year as This is Spinal Tap, which was, or should have been, the death knell for so many of these bands.
Not my thing… I can appreciate Eddie Van Halen’s virtuosity and innovation with the guitar, Eruption is definitely my favorite track off this, but this album was the prototype for all hair/bro metal to come afterwards and I can’t forgive it for that. They do it better than most, but hair metal is a genre that takes everything I love about rock music and does the opposite. Most of this just comes off corny to me. 3/10 Favorite tracks- “Runninv with the Devil” “Eruption”
Should be better than it is. Drummer and guitarist are clearly skilled but are held back by lacklustre vocal melodies
This reminds me of my friend's little brother. He was always wide-eyed and ready to get into some mischief. But not in a bad way...a fun exploring kinda way.
Dad rock with a hint of Black Sabbath on some of the songs. Not for me but impressive guitar work. 5/10
How does a band make a banger like Running with the Devil & then just fumble every other song. Not a fan of the sound of VH guitar but I recognize the talent.
No better or worse than my (low) expectations
Tää on yks niistä isoista legendaarisista bändeistä, mitä en oo ikinä kuunnellut. Toki Jumpin tietää kaikki. Ja ei kyllä iskenyt yhtään. Ei todellakaan huonoa ja nään miksi niin iso bändi. Mutta ei ole yhtään sellaista tyyliä, mitä jaksaisin kahta kappaletta enempää kuunnella. Hyvää kitarointia, mutta aika tylsää laulua. You Really Got Me sai jalan vispaamaan ja sekin oli coveri. Ice Cream Man oli kivan erillainen kappale ja vähän herätteli albumia eloon, mutta oli harmiksi ihan lopussa jo.
Ei vain iske, ei biisit, ei lauluääni/tyyli. Eruption on aikanaan ollut jotain ennenkuulumatonta ja jättänyt syystäkin jälkensä historiaan, mutta ei sekään omaan korvaan puhtaasti musiikin kuuntelun ilosta HYVÄLTÄ kuulosta. Kuitenkin ihan ammattitasoisesti tuotettu albumi eikä kuuntelu sattunut, joten pyöristetään omassa päässä 1,5/5 -> 2/5
A handful of catchy licks but not much going on here
I didn't realize it finished
It is what it is
Top cock rock. There used to be a club in Manchester that was wicked, it was underground and just behind arndale (annoying that I can’t remember the name of it) that was an old rock strip club which absolutely had to have sounded like this. Van Halen doing what they do.
2/5 - I'm sorry but I just cannot tolerate glam rock :/
Impossibly hard to listen to, the most irritating vocalist of all time, woo-ing and yeah-ing, and huh-ing through some quite irritating guitar flourishes. Some of the solos are fun i suppose. I guess this album is good in a way because it doesn't include Hot for Teacher or Jump. The shoobadoowah's in I'm the one are a particular low point. Ice Cream Man might be one of the worse songs we have had to listen to so far. It sounds like worse Aerosmith with better guitar. I didn't mind Atomic Punk at all though. Tom's Review - 0.75/5 Eva's Review - "I can see why a young boy would like this." Little dreamer is good, but Ice Cream Man knocked a few points off. 3/5
Background flow. Muy repetitivo y sin canciones realmente buenas
In retrospect, the energy and execution of Eddie Van Halen redeem the entire album and the band from certain impressions I had regarding the shallow lyrics and themes (focused on partying and excess), which left much to be desired. From the very beginning the songs stand out because of his distinctive guitar style and after several listens, I feel that’s the one thing that would make me return to the album. I don’t consider there to be a truly significant hit. I especially highlight Eruption as one of the most important solos in history thanks to its technical originality and complexity. Without a doubt, Eddie is a prodigy I will always respect. My favorite track was a cover (Ice Cream Man).
Didn’t really like it, too rocky
Harsh 2. Nostalgia scale must be off the chart for some but it's just an ok from me.
Tedious. There are a few glimpses of interest throughout (Ain't Talking About Love, for instance) which saves this from a complete bottom-ranking, but overall this isn't great. If you are looking for accessible fun party rock, AC/DC is right there.
I was into hair metal in the 80s, but I just never found VH that catchy. Second star is for Ain't Talking Bout Love, though, which is awesome.
Can appreciate it for what it is and represents, but Van Halen just isn't my cup of tea.
This is the type of music that was always already playing on the jute box at my local arcade pizza place and I COULD NOT wait for it to be over.
First album on this list that has made me so apathetic that I couldn't even finish the thing unfortunately.
Masturbatory guitar excess. My ears bleed.
The second song was enough for me to turn this one off. I'm all for a guitar solo, but an improvised solo on the second track was just not doing it for me.
