VAN HALEN — Van Halen (review)

Album · 1978 · Hard Rock

5/5 · 2020-10-10
Unitron

In the world of guitar virtuoso's, several can obviously play with great technical skill, but few were able to master songwriting. This took away from their ability to appeal to more than just guitar nerds. I went through a brief phase of delving into that scene, but apart from the first couple Satriani and Malmsteen albums, it just doesn't hold up to a guy like me who just wants to enjoy some great music. The way to truly become one of the greatest guitarists of all time to the ears of many music lovers, is to not only master your craft in a technical sense, but also master songwriting and be a true team player in a band where each member has equal importance and never outshines another.

This is what made the original lineup of Van Halen such legends and Eddie Van Halen one of rock and metal's most celebrated guitarists. The band had pure chemistry, with each member being a master in their field. David Lee Roth sings with so much exuberance and charisma that few other frontmen have been able to match. Eddie Van Halen plays fantastic melodies, hooks, and solos that always fit into the song. Michael Anthony's bass thumps, pops, and stands out in a way that is usually only reserved for funk bassists, and Alex Van Halen's drumming is rambunctious, driving, and along with the bass makes for an incredibly energetic rhythm section.

Van Halen's debut set the blueprint for future Van Halen albums, with the band taking their songwriting even into the organization of tracks making it all fit together perfectly. The guitar solo track Eruption could easily just come across as showing off with any other band, but it sounds great between the two classics that bookend it. Ice Cream Man, while good, wouldn't make a good ending. That's why On Fire follows as a fittingly fiery encore with some fantastic frantic and anxious sounding melodies.

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love's opening melody is one of the most iconic in rock and metal, and never gets old no matter how many times you hear it. I'm the One's Doo-Wop bridge screams with personality and what other band could make it blend perfectly with roaring heavy metal? The moody Little Dreamer with its heavy bass kind of reminds me of Budgie. Even with all these highlights, Atomic Punk's always been my personal favorite. There's just so much attitude with one of the band's most commanding performances.

Van Halen's debut is simply a legend, and while I think Women and Children First and Fair Warning are my personal favorite albums from them, this isn't far behind at all. It's an iconic album that, along with the following few albums, shows how important band chemistry is to creating an awesome winning sound. The band may be called Van Halen, but each member is an absolute star here.

more than 2 years ago
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Tupan wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Listening to it right now, great album indeed. And I agree with your review, the guitar virtuoso doesn't need only to be the fast and technical, but it's essential to master the songwriting!

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thanks, I love this album more and more with every listen, but Women and Children First was the first VH album I really got into and Fair Warning saw them go in a heavier, darker, and funkier direction that I wish they kept going in. All three are great classics though, and Van Halen II has grown on me over the years too.