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[SPOILER-FREE] Van Halen 2012 discussion

Towelie

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James Bond LEGEND

James Bond

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Posted

Not going to download it. At this point I'll just wait for Monday and listen to it through my stereo at full volume. :thumbsup:

Also, for anyone who might still need tickets, for the Buffalo show I can still pop up a pair in just about any section, even floors (granted, it was row 35 but still). Just a little tip so you don't go on eBay yet. ;)

Generally speaking, StubHub seems to have much cheaper pairs than eBay. I guess it either never sold out or a handful more tickets were released. I had thought it sold out but maybe I'm just mixing it up with Toronto.

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moreblack LEGEND

moreblack

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Posted

Tattoo was a false start, but the rest of the album actually rocks.

I'm glad the album was produced properly this time around. I remember how mortified Ed was when the final mastered copies of VH3 went into stores, I had no problem with the material, but the production on that last album was abyssmal.

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Turn_It_Up FRONTMAN

Turn_It_Up

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VAN HALEN, ‘A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH’ – ALBUM REVIEW

by: Matthew Wilkening 6 hours ago

Interscope

After more than two decades apart, the Van Halen brothers and original lead singer David Lee Roth have turned in a thrilling and terrific new album, ‘A Different Kind of Truth,’ which proves that their chemistry together remains a special and magical thing.

The six classic late ’70s and early ’80s records from the first Roth-fronted lineup of the group set an imposing bar for any Van Halen reunion album. After all the years of traveling separate paths through creative growth and lineup changes, and without original bassist Michael Anthony, it’s very impressive how well Eddie, Alex and David have re-connected with each other.

Unlike the two new Roth-fronted songs on the 1996 ‘Best of’ compilation, which seemed like ill-fitting Sammy Hagar-era compositions (and still had their moments — “Do you believe? / Awww, don’t you trust me?”), you can drop the needle almost anywhere on ‘Truth’ and know instantly who you’re dealing with here.

Of course, that’s partially because the band very wisely stacked the deck a bit by re-working (or sometimes seemingly just re-recording) unreleased songs from as far back as their mid-70s label deal-securing demos into new compositions. If you think this is cheating, and you can keep that silly “purist” scowl on your face while the rest of us are marking out to songs like the electrifying, chill-inducing ‘She’s the Woman,’ well…we feel bad for you.

‘Woman’ is one of three unassailable throwback riff-rockers on ‘A Different Kind of Truth,’ along with the similarly re-purposed ‘Big River’ (which somehow has a touching, melancholy depth) and ‘Outta Space.’ Nearly the whole record is surprisingly aggressive and up-tempo, even newer compositions such as the dizzying ‘As Is’ and the vaguely Iron Maiden-ish ‘China Town.’

In fact, it turns out the somewhat picked-on first single ‘Tattoo’ is about the safest track on the album, and also the only one featuring any kind of discernible keyboards. The only other obvious single candidate would be the sunny, unabashedly sentimental “we made it” anthem ‘Blood and Fire,’ which finds Roth treading the dreaded line of mawkishness but ultimately landing on the correct side.

Van Halen tackles more mature, sophisticated material with ease on one of the album’s early highlights, ‘You and Your Blues.’ The track starts with a staccato, processed riff similar to (gasp!) ‘III’s ‘One I Want‘ before heading off into more expansive territory, with some absolutely fantastic group vocal interplay.

Don’t get us wrong, in some cases Anthony’s trademark soaring background singing is missed, but the current lineup (we don’t have album credits, we’re guessing partially Eddie’s son and new bassist Wolfgang) does a great job filling in those gaps sometimes, too. The relaxed tempo of ‘Blues’ is also the perfect showcase for Roth’s weathered voice, which, admittedly, sounds a bit rough and reaching on some of the faster tracks, although not to any enjoyment-dampening level.

