Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth - Tour 2LP

[controlthebleeding]

When i heard this album and how they went back and redid old songs, i wanted that feeling of being a kid again. that kid that would buy the new single on 45' and listen to it on my Welcome Back Kotter record player. I didn't get that feeling. While i don't find the album bad, it's pretty lackluster. These guys have been around so long and changed so much and incorporating new styles with old is what made it, for better words, "Meh". Even rewriting old songs couldn't save them. There are things missing that made Van Halen what they were, whether it be the various dave shrieks to Michael Anthony's harmonies they so try to mimic but fail. They've lost that shine. that rawness. I seriously doubt they'll ever get it back. in the famous words of Nick Swardson from Grandmas Boy:

Shits Weak!!!

[youspinmeround]

When i heard this album and how they went back and redid old songs, i wanted that feeling of being a kid again. that kid that would buy the new single on 45' and listen to it on my Welcome Back Kotter record player. I didn't get that feeling. While i don't find the album bad, it's pretty lackluster. These guys have been around so long and changed so much and incorporating new styles with old is what made it, for better words, "Meh". Even rewriting old songs couldn't save them. There are things missing that made Van Halen what they were, whether it be the various dave shrieks to Michael Anthony's harmonies they so try to mimic but fail. They've lost that shine. that rawness. I seriously doubt they'll ever get it back. in the famous words of Nick Swardson from Grandmas Boy:

Shits Weak!!!

Its Van Halen in 2012. what did you expect, 1984 all over again.

It is good for a VH in 2012

[seanicus]

When i heard this album and how they went back and redid old songs, i wanted that feeling of being a kid again. that kid that would buy the new single on 45' and listen to it on my Welcome Back Kotter record player. I didn't get that feeling. While i don't find the album bad, it's pretty lackluster. These guys have been around so long and changed so much and incorporating new styles with old is what made it, for better words, "Meh". Even rewriting old songs couldn't save them. There are things missing that made Van Halen what they were, whether it be the various dave shrieks to Michael Anthony's harmonies they so try to mimic but fail. They've lost that shine. that rawness. I seriously doubt they'll ever get it back. in the famous words of Nick Swardson from Grandmas Boy:

Shits Weak!!!

I'm not going to say that I wouldn't prefer that Anthony be back in the band, but, without Wolfie on bass, this wouldn't even exist. These songs are pretty fucking fantastic. Currently my favorite album released this year. Dave's lyrics have never been this good, sans "Tattoo." We can all agree that one is a doozie. Eddie is still shredding. Alex is playing as good as ever. It's okay that Dave's shrieks aren't perfect. The dude is in his 50s. He doesn't have the voice of a 20 year old and to expect him to is ridiculous. It doesn't matter that Eddie reworked all rehearsal tapes to craft this material. These songs are good. Really good. "Outta Space" and "Stay Frosty" are as good as any songs they've ever written. This album is leaps and bounds better than every album they did with Hagar, including 5150. No synth. No ballads. Fuck that noise. Just Van Halen being Van Halen. This sounds like a proper predecessor to Women and Children First, which happens to be my favorite VH record. While this album wasn't recorded in a single take like WACF, it still retains a rawness that it should have. So, the "Shit's Weak" comment is entirely wrong. Expecting this album to spark something from your childhood is even more ridiculous. Going into any album with that mindset is a guarantee that it will not live up to expectations.

[controlthebleeding]

Its Van Halen in 2012. what did you expect, 1984 all over again.

It is good for a VH in 2012

thats my point. it's 2012 van halen, which by their standards i guess it's great when you compare it to what they've been doing, but by no means good as a whole album. and i'm not saying it's bad. just kinda forgettable. it just lacks the tenacity the first few albums had. to say it's 2012 van halen is giving them a pass because they are van halen. i'm a bit more critical and while i'm aware that bands change, i still feel they've lost that edge and become complacent. maybe trying to redo some old throw away or demo songs was their idea of maybe going back to the old school vibe and with eddie's synthetic digitally compressed sound it just doesn't do it for me. even with dave back in it just didn't do it for me.

the "Shit's Weak" was just for humor sake. I really didn't mean it was that bad a album. but i love that quote so i used it.