Avant que le générateur d'albums me conseille d'écouter le premier album de Van Halen, on m'avait déjà bien bassiné avec celui-ci. "Une pierre angulaire du rock." "Un avant et un après." "Eddie Van Halen a réinventé la guitare." J'ai entendu ça des centaines de fois. Alors, aujourd'hui, j'en ai profité pour juger par moi même. Je me suis posé, j'ai mis le vinyle, ou plutôt le fichier FLAC, faut vivre avec son temps. J'ai enfilé mes écouteurs Bose et j'ai écouté. Attentivement. Du début à la fin. Mon verdict ? 2 sur 5. Et je suis généreux. Attention, ne me faites pas dire ce que je n'ai pas dit. Ce n'est pas un mauvais album. Ce n'est pas une purge auditive. C'est... un album de rock. Voilà. Un album de rock à écouter une fois dans sa vie, pour la culture. Pour pouvoir dire "oui, je l'ai écouté." Mais y revenir ? Très peu pour moi. Mais laissez-moi vous expliquer pourquoi ce soi-disant chef-d'œuvre me passe complètement au-dessus de la tête. Le premier problème, et c'est le plus gros : c'est trop heavy. Pas heavy dans le sens noble du terme, comme un Black Sabbath lourd et angoissant. Non. C'est un heavy "tape-à-l'œil". Un mur du son permanent. Une démonstration de force constante qui finit par fatiguer. Dès "Runnin' with the Devil", le ton est donné. Le riff est bon, ok. Mais ça hurle, ça castagne, ça ne respire jamais. On a l'impression que les mecs ont tout à prouver sur chaque putain de seconde de chaque morceau. "Regardez comme on joue fort !" "Regardez comme on est des rockstars !" C'est bon, les gars, on a compris. Pas la peine de me le marteler dans le crâne pendant 40 minutes. Cette énergie brute, qui a dû être incroyable à l'époque, sonne aujourd'hui pour moi comme une surenchère un peu vaine. Ensuite, le deuxième point. Le point qui me hérisse le poil. Le truc qui me fait grincer des dents à chaque fois. Les solos de guitare. Mon Dieu, ces solos... Je sais, je sais, blasphème. Eddie Van Halen est un génie, un virtuose, un innovateur. Oui, techniquement, c'est hallucinant. Le "tapping", la vitesse, la propreté... Je ne suis pas sourd. Le mec a un talent monstrueux. Mais qu'est-ce que ça me gonfle ! C'est l'incarnation même de l'exhibitionnisme guitaristique. Chaque solo est un prétexte pour en mettre plein la vue. Ça ne chante pas, ça ne raconte rien. Ça exécute. Ça se masturbe avec le manche. C'est une démonstration technique froide et sans âme. Prenons "Eruption". Le morceau-signature du guitar hero. Pour moi, ce n'est pas de la musique. C'est un catalogue de figures. Une compétition de vitesse. "Regardez ce que je peux faire avec mes doigts !" C'est impressionnant, de la même manière qu'un athlète qui court le 100 mètres en moins de 10 secondes est impressionnant. Mais est-ce que ça m'émeut ? Est-ce que ça me transporte ? Absolument pas. Et le pire, c'est que ces solos interminables viennent couper des morceaux qui, parfois, avaient un certain potentiel. On a un bon riff, une bonne dynamique, et paf ! Le voilà qui déboule avec sa guitare en fusion pour nous balancer trois minutes de gammes à la vitesse de la lumière. Ça casse le rythme, ça détruit la chanson. C'est de l'ego pur et simple. Et enfin, le troisième clou dans le cercueil. La cerise sur le gâteau de mon agacement. Les chœurs. Mais putain, ces chœurs... Ces "houuuu houuuu houuuu"... On dirait des chœurs de gonzesses en arrière-plan. Les mecs, vous êtes Van Halen ! Vous vous la jouez durs, virils, des dieux du stade qui enchaînent les conquêtes. Vous avez des couilles, non ? Alors merde, arrêtez vos chœurs de boys band ! Ça décrédibilise tout. Ça donne un côté tellement... pop, tellement fabriqué. Ce contraste entre le son saturé, la voix criarde de David Lee Roth et ces petites harmonies vocales mielleuses est insupportable. "Jamie's Cryin'", par exemple. Le morceau pourrait être sympa, mais ces chœurs viennent tout gâcher. C'est kitsch et daté. On se croirait dans une mauvaise comédie musicale. Alors, que reste-t-il ? Il reste une poignée de riffs légendaires. "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "You Really Got Me" (qui est une reprise, rappelons-le)... Il reste l'énergie d'un groupe qui avait faim et qui a tout balancé sur un premier album. Il reste une section rythmique carrée, un batteur qui cogne et un bassiste qui suit. Il reste le charisme d'un chanteur qui était plus un showman qu'un vocaliste, mais qui incarnait son rôle à la perfection. C'est pour ça que je mets 2 sur 5. Parce que je reconnais l'impact historique. Je reconnais le talent brut. Je comprends pourquoi cet album a marqué son époque. Il a apporté une nouvelle énergie, une nouvelle façon de jouer de la guitare, un nouveau style de hard rock plus "fun" et décomplexé que ce qui se faisait avant. Mais avec mes oreilles d'aujourd'hui, je n'y trouve pas mon compte. Je vois un album qui a vieilli sur certains aspects. Un album qui mise tout sur la performance et l'esbroufe, au détriment de l'émotion et de la subtilité. C'est une claque, certes. Mais une claque qui assomme plus qu'elle ne réveille. En conclusion : "Van Halen" est un monument. Et comme beaucoup de monuments, il est impressionnant à voir de loin. On peut admirer son architecture, sa taille, son importance historique. Mais y vivre ? Non merci. C'est un album à visiter, pas à habiter. Un disque à écouter une fois dans sa vie pour comprendre un pan de l'histoire du rock. Et ensuite, on peut passer à autre chose. Sans regrets.
Meh men gøy med gitarsoli
Template for 80's corny pop metal.
Not terrible familiar with Van Halen. Not a good first impression. Hard to get past the banality of the lyrics. There is a guitar solo as a track which is interesting. 2.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No. 4/1001, 4/17 (23%) Will I get? No Recommend: No
Very close to a 3. I did enjoy it somewhat but doubt I’d put it on again.
2/5 Interesting mixture of styles Didn’t hate it
Dystopian? Very rock and roll. Electric. Energetic. I feel crazy. Manic. “I’m the one”. It’s a typical youth-music festival and everyone is shaking their heads. Made me feel comfortably angry.
Not really my preferred style of rock, but i do have a soft spot for Van Halen, albeit i actually prefer the Sammy Hagar fronted version incarnation. Obviously the guitarmanship is insane and listening to eruption i cant help but hear the influence EVH had on those who came after him like Nuno Bettencourt. Whilst there are a few great tracks on this album i think it would be generous to describe the quality as variable. Atomic Punk in particular is s low point. It is very old school rock and some of the lyrical content reflects this. I dont like DLR’s vocals and obviously that presents another stumbling block in terms of enjoying this. Full marks for the musicianship but not so much for the thing as a whole.
Full disclosure: this type of thing, in general, just isn't for me. That sort of 70s rock vocal delivery and twiddly 2 minute guitar solos just doesn't float my boat. If it did however, I can see that this is a great example. The Kinks cover was surprisingly faithful to the original, just a lot more waily. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love made me want to listen to Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub by Apollo 440. I liked I'm The One for starting off quite punk then suddenly turning into Queen. I also quite liked Jamie's Crying, but throughout the whole album I felt like I should really be watching an episode of Supernatural. Even though it's not my kinda thing, I would say it's an accomplished debut. 2/5
I wasn't looking forward to this one and physically groaned when I refreshed the page this morning. Got it out of the way quick though and can report that this album is exactly what I expected it to be which is largely very bland! It's all very well written, put together and produced, but it feels like a dull cosplay version of much better things. It's magnolia paint, generally inoffensive but there's no oomph or wow and it's exactly what I hate most about music! The bluesier, stompier tracks were the most listenable but most of it was just 😩 and it frustrates me greatly that it’s artists like her that are championed by the industry.