OK, we need to wrap this up. Which is too bad, because there’s plenty more to discuss with this record, and it seems safe to say more layers and vocals are going to reveal themselves after a few dozen more listens – are they quoting the Beatles‘ ‘Day Tripper’ with that bass line at the end of the album, for example?

But the basic takeaway here is, Van Halen has reunited and made a really damn good comeback album, and there’s going to be very little in the way of automatic “new song bathroom breaks” on their upcoming tour.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-a-different-kind-of-truth-album-review/

======================

Van Halen: A Different Kind of Truth – review

(Interscope)

Despite the multi-platinum gluttony of the Sammy Hagar era, true Van Halen devotees have never been in any doubt about who they want to front their favourite band. Some 28 years after Jump and Hot for Teacher, David Lee Roth has squeezed back into his old spandex pants, his lascivious yelping at last reunited with legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen's nimble-fingered pyrotechnics (see page 12). In truth, this would have to be a dismal affair to fail to outstrip 1998's scorned Van Halen III, but once the DLR-related euphoria dies down, A Different Kind of Truth is a frequently thrilling return. These songs crackle, fizz and bulge with priapic exuberance, and not just due to the reliably demented Roth. Seemingly inspired by the presence of his 20-year-old son Wolfgang on bass, Van Halen is on extraordinary form, whether churning out sumptuous grooves on Tattoo and Big River, or gleefully setting his fretboard alight on China Town and the bug-eyed Bullethead. Against the odds, the party metal kings are back and blazing. Fun times.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/feb/02/van-halen-different-truth-review?newsfeed=true

Edited by Turn_It_Up
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Cosmo FRONTMAN

Cosmo

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Posted

Tattoo was a false start, but the rest of the album actually rocks. I'm glad the album was produced properly this time around. I remember how mortified Ed was when the final mastered copies of VH3 went into stores, I had no problem with the material, but the production on that last album was abyssmal.

Yes, this album does indeed rock. Tattoo might be the worst song on there.

Wow. Really? Tattoo was a hell of a grower for me. Better than a few songs I've heard already.

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mrandyk GOD

mrandyk

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Posted

Tattoo was a false start, but the rest of the album actually rocks. I'm glad the album was produced properly this time around. I remember how mortified Ed was when the final mastered copies of VH3 went into stores, I had no problem with the material, but the production on that last album was abyssmal.

Yes, this album does indeed rock. Tattoo might be the worst song on there.

Wow. Really? Tattoo was a hell of a grower for me. Better than a few songs I've heard already.

Out of curiosity, how do you feel about Jump? It reminds me of that song. Nothing more than the mandatory incredibly radio friendly song, and that is something I can definitely do without.

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Turn_It_Up FRONTMAN

Turn_It_Up

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Fuck. I don't want to download the album but this is getting very tempting.

Don't do it. We've waited 25 yrs for this, we can make it to Tuesday!!!! :lol:

I'm waiting...for sure.

I didn't last. I couldn't take it anymore. :(

Damn, that didn't take long. :D Zint, le'ts hold tough, it's taking all my willpower, but I'll make it. My only bit of cheating is I'm listening non-stop to the full tracks on Youtube for China Town, Stay Frosty and She's the Woman since I'd been listening to those preview clips so much. But ain't gonna listen to any other full tracks or even previews.

The acclaim for the album is amazing, I've yet to hear anyone say it's not great and doesn't exceed even the highest expectations.

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VAN HALEN's A Different Kind Of Truth - The BraveWords.com Review

Rock Hard

Posted on Friday, February 03, 2012 at 10:05:45 EST

It seems like a lifetime we've been waiting for this. And the day is nearly here. A new VAN HALEN album with David Lee Roth. An echo that can be heard around the world it holds that much weight. It's called A Different Kind Of Truth and the BraveWords.com review by "Metal" Tim Henderson can be found below.