I'm not going to say that I wouldn't prefer that Anthony be back in the band, but, without Wolfie on bass, this wouldn't even exist. These songs are pretty fucking fantastic. Currently my favorite album released this year. Dave's lyrics have never been this good, sans "Tattoo." We can all agree that one is a doozie. Eddie is still shredding. Alex is playing as good as ever. It's okay that Dave's shrieks aren't perfect. The dude is in his 50s. He doesn't have the voice of a 20 year old and to expect him to is ridiculous. It doesn't matter that Eddie reworked all rehearsal tapes to craft this material. These songs are good. Really good. "Outta Space" and "Stay Frosty" are as good as any songs they've ever written. This album is leaps and bounds better than every album they did with Hagar, including 5150. No synth. No ballads. Fuck that noise. Just Van Halen being Van Halen. This sounds like a proper predecessor to Women and Children First, which happens to be my favorite VH record. While this album wasn't recorded in a single take like WACF, it still retains a rawness that it should have. So, the "Shit's Weak" comment is entirely wrong. Expecting this album to spark something from your childhood is even more ridiculous. Going into any album with that mindset is a guarantee that it will not live up to expectations.

Without wolfgang on bass, it could have existed. they could have easily just got a bass player that could sing. Anthony wasn't known for his bass abilities as a virtuoso.i'm not speaking of technical precision on bass. because WG played well, but anthony's harmonies were a big part of their sound.

Eddie is still shredding. yeah, big deal. that doesn't really impress me in the least. this isn't the 80's where you have to prove you can play fast. we know what he's capable of, he's just too repetitive.

Why can't i expect him to be like he was in his 20's? Jeoff Tate, Ronnie James Dio, Clause Maine, among a ton of other singers who are just as old or even older than DLR were/are still singing with some fervor. Mind you, i know dave's limitations, but a squelch here and there isn't asking for much. he just kinda plays it safe throughout the album.

As far as the album as a whole. it sounds like what it is. .a mash up of old and new. but just kinda sterile. i blame it on the sobriety or the fact that he EVH doesn't have to prove anything. which in truth, he doesn't, but that's why it's the way it is. just kinda there. But yes, it's far superior compared to the latest works.

Also, it's an OPINION on a band i've been listening to since the 70's. I've had decades to evaluate them and their music. to say i'm wrong is what's ridiculous. It's all subjective and i have my opinion as you have yours. i'm not some 20 year old kid who is making asinine comments like "they suck", "this sucks" with no previous knowledge of said band.

And i'm very open to music. i can deal with a bands sound changing and evolving, but this is not something i liked anyway. i wasn't expecting much. it's better than i expected. but i didn't have high expectations in the first place nor anything to base it on expect, hey, dave's back. i'll give it a listen. that's pretty much it.

also, nice bit with the "fuck that noise". i use that term all the time.

[seanicus]

When I said, without Wolfie, this wouldn't exist, I meant that literally. Eddie wouldn't be doing this without his kid. I completely agree about Michael Anthony's back up vocals. His harmonies were gold. The fact that the band has been removing him from album credits/art really bugs me.

I'm kinda glad "Tattoo" was released first. It kept my expectations low, which in turn made me appreciate this album so much more.

[taylo234]

haha

[controlthebleeding]

When I said, without Wolfie, this wouldn't exist, I meant that literally. Eddie wouldn't be doing this without his kid. I completely agree about Michael Anthony's back up vocals. His harmonies were gold. The fact that the band has been removing him from album credits/art really bugs me.

yeah, that makes sense. but the way they totally dismissed michael anthony was in very poor taste.

and yes, Michael Anthony's name being removed like he never existed is some straight up bullshit. Totally forgot about that. EVH saying he isnt the "bad guy" by saying MA quit was just kinda sneaky. But blood is thicker than water i guess.

[hipsterasfolk]

Got to remember that a tee shirt for this kind of tour is like $30.

So records would probably be $55-60.

[afireinside7444]

yeah, that makes sense. but the way they totally dismissed michael anthony was in very poor taste.

and yes, Michael Anthony's name being removed like he never existed is some straight up bullshit. Totally forgot about that. EVH saying he isnt the "bad guy" by saying MA quit was just kinda sneaky. But blood is thicker than water i guess.

Nothing to do with blood. all to do with cash thicker then all. Keep the cash in the family. Keep MA from any rights/cash from previous royalitys