Why is the bass so farty? Some great hooks.
I expected to enjoy this much more than I did, it just didn't really do anything for me. I doubt I'd go out of my way to listen to this again.
A little underwhelming for me. Like if it’s gonna be rock it needs to be way more intense
van halen is van halen, not bad.
I'm tempted to give this a 1 for influencing and spawning the dumbest hair metal bands of the late 1980s. The Eddie VH guitar acrobatics that inspired generations of wannabe soloists are impressive, but maybe don't hold up so well. How to evaluate an Lp that was like crack for the kids on my Jr high school bus that had a boom box and 2 tapes? I Jamie's crying sounds like the dumbest Aerosmith song, but Little Dreamer is actually okay.
Guitar shredding 👎👎
Take Ain't Talking About Love of this and it's pretty poor. What variation there is (doo wap and 12 bar blues) doesn't help. I don't like Eddie's guitar playing much, it's just noise. Never got the point of Eruption. Billie Jean is his best work.
Muito básico e juvenil, um disco mediano. Não gosto dos vocais, especialmente os backing vocals (Jamie´s Cryin', por exemplo). Tanto se fala no virtuosismo de Eddie Van Halen, mas minha falta de conhecimento técnico não consegue ver, exceto em "Atomic Punk".
Catchy but definitely not my thing. Absolutely hated a couple songs. Didn't really love any.
oh oh oh Janie’s cryin’
This is the white van that we should have been warned about in Elementary school 😭🤣 Not for me, but gee golly that cat can scat!
Now I was big glam/hair metal fan, and a load of bands I was into referenced Van Hen and whilst I got.it, I did t get it tbe same way as when they said Kiss or Aerosmith. Not bu a long way
1.5/5
Good enough but not my jam
Old head music Too old for me, I'll let peepaw dance to it.
treća stvar - obrada kinksa! inače okej, valjda je ovo metalcima super, meni nije ništa posebno
Maybe I suck, but I can barely tolerate the guitar solos -- not because they're bad but because it's just something I don't like.
Just not my style of music.
I think that Van Halen forgot the writing good songs part of making a good album
I feel the need to tell my story about this album. See, I bought "Van Halen 1" it was the best damn record I ever owned. I picked it up from a TG&Y in 1978. That two hand tapping guitar technique it really got me off. I mean full Eruption, YEAH!, I ain't talkin' bout love, I'm on fire! Afterwards, I bought "Woman and Children First", "Fair Warning", and "Van Halen II" and danced the night away. "1984" was my favorite record. I listened so much I wore it down, I was so sad that I thought, I might as well jump. Up on that bridge in quiet reflection I thought to myself, "Tomorrow may come, Tomorrow may never come". Then the strangest thing happened, I could hear my long dead sister Jamie crying, and I knew she was running with the devil, I shouted "oh lord!", and left that bridge. Just one short year later and they go and change singers. Is this what you wanted? Sammy Hagar? I mean, SAMMY HAGAR?? Is THIS what we wanted, man? No! I'll never buy their lousy records again. Long story short, Van Halen is over-rated. ~ 2 Stars
Van BORING
Eddie Van Halen is an incredible guitarist, but I don't masturbate to six strings so this album was just okay. If you love cock on the table guitar solos though, this is probably 5 stars.
A band I tried to avoid in my teens. I was correct.
This sort of music has been referenced so many times in popular culture that it has calcified into something that's very difficult to take seriously as a millenial coming to it in 2024. It's the music that needs to be playing when the newly arrived Terminator walks into a bar filled with tough guys, its the motif for the muscle-car driving douchebag that's nailing the protagonist's crush, it's what the washed up deadbeat dad on One Tree Hill (or something, whatever) has on the record player while he's bottoming out with a bottle of Jack Daniels.
All style little substance. An incredibly talented bunch to be sure. Breaking new ground in guitar wizardry and stadium rock production. But this whole album didn’t really resonate for me. I appreciate the lean runtime, but even at that, the high octane energy of those guitars and Lee-Roth’s yelping ‘aww yeyahhhs’ feels totally overwhelming by the end. Two stars ⭐️⭐️
Ok u can play guitar
EVH can certainly play guitar and he never misses an opportunity to demonstrate. A skilled musician but fairly forgettable album I’m afraid
The kings of cock rock are back, and this time that have done the decent thing and only made us listen to half an hour of this averageness! So many better rock bands of that era to choose from.
- nicht so schlecht, wie erwartet, aber nichts, was ich unbedingt wieder hören würde (denke ich) - insgesamt war es aber relativ stimmig (Irgendwo zwischen 2 und 3)
Nice instrumentals 2/5
Not to my tastes
It’s silly and not something I would typically listen to because I don’t often find myself at the Hard Rock Cafe. I can respect the deranged energy and the lively guitar riffs, however. Standout tracks are: “You Really Got Me” and “Jamie’s Cryin”
I found the long guitar solos boring. Outside of that the music is not super interesting. I think I just don't like the 70s.
Lol Van Halen fans REALLY like guitar solos! 😂 did VH invent Guitar Hero? More tolerable than Metallica. Step dad garages.
Ist mit zu cheesy/Klischee Rock n roll (auch wenn das wahrscheinlich die og's vom ganzen genre sind)
Oh you got guitars
Didn't do anything for me.
I have officially decided that I no longer like mainstream 70's rock music. When I state "I like classic rock," I meant Pink Floyd and Queen, none of this cock-and-bull. "Van Halen" is pretentious, passionless and overblown. Even the guitar was annoying.
Some nice songs, but mostly obnoxious
Not great
Not as heavy as I thought it would be, some really nice guitar solos and I think synths in there. Some pieces of country music in there which I liked mixed with the rock and roll.
The guitar playing is virtuosic and the sound makes you feel like you would have had a really fun, albeit short, life if you were part of that scene. It conjures images of smoke filled clubs with a non-zero amount of cocaine nearby. The sound is loud, intense and unrelenting. The themes are boring, shallow and unimpressive.
I'm giving this 2 stars because of the significance. David Lee Roth is completely insufferable though. The barbershop quartet part was pretty lame as well.
Fun, but overall not my style
This album surprised me. I like the catchy guitar riffs and layered harmonies in the background. Also the fact that there’s an actual tune and melody (as opposed to just loud noise lol). Also appreciate that the songs aren’t too long or repetitive.