I tell ya, gimme the good ol' days when you heard the single and went to buy the complete album a few days/weeks later. VAN HALEN has been teasing us to no end with all these snippets, taking away the surprise. You'd think an artist would want us to relish in their art from start to finish without interruption. But alas it's the digital era and without question what we hold here is a thrilling surprise. I can still remember to this day when 1984 was released. All the hoopla around the rebellious kid with the smoke, the racy 'Hot For Teacher' video and of course the first single that led off with keyboards! Man, the VH-lads had balls bigger than the state of California. But it worked. And then the Diamond Dave magic was gone. Yup, a tragic loss - kinda like your father vacating for a hooker. Sure, Sammy picked up the ball, but didn't score as many touchdowns as Roth and Co. Then there was smoke in the distance and we all thought the fires were re-lit when The Best Of Van Halen, Vol. I was released with two brand-spankin' new Roth tunes ('Can't Get This Stuff No More' and 'Me Wise Magic'). But someone pissed on the fire. 16 years later here we are again, David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen far from coming to blows, but brothers in arms.

First off, A Different Kind Of Truth almost feels like you've been transported back into the flair of the '80s, actually earlier as Roth revealed to the Los Angeles times that some of the material on the album dates back to ideas from the late '70s! Only Van Halen could get away with such an asinine plot. And immediately you begin to reminisce about all those unstoppable tunes from a band that had the world in the palm of their hands, all culminating in a frenzy on stage. Could all this be happening again?

There was a little hesitation with 'Tattoo', a bizarre choice for first single, but it's sultry, sassy attitude grows like a sunburn in that Pasadena heat. The chorus busts open and man, that outro sizzles and you wish Eddie would take us down that never-ending blues path. And you want to hear more. And not just little pieces of the pie. Gimme the whole thing god-dammit! Well, the pie is now in front of us. Grab two forks and let's rock!

'She's The Woman' could've easily been nestled into the grooves of Fair Warning (it actually dates back to a demo tape the group made in 1976), drummer Alex and nephew/bassist Wolfgang Van Halen's pumping backbeat pushes the tune along a hardened path until Eddie adds his magic with a varied solo most axemen would never dream touching.

'You And Your Blues' kicks off with a catchy riff and a pulsating yet poppy Roth vocal line, complete with those patented background volleys from the lads. You get the feeling that age hasn't affected the team.

Eddie's jaw-dropping noodling leads off 'China Town' until Alex presses the gas and you feel the need to strap yourself into your seat for fear of body parts being left behind. A tune full of piss n' vinegar, a street fight set into motion. Kinda like 'Hang 'Em High' meets 'Mean Street'. And if you haven't already, you now have the urge to crank this fucker even louder. And you know the boys planned the sequence this way.

'Blood And Fire' emerges a little more palatable in terms of melody, but shockingly has an edge. Yes, this album is that heavy-handed. And you gotta crack a smile at Roth when he quips, 'I told ya I was common' back.' Damn right, Diamond Dave is back and the chorus rings true as the band truly has survived blood and fire.

Eddie's hands are bleeding with 'Bullethead', a shorter ditty that includes the album title A Different Kind Of Truth as a send-off.

'As Is' sees Alex in a John Bonham tribute until a 'Hot For Teacher'-feel kicks-in as the band laps it up. The humour ain't lost and Eddie's leads leave you awe-struck as Van Halen steamrolls ahead.

'Honeybabysweetiedoll' is reminiscent of latter-era Roth, the poet oozing with more bedroom antics and an oddly positioned dog barking as the tune closes. Condom and collar not included!

'The Trouble With Never' is another feel-good sing-along which pulsates along, this Van Halen house-party going to the wee hours of the morning as Roth asks 'when you turn on the stereo does it return the favour?' Mid-way through, the blond-maned ring-leader poetically seduces the listener while Eddie wails in the background, Roth whispering in his deep tones: 'You wanna play … the game? You can't quit when you play. Mistakes make people, isn't that what people say? Let's starting playing the moment and dance the night away.' Ohhh, the shivers!

