Reviews (page 10 of 15)
Eh, very 1980’s
It's just hard for me to muster the slightest respect for hair bands. Technically this is good, but I just get no joy out of it.
Good sound that I rocked out to, and a good encapsulation of "hair metal." However, the problem with this album is that it doesn't really "fit" as an album or feel like "one thing", especially towards the end. But I did enjoy it.
Never really liked these guys. Eddie could play guitar, but he was a mess as a person
Fine, dad rock
Not bad. A little cheesy, but not as cheesy as I feared. 80s production not helping. Some nice playing. Some over playing. Ultimately, too much American pizzazz for my subtle English tastes.
Zasadniczo to całkiem fajne. Trzy wyróżniające się utwory. Dobre gitarki i śpiew. 4/5
Classic Rock with amazing synth sound. Cool!!
The nipples are like liquorice all sorts ??
It wasn’t 1984 lolz
Nom nom nom
Surprisingly good
This brought back some memories. I had listened to this in some time and the songs that hit still hit the same way.
I feel inspired to open my own karate dojo
80s hard rock isn't usually my thing but I grew up in a very pro-Van Halen household so by familiarity itself, I appreciate the band. The synths on this album are equally amazing and cheesy and I find myself wanting to roll my eyes and dance at the same time to Jump (I mean, who wouldn't?). Favorite song(s): Jump (duh); I'll Wait Least favorite: Hot For Teacher Knew before? sorta
Oh yes
It’s a great album with some great songs, especially Jump and Panama (SORTED) IYKYK
Classic high school rocker wax. The B-side is patchy but if Van Halen ever produced anything like a masterpiece, this is it. It's all downhill from here.
A slight surprise to discover songs other than Jump. Good Eighties rock.
4.5/5 I love the beautiful, atmospheric synth intro before Jump begins. Then the synths themselves slap hard and the pre-chorus is a thing of beauty. The instrumental break is fantastic and it has a such a fun, optimistic vibe. Panama's intro is so great, and the song holds together well, helped mainly by the breakdown, though the pre-chorus is weak. Top Jimmy has an infectious repeated motif, which has such an engaging quality, even if the rest of the song is fairly basic. Drop Dead Legs is a straight banger, simple as. Then Hot for Teacher, with its iconic messy intro leading into a La Grange-eque tune, doesn't really slap that hard for me. The synths come back for I'll Wait, and with a bang. The unrelenting synth pulse is awesome. It sounds like Jump's cooler, edgier, older cousin. Girl Gone Bad has such a massive opening, but the vocals aren't great, and the song doesn't develop very well at all until the spoken word section amongst the heavy guitar, when it sounds nice. House of Pain has an amazing hard rock riff, and is a great finish to the album, and of course a complete departure from the light synth start of 1984/Jump. Overall, I love this album, despite a few inconsistencies. Jump 5/5 Panama 4.5/5 Top Jimmy 5/5 Drop Dead Legs 5/5 Hot for Teacher 3/5 I'll Wait 5/5 (FAV) Girl Gone Bad 3/5 (LEAST FAV) House of Pain 5/5
It terms or rock / metal Van Halen were before my time but I always like Eddie and his innovation on guitar. Classic album enough said. Stand out tracks: - Jump - Panama - Top Jimmy - Drop dead legs - Hot for teacher - Girl gone bad
Van Halen is one of those bands that don't need much of an introduction, as they were one of the biggest hard rock and heavy metal acts from the late 70s into the 80s. They had an impressive run of albums in their first stint with frontman David Lee Roth, with 1984 being the one where tensions were highest. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen wanted to incorporate more keyboards into their sound. In contrast, David and their producer Ted Templeman wanted the band to stick with their formula. Not helping matters was that the band's label had them pump out another quick album in Diver Down with a subsequent tour to boot, exhausting members. Out of all that turmoil, 1984 came out and it was surprisingly good. I can't think of a bad song off this album, as it was banger after banger in terms of the cheeky 80s hard rock they came to be known for. The synthesizers were a welcome touch on "Jump" and "I'll Wait", Alex Van Halen's drum solo opening "Hot for Teacher" is wildly impressive, and the rest of the album is filled to the brim with guitar-driven kick-ass cuts like "Top Jimmy", "Panama" and "House of Pain". Sure, there is the intro title track that noodles around with the synths, but it's only for a minute and doesn't take long before you're "Jump"-ing right into the album proper. I know Van Halen would continue onward with another singer after this, but if 1984 was a swansong album for the first David Lee Roth era then boy what a closer. Check it out!
Very good songs. Some iconic hits, and others that are great but don't reach that level for me.
This record feels like a mix of classic rock with a synth twist. It's got that energetic vibe, but the keyboards bring in something different. There’s a pop-rock feel that’s a little like early Billy Idol, but with more guitar swagger. Some tracks hit hard, while others seem to float by. The vocals are solid, but the guitar work stands out the most. It’s fun, but not always memorable.