Meh
Song:running with the devil I don ´ t like that he is singing about the devil but it has a good beat Song: eruption The guitar was very loud but i kind of like it Song: ain´t talking about love i like this song better way better Song: you really got me i really like this song It's my favorite in this album
Why are they posing like that on the cover? "Running with the Devil" is not my favorite. I don't really like the rock aspect of the music, it's just not the kind of music I like. I felt the same about "Ain't Talking Bout Love" There is nothing wrong with the music it's just not the style of music I like to listen too. I don't enjoy all the guitar parts and loud drums there is to rock and roll. "You really got me" was my favorite but I still didn't like it. Overall I would rate this album 2 start because I just don't enjoy this style of music. However I would reccomend this to anybody who really likes rock and roll music.
i think i liked other van halen we’ve listened to more?
Not a terrible record. I stopped caring about VanHalen not long after this one
Surprisingly low energy and slow paced at times and way too much pop sensibility and major-key-blues-riffiness. David Lee Roth has got his own thing going on there, gotta give him that.
I liked this a bit more than I expected to, but there's a lot I didn't love. A lot of the soloing and general over-the-top instrumentals feel pretty excessive in a way that really doesn't work for me, the vocals are a bit annoying at times but not awful, and there's only a few very memorable songs. Still, an undeniable energy to this, can see why this sound became so huge. I don't generally love the macho-ness of it, and it's a bit too sleazy, but not at too extreme of a level. Sounds like Kiss for adults. The only points where this really fails are the slower, bluesier songs like Ice Cream Man.
Wasn't as bad as I expected...
This is a natural development in the music that Elvis was pioneering. I had a realization about halfway through this album like Mr. Krabs playing golf: "Wait a minute, I hate Van Halen" 2
Incredibly talented guitar work, just have little time for Roth. Didn’t grow up with this sound either, and 47 years later it’s doing nothing to pull me in. Sorry.
I know I'm SUPPOSED to like this album. But still
This certainly is an album.
not so good
It was fine, some songs are a little interesting but mostly not into it.
Credit where credit is due, EvH is one of the most talented guitarists of all time. Favourite Tracks: You Really Got Me Least Fav Track: Feel Your Love Tonight
I'm just not a fan of this style of rock - I get it has its place, but that place is not on my playlists.
There was a moment when this album started where I thought it might be different to what I expected. It was not. Surprising guitar interlude with 'Eruption', I actually quite enjoyed it. The rock instrumentation was pretty good for 'You Really Got me', it gave it a depth of sound, but the singing didn't do much for me. Enjoyable because I like the original. The rest is much for muchness. I think the guitarist is strong, the rest is all inoffensive but doesn't excite me.
Ingen van av Fan Halen. Whoops, fan av Van Halen skulle det ju vara.
I have no use for this early glam metal bullshit. I respect the influence, truly - I only say "bullshit" to describe how I feel listening to it. 2/5
Can someone please draw me a picture of the band on tour about to be picked up from their hotel. I want to see Eddy Van Halen hailin' the Van Halen van (with apologies to Stephen Fry). About 18 minutes into the first album
When we had 1984 I started contemplating my thoughts on Van Halen, which was maybe I’ve never liked Van Halen. After this all I know is i don’t like listening to them. Also wondering if EVH actually is a good guitar player. He can do a lot but to my ears it sounds awful. I think “I’m the One” was where that clicked. They have a decent harmony in the chorus and after each line he plays insane fills that add nothing to the song. Give me some slow yet tasteful JJ Cale (or a hundred other guitarists) over this garble. Jamie’s Cryin is the best version of this band. Adding a star for that song.
I think I overshot my rating on 1984 by a bit, but still think I prefer the songs on that album to this one. Remake of the Kinks is offensive. And if I need my fix of Devil themed music you know I’m going Maiden.
Just not in the mood to be honest. Run of the mill power Rock and the only thing I can think of as a compliemt is that this was made in 1978 and not 1983
It’s alright. Pretty good for hard rock.
One of the most successfull debut album in history.
The first four songs on this album are pretty well known, which I guess is something. Look, I get what Van Halen is doing and I think they do it pretty well. But I still don't like it. The over the top 80s hair metal simply doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Was very confused by the first minute of Ice Cream Man too. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
Not really my taste of music. I like the ice cream man song though and sort of liked Jamie's cryin but that may just be because it was familiar.
Pfff. Okay: "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" is carried by a great riff, otherwise this all leaves me extremely cold. It's musicians' music. By the numbers. If you don't care for rock clichés or technical execution, which I don't, there is just nothing here. "Eruption" is nonsense, boogie woogie "Ice Cream Man" horrible. Trite rhythms throughout. I had considerably more fun with the similarly flavoured debut from Boston. And really, this album, even if it's an impressive first appereance, is surrounded by so many rock releases which offer either much more interesting, meaningful music or *that same* thing to a greater effect - this here is bleh.
Rock of ages shite
Not for me
Where to start with a band who inspired a hundred 80s hair metal bands? 1978 when this was released. In the same year The Jam were covering The Mighty Kinks and wishing they could be like David Watts, millions of American teenagers were wishing they could be like Dave Lee Roth 😀 I like that Van Halen covered The Kinks and opened them up to a huge new audience, but I can't stand their version! Listen back to back and to me it's clear that less is more. Lots of the tracks are familiar because Planet Rock love them but I don't really like their sound or style. Some decent riffs but 'shredding' doesn't do much for me. So sorry, not my favourite. I like 'Jump' but that came much later, and even then I prefer the live acoustic Aztec Camera version. Guess I'm not cut out for hair metal 🙃
This is a lot of fun but the shrieking voice and the endless noodling on the guitar (and that terrible cover of the Kinks almost at the start) is *so* not my kind of thing that I will never ever put this on again. The riff from Ain't Talking About Love is great but I'll just play that Apollo 440 single instead...
like one classic on here but not really for me - very samey
I had this down as the sound of 80s rock so I’m a little surprised to see it’s a 70s album. You can feel and hear the talent but it’s just not for me. 4/10
Had a good time with this one. High 2, good switch up from what I’ve had the past few days. Always loved Van Halen but obviously imo not his greatest work. Still a respectable record.
Sounds dated
I like the sound of the guitar, but overall this isn't doing much for me.