'Outta Space' continues the head-bobbing affair, more old school meets new school. No matter, every rock band on the planet will get schooled with the antics of this creation. The modus-operandi gets clearer.

Of course the 'Ice Cream Man' comparisons resonate through 'Stay Frosty', but this is the Roth we all fell in love with in 1978 and the band we treasure. A little difficult to soak in when it's frosty in the north and the tune screams top-down, 'got a drink in my hand, I got my toes in the sand' vibe!

'Big River' fits the mold like a glove, yet with less Roth and more instrumentation, you soak in the interplay between the three Van Halens at work and easily imagine the jam room as a raucous family affair.

Last song is 'Beats Workin'', over five minutes of punishing theatrics and rather prophetic given the band's stature in the hard rock arena. And while the

power play is between Dave and Eddie, all four pieces of this puzzle react and interact.

Van Halen have made the rules, but don't necessarily live by them! And that's why A Different Kind Of Truth is a safari of massive proportion, all beasts revealing their teeth.

But you can't help to begin self-reflecting why? Why did this match made in heaven/hell implode after the landmark 1984? What happened with the family that saw Roth take one path and the Eddie, Alex, Michael take the Hagar train? I guess what I'm saying is why the hell did this take so long to come to fruition. Timing. In the state of rock n' roll you will never figure out timing. You just need to roll with it and when the planets align - when the feeling is there - you hit the record button and let loose. And Van Halen in 2012 have … and that's the beauty of rock n' roll we all get to revel in.

BraveWords.com score: 9.5/10

http://www.bravewords.com/news/177292

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REVIEW: Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth

Published February 3, 2012 | By Peter Hodgson

Fourteen years since their last full album of original material and 28 since their last album with David Lee Roth, Van Halen finally, triumphantly returns with A Different Kind Of Truth. Sure, Michael Anthony is no longer there, sure Dave’s voice sounds a little more weathered than it did during his original run, and EVH’s guitar tone is fizzier and more distorted than it ever was in the early 80s, but hey, you can’t have everything exactly as it was three decades ago.

“Tattoo” is a weird opener. Personally I like the song a lot, but it feels out of place amongst the rest of the album. It’s a little restrained, a bit flatter in tone than the bulk of the album, which cracks along with rocker after rocker. Much of the material is culled from very early songs, such as “She’s The Woman” (which includes a different middle section to the original demo, since the 70s middle was used in “Mean Streets”). You could see this as a kind of a musical safety net, but it’s also a pretty intriguing way to create a dialog between VH past and present, and, frankly, it works. This doesn’t sound like Van Halen 2012 playing songs from 1977. It sounds like a band who has that era as part of their DNA, but who are playing music for today, for now. Just like they did back then, for then.

“You And Your Blues” almost feels like a track from Roth’s A Little Ain’t Enough album, while “China Town” resurrects part of the classic “Hot For Teacher” feel, and it packs a solo that instantly and forever puts every guitarist in the world in their place. Eddie plays like he has nothing to prove, nothing to lose, and everything to say.

“Blood And Fire” has a bit of a 5150-meets-Diver Down kind of vibe, one of the few lighter, non-scorching-rocker tracks on the album. Michael Anthony’s backing vocals are missed a little bit on this one, but Edward and Wolfgang Van Halen still put in a very VH-esque performance. “Bullethead” kicks off with a bizarre effected intro and a similar vibe to “One Foot Out The Door” from Women And Children First minus the synths. It’s followed by “As Is,” which has a monster reverberating drum sound and some stunningly heavy slow guitar riffage before the tempo picks up to another skittery VH stomper. “Honeybabysweetiedoll” has a bit of an “Out Of Love Again” vibe, and for a moment you start to feel like the band is purposefully recalling classic moments of their past to provide the audience with a level of comfort. Then you hear “The Trouble With Never,” with its funky climbing and falling wah wah riff, and you get a glimpse of a Van Halen you haven’t quite heard before, at least not like this. Then “Outta Space” brings back a bit of the “On Fire” vibe (it’s actually based on song called “Let’s Get Rockin’” on a ’77 demo for Warner); “Stay Frosty” works as a fitting sequel to “Ice Cream Man,” and “Big River”… well… it’s hard to put this one in context with an old-school VH track because it again feels more like Van Halen now rather than Van Halen then. It has one of those classic “It sounds like he’s juggling” Alex Van Halen drum grooves, and plenty of classic Eddie licks – the ascending tremolo picking, the two handed tapping, the pinch harmonics – it’s all here. The album finally closes with “Beats Workin’,” which probably would have worked equally well as the first track. Dave wails, EVH stomps on the flanger pedal, and the closing feedback wail-out recalls the beginning of “Mean Streets” in a way that makes you want to instantly put that album on and marvel at how the hell three guys approaching 60 and a 21 year old can release an album that can stand so confidently with the work of a band in their feverish, hormonally-driven prime of the early 80s.

If there’s a criticism to be levelled against A Different Kind Of Truth, it’s that there isn’t a huge amount of variety compared to, say, Women And Children First or 1984. Where those albums had peaks and valleys, light and shade, A Different Kind Of Truth’s rises and falls aren’t as extreme. Most songs (with a few momentary exceptions) are hard and heavy rockers. But if the worst thing you can say about an album is “Gee, there sure are a lot of awesome hard-rocking songs with killer guitar work,” then so be it.

http://iheartguitarblog.com/2012/02/review-van-halen-a-different-kind-of-truth.html

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Review: Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth

February 3, 2012 at 9:47 am | Posted by Jon in Reviews

One of the reasons I learned how to play guitar is because as a 12 year old I was given a VHS of Van Halen “Live Without A Net”, which is still a brilliant lesson in how to play guitar and stage presence and worth checking out even if you don’t like Sammy Hagar as Van Halen’s singer. I was immediately inspired and realised that I wanted to be Eddie Van Halen (hasn’t happened yet but there’s still time…), next came “OU812″ which was erm, well it just was and then I was given “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” as payment for work experience in a record shop which I thought was great. As I got older though I realised there was more to Van Halen than the Hagar era and started exploring the earlier albums which now, 24 years on, have become some of my all time favourite albums.

When the rumours about a new Van Halen album emerged it was obviously met with a fair amount of scepticism, I honestly never thought it would happen. Then there was the smack talking of Sammy Hagar (surprise surprise) who is complaining that Van Halen have picked songs from the archives rather than writing new material, yes imagine that Van Halen have gone back to old demos back when they were the greatest band on the planet! I’m not sure which songs exactly are old and which are new (I don’t own the Gene Simmons recorded demos) but even if they are all old I honestly don’t care. What Van Halen have managed to do on “A Different Kind Of Truth” is recapture some of that energy and spirit that was displayed on those early albums except with a huge modern day production sound. The guitars still have that old Eddie cranked Marshall sound, his solos still sound as fresh as the guy who wowed fans with his crazy striped guitars and 2 handed fretboard wizardry back in the smokey clubs of L.A., and David Lee Roth can still hit all the right notes.

The one thing that worried me at first was that Michael Anthony has been replaced by Eddie’s son Wolfgang, Michael’s backing vocals were a key part of the old Van Halen sound but to be honest it really doesn’t bother me at all. If this is Wolfgang playing the bass parts and not Eddie (as he quite often used to) then Wolfie is an awesome bass player! I know he is still young and a bit awkward on stage but let’s face it, it’s hard not to be overshadowed by such extrovert performers as Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth.