There's nothing wrong with this album, but this type of music just does not appeal to me. The singing is grating and the music sounds the same song after song. I don't blame people who get hyped by this, but I just don't get it.
Not for me - kind of OK.
Van Halen is talented but it feels like he’s constantly at 10 the entire time and the lack of dynamic changes makes me feel it’s unearned almost? Really loved Ice Cream Man, but for 5 seconds of guitar solo at 1:47 it would have been a perfect song
More butt rock. I suppose Van Halen gets credit for being so influential but I just don't understand.
I thought following up Living Colour with this would feel like a relief, but honestly this is just annoyingly squandered talent. The guitar licks are just obnoxiously show-offy instead of interesting and the vocals are technically good, but I couldn't care less about what he's singing about, except that some of it is creepy and groomy/pedophilic. Guess what? I didn't need to listen to this before I died.
I loved when Ritchie from “The Bear” misquoted David Lee Roth, saying: “I’m not like this cause I’m in Van Halen, I’m in Van Halen cause I’m like this.” It’s a great quote, it was a great quote for that character and it’s such a rock star thing to say. That led me to read several websites compiling memorable quotes from David Lee Roth, which was well worth the time and effort. Two of my favorites were, “When you can spell subpoena without thinking about it, that’s when you know you’ve made it.” and “I'm a family man. I personally started 3 or 4 families last year.” Another one of his quotes was “The reason more rock critics like Elvis Costello than us is that more rock critics look like Elvis Costello than us.” Well, Mr. Lee Roth, your wisdom continues to impress, because I look a lot more like Elvis Costello than you, and I do not like your band. I get it; I can appreciate the shtick, but it’s not for me. Probably because I’m not twelve years old and it’s not 1983. I’m glad Van Halen was a thing for a while. I like the mythos of rock and roll excess and big hair and leather pants and shredding on guitar and … bandanas?, but it’s not for me.
I just don’t like this kinda music. I tried to listen with an open ear but there’s just something about this style of music that I cannot warm up to. The guitar playing was amazing, as were the vocals. I liked the cover of You Really Got Me by the Kink's, and wished really wished I liked this energetic classic rock album as everyone else does!
Probably loud and out there on release but to me a bit boring. Jamie’s Cryin and I’m the one were the highlights. 5/10
Some music stands the test of time, and some serves as a reminder of the cringey tastes you had in high school. Guess which one this falls under? Coulda been worse though, coulda been Def Leppard.
Not my thing but listenable.
Had to focus on the guitar just to gut this one out.
Cheesy with some catchy riffs.
#26 - impressive command on the guitar but not my jam, they have their own sound and its not one for me!
What in the American dad-rock is this? First track is familiar, obviously, but from there it goes into a masturbatory guitar ejaculation, then into a by-the-numbers cover that commits the sin of not matching the original. From there on we devolve into a macho yelling match that I don't care to listen to. Technically good guitar playing is fine, I guess. It just comes off as a huge cheese fest.
Skilled musicians who make annoying music to listen to. The guitar playing is virtuosic, everyone sounds good individually. The singing is impressive but doesn't reach me in any way. The songwriting is very average. While Van Halen is better than a lot of hair metal bands, it commits the same sins. Superficial, macho but without the real guts to back it up. ACDC is also somewhat superficial and macho but it has some real backbone at least.
In a nutshell: glam metal sleaze So I learned that Gene Simmons produced and financed the demos for this album. No wonder many tracks sound so much like KISS without the braggadocio. Eruption is a jaw dropper in guitar skills. Signs of Van Halen's unique sound are there. It won't be fully fledged until the 1980's. Overall: 3/10
I don’t care for this style but Dave could definitely scream and Eddie could definitely play. I recognize many of these songs, they used to play the shit out of them back in the day. Not a terrible version of the Kinks song.
Brilliant musicians but just never ending solos which go on forever. Best thing about this album was hearing "You really got me" and I remembered how good The Kinks were and listened to them instead
certainly packed full of hits that we have all heard. Many of the songs do tend to blend together and the high pitch "yee-ah!" wears thin.
Nope
Crazy vocals and guitar riffs! Liked songs: You Really Got Me, Jamie's Cryin'
Nja sån där gitarrunkar-rock har aldrig varit min grej. Fattar att det är skickliga med gitarren men är det bra musik? Man måste inte slakta The Kinks bara för att man kan. Jamies Cryin låter som de mobbar stackars Jamie. Bröligt och trist rakt igenom. En 2a.
Favorite track: you really got me
If it wasn't for EVH this would be complete garbage. Horrible hair metal cock rock. Mostly bog standard blues turned up to 11. Great guitar work, but horrible bass tone and juvenile lyrics.
Þetta er voða fínn metall og Eddie er rosa flinkur. Lögin eru fjörug og ég sé alveg hvernig þetta getur fólki í gott stuð. Mér bara hundleiðist þessi genre og þetta gítarsound, svo ég ætla að fá að draga meðaleinkunnina svolítið niður. Sorrý. (Seinni hlutinn á Eruption er reyndar ansi góður).
2,5
Not really something I would actively seek to listen to again.
meh, don’t see what people see in it tbh
Didn’t listen to the whole album. Definitely not something I would choose to play. The solos seemed to be too much of a focus for my taste
Super dorky
Not as good as I thought it would be
Van Halen by Van Halen is about as Van Halen as I expected
No
Niet mijn ding... Classic American rock
Very meh. Not my cup of tea
The worst of 70’s rock
Not a Van Halen guy....
sådär va. men en stark tvåa
at least they kept it short
Hard rock, skilled guitarist. Ice cream man was a non sequitur, but still fun.
nothing here really stood out to me. I'd give it a 2/5. the only song that really stood out was the opener of the album "Runnin with the devil"
Very typical of rock from that time period. Nothing stood out to me as particularly special.
Not consistent. Seems dated.
Wat een tering herrie. Zeker niet mijn smaak. Veel te veel onrustige gitaar. Al met al een hele bak met herrie.
Very different from what I was expecting. Running with the Devil is a great opener. Odd doo-wop bit in 'I'm the One'. The did a cover of You Really Got Me that felt totally unnecessary, they did almost nothing new or original with it to warrant it being on an already short album. 2/5
1984 is way better.
Pretty mundane, not my cup of tea.