So you have all probably heard “Tattoo” by now and the reaction seems to be split 50/50 between the lovers and haters. Let me just say it’s probably the worst track on the album, in fact to me it sounds like a David Lee Roth solo track reject which has been slapped on a Van Halen record but saying that it has grown on me. Moving on though there are a lot of great tracks from the definitely re-worked “She’s The Woman” that has the “Romeo’s Delight” kind of feel to it and “You and Your Blues” which has more of a “5150” kind of sound, maybe it was a song Eddie wrote in the Sammy era? who knows but I like it. Much as I love the first few Van Halen records, I like to hear a few layered guitars with overdubs like on this album rather than the totally single guitar live sound of “Van Halen I“, although they have managed to keep it quite live sounding in saying that. “China Town” has the tempo and power of “I’m The One” with it’s pulsating bass line and screaming rhythm guitars and the guitar solo? Wow, anyone who says Eddie has lost any of his ability needs to listen to this track first. There are actually quite a few tracks with this same level of energy, power and driving tempo such as “Bullethead” and “As Is” and “Outta Space” all of which are brilliant.

Another favourite track for me is “Big River” this sounds straight off “Van Halen I” with its’ stomping quarter note bass line reminiscent of “Runnin’ With The Devil“. Also “Stay Frosty” which is a modern day “Ice Cream Man” following a very similar song structure except with HUGE guitars in comparison. OK so I’ve talked about almost every track even though I didn’t mean to do a track by track rundown I just got carried away, so I should mention the menacing “Honeybabysweetiedoll” which has the darkest riffage on the album and a bit of Whammy pedal going on too, this is a very dramatic sounding track in the verses helped along by a dose of octave effect for extra bottom end. Also the closing song “Beat’s Workin’” has a great groove too and the old MXR Phaser and Wah get an outing for good measure. The only tracks left to mention are “Blood and Fire” which is again a bit “5150” and not one of my favourites on initial listen and “The Trouble With Never” which is ok but I didn’t like the chorus.

So to anyone with doubts about this album if you are a Van Halen fan then you are going to really enjoy it, forget the strange anonmaly that is “Tattoo” this is an exciting and energy packed album containing stunning performances from Eddie and Alex Van Halen (especially considering the lives these guys have led!), great singing by Dave Lee Roth and if it is indeed Wolfgang playing on the album and I have no reason to think otherwise then what a brilliant way to stamp his mark on music history.

http://www.guitarnoize.com/review-van-halen-a-different-kind-of-truth/

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Van Halen's "A Different Kind of Truth'

Originally published: February 3, 2012 2:12 PM

Updated: February 3, 2012 2:16 PM

By GLENN GAMBOA glenn.gamboa@newsday.com

Eddie Van Halen is a guitar virtuoso. David Lee Roth is a master showman. On "A Different Kind of Truth" (Interscope), the first Van Halen album featuring both of them since "1984" 28 years ago, the duo -- along with Van Halen's son, Wolfgang, on bass, and brother, Alex, on drums -- is in fine form.

From start to finish, Eddie Van Halen fires off one memorable solo after another, putting to rest any worries about how he would fare after his stint in rehab in 2007. When Roth's lyrics struggle, as they do in the single "Tattoo," Van Halen's guitarwork keeps the whole thing from sinking. When Roth is at his best, as he is in the raucous, hardcore-punk-meets-"Panama" hard-charger "As Is" and the heavy-metal ode to his adopted home of New York "China Town," he and Van Halen push each other to dizzying heights, resulting in pure magic.

There's plenty of rock radio staples here as well, from the raging "She's the Woman" and "Big River" to the anthem-like "Blood and Fire." Some of these songs may be reworkings of Van Halen material that's been kicking around since the '70s, but they work so well today, what does it matter? "A Different Kind of Truth" marks the legendary band's welcome return.

GRADE B

BOTTOM LINE

A grand, if uneven, reunion of rock heroes

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/van-halen-s-a-different-kind-of-truth-1.3502395

Edited by Turn_It_Up
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Zeppelin OH MY GOD

Zeppelin

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Posted

Fuck. I don't want to download the album but this is getting very tempting.

Don't do it. We've waited 25 yrs for this, we can make it to Tuesday!!!! :lol:

I'm waiting...for sure.

I didn't last. I couldn't take it anymore. :(

I'm still waiting. It's killing me, though.

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