Yks bängeri, muut ei napannu
The music has not aged well. I know the guitar is still "amazing", but I no longer like any of the songs. It seems that grunge bands from the 90s - with their socially-conscious lyrics - have pretty much done away with Van Halen-style rock.
Ich bin kein Fan von van Halen geworden.
I had doubts if I would like some of the tracks today as I had some 40 years ago. Van Halen started a whole new rock genre back then, and Eddy's guitar play is still outstanding. But that's it. This music belongs to an era gone by and should stay there.
https://youtu.be/dMfX9fu2030?si=sa9-rWQoUMkXP_Jn i just watched nicola benedetti perform the beethoven violin concerto and i think it was one of the most beautiful 45 minutes i will ever spend
2.5/5. I was not really into this. Sounds like pretty dated "hard" rock.
4.5/10
Van Halen is probably the most overrated band in the history of rock music. Great guitar playing doesn’t make up for band songwriting. Ain’t Talking Bout Love is a jam though.
Was Van Halens aim to become the pinnacle of a genre called Dad Rock? And kind of ridiculed as a result? Not sure. But with listening to Dad Rock, the excitement fades fast and the boredom sky rockets. I just want to watch spinal tap
80s hair metal and poser guitars at the end of the 70s. Not exactly what I need.
It's probably just a genre thing that I'm not into. But the guitar just seemed like showing off for the sake of showing off, rather than what sounded good sometimes.
cock rock the album (Eruption is cool though) 5.6/10
I always think of Van Halen as a comedy band but that’s unfair, it’s just not my cup of tea & clearly they’re very very good at what they do. The cover of ‘You Really Got Me’ is bizarre I never knew that was a thing. The instrumental ‘Eruption’ stands out for me, just let Eddie Van Halen go. It’s all a bit EuroTrash. The guitars are quite something but the vocals not for me. I’m trying to imagine what type of person went along to Van Halen concerts, what was the crowd like but I’m sure I wouldn’t fit in. I do love David Lee Roth’s quote ‘we sold hope and faith and a jubilation on par with a lot of your favourite religions’ I get that, so well played lads ! 😎 Oh God these lyrics are straight out of Spinal Tap actually is this a joke ? 35 minutes was too much for me. Seems like such a waste of an amazing guitarist it isn’t even well produced. ‘Little Dreamer’ was decent.
I'm not a fan of hair/spandex rock and I'm especially uninterested in anything by Van Halen.
Typical 80's hair rock. Eddie Van Halen was plaudited as the latest greatest thing with a guitar, but a bit too much of it for me. Wouldn't avoid them but wouldn't go out of my way to see or listen to them either. Half way again, 2.5.
Surprisingly, this wasn’t as terrible as I thought it might be. Probably as good as 1970s hair rock gets. Wasn’t expecting to find a Kinks cover on it and some of the other tracks didn’t seem to fit with my preconceptions. Loving some of the cheesy guitar riffs and some decent rhythm section moments. A mid 2 rating.
Guess you have to be an American to like this trashy music.
I listened to Eruption for the first time all the way just now. Was that really it? Was that really what all the hype was about? And adding random needly needly guitar bits to You Really Got Me, really does not, it just ruins a perfectly good song Otherwise, I think I’d like this album a lot more if it embraced some of the weirdness that is clearly lurking just behind it’s surface, and comes out in instances like David Lee Roth suddenly scatting for no reason, midway through I’m The One, or the proto-cyberpunk dork that are the lyrics to Atomic Punk.
Never been a fan. This hasn't changed my mind.
2.36 per track average. I absolutely do not understand Van Halen, it’s just not good.
I groaned when I saw this one, because I had 1984 previously on this generator and I hated it. This was actually significantly better than 1984, and even had one song I really liked (Little Dreamer), but I still wouldn't call myself a fan of theirs.
While Eddie Van Halen's talent and influence as a guitarist is undeniable, there is very little substance to Van Halen's debut record outside of its virtuoso guitar licks. David Lee Roth certainly has skill as a vocalist, but the cheesy lyrics, forgettable melodies and lack of variety make this record a bit of a tough listen. The only highlight for me is a souped-up cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me."
Eruption in 78 would have been mind blowing. I've heard a fair bit of Van Halen. I'd never heard the second half of this album and now I know why.
Not really my cup of tea.
One or two hits, was okay
Probably the quintessential cock rock album. I don’t want to be unfair to it because of how overexposed a lot of these songs are in 2023 but man am I tired of hearing Running with the Devil on every clear channel classic rock station.
First couple of tracks were ok (not You Really Got Me which was awful) but it died a death from middle to end.
The sound and musicianship were there. The songs weren't
Endless noodly guitar playing, mediocre singing, and a quite a few bizarre musical decisions that seem, for the lack of a better term, entirely fucking coked out. This embodies a lot of things that I absolutely hate in music tbh, but at least there's a catchy song or two. It gets a 2, I'm feeling nice today.
I don't like it, it's not bad but not exactly my kind of music and I find the production a bit dry and clinical. Nothing is really standing out, it's just clean but lacks personality. Won't be listening again.
Þetta er svo rosalega mikið barn síns tíma. Pínu nostalgía en úff, svo mörg rauð flögg í textum og bara.. æji.
Включил бате - ему понравилось 4/10
At the time, I really liked this album, but I was a only 15, so what did I know. It hasn't aged well, but still has some highlights. But guitar solos bore me now.
Headline is, this is not my thing at all. I don't particularly like showy guitar for the most part. Certainly have no interest in a song like Eruption. Finger tapping etc just doesnt register with me. There was a moment in one of the songs that had a bit of Doo-wap, which was interesting. Odd that there was a Kinks cover on the album. I don't think i will ever listen to even a track from this album, but its not bad, it is just not my thing. Between a 1 and a 2. A one might be too harsh, but i'll see how i feel in the morning
The album opens with " live my life like there's no tomorrow And all I've got, I had to steal" My mind keeps substituting in borrow because it rhymes. --- With the exception of eruption this is a shallow, dull, lifeless self indulgent along of an album.
Wellicht heb ik ook niet een volledige poging gewaagd, maar ik kwam er niet in.
not my thing but inpressive
(sorry dad.) Obviously an album with lots of influence, my own taste strays pretty far from hard rock and so it was never really a possibility for this record to catch me off guard or anything. The guitar work is great, but is really the only thing creating a distinction between the songs. I appreciate the musicianship on this album but probably won't return to it much. Rating - 5.0 Favs - Ice Cream Man - Jamie's Crying - Runnin' With The Devil
it was ok- nothing too remarkable. personally found it a bit aged for my interests
Lyrics are missing as is the emotion in the delivery of the vocals Impressive solos and some nice riffs but nothing transcendal. Listening to Van Halen-inspired the Darkness is more fun Finally quite a dull listen.
Well, I hadn't realised Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub was based on a Van Halen song. I had very little previous knowledge of the band - probably only Jump, Jamie's Cryin', and the solo on Beat It. I mean, it's okay, but I found the vocals very flat and soulless. Feel Your Love Tonight was probably my favourite.
boring pero ok lang
i thought this would seem better now but i was wrong it’s still not good
FML 2
Technically proficient, but boring as hell.
Ok, but not my thing
Arguably the best sounding guitar-rock album if you enjoy silly songs and killer musicians going into a full "performative", self-indulging mode. Let me elaborate on that, starting with the "performative mode". Because let's face it folks: what's the real point of "Eruption", apart from telling the audience: "Look how good, how *godly* I am with those six strings"? Yeah man, well, Jimi Hendrix was godly too. The main difference, a *pivotal* one, is that Hendrix's solos, as complex and rich and technically difficult as they were, also told a musical story that meant something in the *overall context* of his songs or live performances. In contrast, "Eruption"' solo is a masturbatory feat that, very tellingly, is placed as an aside, and so, in its own little box. And the fact that this short track is the second of the album only reinforces this sense of containment, oddly enough. Obviously, the "volcanic" overtones of "Eruption" tell the story of an ejaculation, so when I say "masturbatory", I do realize that Eddie Van Halen, God rest his soul, had all that in mind as well. But where a guy like Hendrix stroked and pleasured himself as part of his "lovemaking" to the audience, Van Halen sounds on his own, as if he was locked in the restroom so as to relieve himself from that technical feat that burdens his mind. Maybe this alienated, onanistic overtone stems from the fact that the little story that "Eruption" tells you has no real point. Or maybe it's because the whole intent is very naive, come to think of it. What this solo mostly tells you is this: here's a gifted kid playing with his tool, look how good he is! There's nothing else, no other layer to this thing. Which might have its own sort of immature charm, I'll grant you that. "Immature" still being the word to remember nonetheless. As for the "silly" songs, there's the same sort of line that the band constantly straddles throughout this record, aptly summarized by the ambiguity of the word "silly" in its modern usage. Because those songs are indeed both fun AND ridiculous, both catchy AND obnoxious, both smartly done AND dumb. Gosh, that doo-wop bridge at the end of "I'm the One". Is it genius or slapstick comedy? Can it be both as well? And, OK, I get it guys, "Ain't Talking About Love" has a killer riff, and in itself, it's a great tune. But even that one can make you smirk at times. I mean those "hey! hey! hey!" background vocals are a little dumb, are they not? "Jamie's Crying" and "Runnin' With The Devil" are not too bad either. Unfortunately, once you switch to side B, stinkers abound. I'm not even bothering quoting names of the latter, they don't deserve it, honestly. So Side A could have been a great one, at least, had it not been for that stupid and awkward cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me". It's a song I normally love, and the mere fact that some ill-informed, misguided reviewer on this app thought (or pretended) that the song was a Van Halen original makes me want to puke. In a sense, that cover version also tells you that the band was aware that the quality of their own songwriting was not up *always* to the task of equalling their crazy ambition, at least at the time. In that regard, *1984*, the other landmark album from Van Halen, which followed this debut, is both an improvement and an exacerbation of Van Halen's faults oddly enough. Because the songs of this other record are both funnier AND even more ridiculous, both catchier AND more obnoxious, both more sophisticate AND, in the end, ultimately... dumber. You get the idea here, I'm sure. But that's a story for another time, kiddies, at least if Dimery and co. dared including that other Van Halen LP in their list. So in other words, and to put it in a nutshell, *Van Halen* will be the best band for you if you love cheese. And given the number of positive reactions in the reviews here, it's crazy how many people just *love* cheese. I myself usually love it, you know. By "cheese", I mean the real deal here, the food. But I'm French, so that probably doesn't count. :) "Oh, he's a French guy, that explains everything," I hear some of you thinking out loud. Well, if you think my review is a little too *arrogant*, just remember this. Eddie Van Halen started it. You have to be very arrogant to record something like "Eruption". Or maybe, as I've already suggested, you have to be very sincere. And naive. I'm not comparing myself to a properly divine musician such as Eddie VH, obviously. But if there's one tiny little thing I may share with him, it's that what I've just said in this review comes from a very sincere place, as arrogant as it may sound to some. And all I ask, is that you guys can give me the benefit of the doubt, just as I did for Van Halen here. There is indeed something a little *ridiculous* about this LP (another very ambiguous word these days, huh?). And pretending that elephant is not in the room will never be the best way to "defend" it. I dunno, maybe you need to embrace the sheer foolishness of this record to fully enjoy it. You tell me. But as hard as I try to let go, it's not exactly working for me. Maybe I'll buy a Van Halen greatest hits album one day, if it's not pestered by the presence of too many duds, and that's gonna be the extent of my involvement with this band. No big deal. And more power to you if you *can* let go, folks! Now, next, please.
Meh men gøy med gitarsoli
It’s alright I guess
Ihan yllättävän kiva poppislevy. Kitaraa ei säästellä
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love ja Kinks-koveri ovat "ihan hauskoja". Ja hei, saattaisin soittaa joskus tulevaisuudessa lapselleni Eruptionin ihan vain näyttääkseni, että heh, tällainenkin tehtiin ennen kuin isä oli syntynyt. Siitä toinen piste.
Well I mean, I didn't hate it, but it's just not something I love. I'm not against anything in this album, there's nothing lazy or unoriginal or lacking in spirit. I just think I might be alive at the wrong time to enjoy this album, because it just rolls off me like nothing happened. Lots of heavy guitars tend to do that to me, and this album has a texture whose sameness I can't really appreciate. Just don't think it's for me! Nothing wrong with it, though. I’m open to several more listens. 2/5
Just a big over the top album. About as cheesy as it gets in the best way. Pretty fun, but this is nothing I could ever consider with any seriousness.
Big 8o’s
It's the sound of an era, when rock was lots of big sounds from the axe and smashing of drums... very little else. Van Halen not one of the best acts to execute this formula, but then again, not the worst. As an artist or an album I would never listen to it, but rating what i have listened to on this album, it will scrape a 2... but only barely.
Dad rock
So so, I prefer the backing vocals to the lead. Bit dated now
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, felt very understated and devoid Favourite song: didn’t have one
Probably innovative at the time, super passe now. At least the 'best guitar solo of all time' is mercifully short. Does it even have a structure? Or is he just doing technically interesting things?
Bästa: Little dreamer Sämsta: Ice cream man
Naah, not for me mate. But understand why people might like it
Pop pretending to be rock
Eh. I’ll have to give it a relisten
Songs were a bit too repetitive, but made me nostalgic for lechfest
Beetje van halen overload. Vond die ander leuker
Im going to go to the Hard Rock Cafe, order a steak and drink some Jack Daniels like the coolest man in the world.
Eddie! I knew he was a no good kid.
For a moment I had to check, I thought this was a spoof album by Spinal Tap.
Not a Van Halen guy. Nice, quick, 11 track 35 minute album though. A solid debut album if you're into this band's sound, which again I'm not really. Standout Tracks: Runnin' with the Devil, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Atomic Punk, Ice Cream Man
It fair bops along and it’s everything you expect. Breaking no new ground, guitar riffs and splashy drums, you know what this is.
To screechy and hard-rocky. So many recognizable tunes but just not my thang.
Not as bad as I thought it would be. Not too bad Kinks cover.
Cringe vox and songs. Sounds like Kiss without the disco. The guitar brings amazing melody, harmony, and rhythm to some otherwise lame toolbox rock tunes.
Hard rock sans any threat of danger, sexiness, irreverence, politics, brains. Plus points: it's compact and they can play their instruments very fast, which are really the same thing.
Not my cup of tea.
Technically well done but feels slick, shallow and soulless. This is the music you'd get if you asked an algorithm to write 80s rock.
Not really the biggest fan on Van Halen and didn’t think much of this album either. Not one I think I’d ever return too in the future, no particular stand alone single in this album either. Many many better rock and 70s albums about.
Interesting guitar noodling masks poor album
Didn't much care for it.
Not as bad as I was expecting, but still not for me.
Yh olipa geneeristä kasarirockia ja joka biisi kuulostaa samalta.
I mean it's tens for the guitar, maybe 5s for the songwriting (bumped because 'Aint Talking Bout Love') and at best a 2 for the vocals, which are an approximation of passion most likely muddled up with constipation? Eruption is like a threat to all other guitarists. You want to play, Eddie is the end of level boss. If only there were a world where Eddie Van Halen met different people this would be Hendrix/Sabbath levels of great.
Meh....dull, dated technical playing, with too much treble. A few cool riffs, that work better sampled in other songs, apollo 440 'ain't talkin' 'bout dub' ...but nothing much for me here
Åter igen inte superspännande, men det funkar. Några bangers dock.
Klassisk glamrock. Fattar att det är SVÅRT att spela elgitarr jättesnabbt och att Eddie Van Halen är DUKTIG, men även om jag kan uppskatta själva hantverket får det mig inte att känna speciellt mycket. Låtarna är för rättfram, enkla, släta, vilket gör att de blir lätta att glömma. Bäst är Little Dreamer. Eruption ska ju vara historiens bästa gitarrsolo, och visst, det är väl bra. Det känns fel att refrängen i The Kinks-covern sjöngs på amerikansk "You Really Got MEE" istället för brittisk "You Really Got MEH". Bästa låt: Little Dreamer.
It seems churlish to give this a rating because it is so 'of its time', but, you know...
So. Many. Guitar Solos.
First track (Running With The Devil) was amazing, with some tasteful melodic solos and insistent harmony vocals. Thought I was in for a treat. Sadly that hope quickly evaporated with the second track, one and and a half minutes if guitar wankathon. Yeah it was Ok in places, but mostly just meh.
Not as bad as I feared. Guitar solo song strangely com0leling
I've never been a big Van Halen fan, and, now that I've heard a full album by them, I'm still not.
Bleh, I didn't really get it. I mean it's definitely distinctive, and has its moments (especially the first few songs), but a bit over the top for me.
Fine
Runnin With the Devil is a great song and Eruption is very impressive, but the rest of the album is just very anticlimactic. Lots of flash but no substance
sort of fun but not my thing. 2
Meh
Bit of a groan when i saw this, but was ok
Fun in it's own way - nothing ground breaking, but I guess it was 1978. Nothing tagged to be added as a favourite. Don't understand the hype around these guys except for Murica F Yeah
Instantly forgettable average rock.
Another classic cockrock record. Fav tracks: - Running With The Devil - Eruption - Ice Cream Man Least fav: - Feel Your Love Tonight
Offensichtlich schlecht gealtert und größtenteils uninteressant. Aber ein 1-3 catchy tracks sind hier schon drauf, zb. You Really Got Me ist obergeil tbh, und Jamie's Cryin geht auch irgendwie klar, weil weniger soli!! Ansonsten naja MEH
N@j@
Sure is glam metal! I liked the cover of 'You Really Got Me'.
Actually didn't dislike as much as I expected but still not really my sort of thing
Can't say I liked this one very much
Not for me, but the guitar on this album is insane.
I did not like this.
┐(￣ヘ￣;)┌ It wasn't bad, but it was boring. I have nothing to say.
Too rock but some classics
I liked it
Still don’t like this band. Their entire catalog could have been cut to two songs from this record and then maybe I’d have thought they were the greatest band in the world but they just had to keep going 🤷🏼♂️
Well, it’s dreadful. I thought it might be fun, but it’s not. Obvious, boring poodle rock, hair metal from the 80s. Probably a 1.5*.
Not my taste
A bit of fun, bit over the top - maybe more of it's time
Such cliched lyrics, such over-the-top guitar playing, and that voice I so despise - actually more the singer than the voice. I really don’t like them but I would have been very surprised if these anthems didn’t make it onto the 1001 list.
Mostly what's novel are the guitar solos, much of the vocals import a lot from other older music at the time and the musicality that accompanies those vocals doesn't do much to stand out save for a few tracks.
Really tried to understand it. The covers were great tho
it feels so old and tired. or maybe that's me. i genuinely wonder what kind of people still like this music. even the aging-loser-who-peaked-in-the-80s stereotype feels dated.