Sound album tbf. Forgot how much of a tune Jump is Would recommend to a friend
masterclass of 80s rock n roll
Not typically what I'd listen to, but completely a product of its time and embodies so much of the 80s. Eddie Van Halen is undeniably a one-of-a-kind guitarist. Some filler, but the album was short, which helps.
I very much enjoyed this album! love David Lee Roth
Не слушал
Good
What a banger when it came out. If we had the ability then to play videos on demand, Hot for Teacher would've melted our set. VH and MTV rocked!
Fun album, but carried too much by just a few songs.
Very solid, wish I grew up when this was cool
One good song, the rest is serviceable at best. Low 3.
nice and short. I wasn't really in the mood for this but still good.
7/10 - It was pretty good. I liked the songs I knew and some of the other songs were decent. Although I was not a huge fan of Ill Wait
Wow! This rocks!
1984 - Spaceshippy; instrumental; not much to say - I guess it works as a decent opener? -3/5 mostly for its inoffensiveness Jump -Familiar refrain; very 80s synthy -Again, a distinctly 80s guitar solo -I'm convinced I've heard this before in a movie or a commercial, but the closest I can think is that it might've been in the 2016 Sing trailer? Because I haven't watched Ready Player One or Glee, and Wikipedia says that, a McDonald's commercial, and Herbie: Fully Loaded are the only places its been featured. -3/5 just for the feeling that I know this, even though probably don't Panama -I'm getting the vibe that this is gonna be a distinctly 80s dad rock album, but not one that I personally will like. -Sprechgesang, mostly, which I like to think I'm not really a fan of (seems to be popularized especially now these days in pop) but I do like some Nick Cave songs, so I don't know -Yeah, I'm not really a fan of this. Just realized I've not been listening to lyrics as much as the guitar line. Says a lot about the fact that I prefer melody. Also, apparently this is about a car? Panama Express? According to Wikipedia -"The Toronto Maple Leafs began to use the song when scoring at home against Original Six teams in the 2023–24 season" SICKENING. -Apparently the US played this when trying to psychologically torture Noriega into coming out. Well. I think it would've worked on me -1/5. Would've been a 2/5 if not for the Leafs part Top Jimmy -I do have to kind of appreciate the sparkly synthy bits of the guitar, which kind of makes me think this must've inspired whoever inspired who inspired etc etc. Radiohead for bits of Let Down -Dad rock guitar solo -Hate the overaffected feminine moaning of "Oh Jimmy" at the end. Knocks this down to a 1/5 probably will not listen to again Drop Dead Legs -I don't hate this much as much as I've disliked the previous couple of songs. Just read about Van Halen and the "brown sound" Described at roland.com as "Van Halen’s guitar tone had distortion. A lot of distortion. Distorted guitar tones were of course par for the course in the 1970’s, but this was something else entirely. The sheer amount of overdrive gain was immense. Also, rather than the sometimes “raggedy” or “harsh” tone that often comes out of heavily overdriven tube amps, this sound was somehow liquid, organic and warm," I don't know much about guitars or the sounds that they should produce, but it does have a sort of liquidy smooth sonic quality. Well I don't hate it. The outro is probably the best part of this -I might include it on a playlist, but I'm not sure I'd listen to it by itself. 3.5/5 Hot For Teacher -Well. I've made jokes about this one, so let's see where/how it goes. I'll Wait -Synthy opening, menacing bassline. Wikipedia says that the Doobie Brothers' Michael McDonald involved. Okay. I think I might be inclined to feel a little less sus of him because Genevieve Oliver put him on a playlist -Sonically, I think it's nothing really intriguing, but the textures of the synths and the distortion and the amps are kind of interesting. Especially when you get that warm brown sound coming back in. -Probably shouldn't have read the part where this is apparently addressed to a rl underwear model who the band didn't know. Feels a little. Not great. -If I wrote Supernatural fanfiction, I'd probably make Dean Winchester like this album. Seems like what he'd like -3/5. Might put it on a playlist one day if it fit. Wouldn't listen to it voluntarily Girl Gone Bad -Moved to car backseat; wasn’t really paying attention. Um it’s just kind of inoffensive and noisy I guess. Didn’t hold my attention so best I can give it is a 2/5 House of Pain -Again, noisy. Last half is just instrumental. It seems a little too hair metal for me. I should probably research why this band connects with people and what the impact of this album is, because it doesn’t do much for me -Also I find the “na na’s” during the instrumental kinda trite 2/5 1.5/2 stars for me overall
Catchy, interesting tunes. Burning solos. Sometimes silly. Excellent fun.
Jump, Panama
I cannot hate this album, no matter how many times I hear Jump. For a guy as proficient at guitar as Eddie Van Halen to push such a synthesiser-forward album is impressive. Innumerable catchy hooks and riffs make almost every song on this album hard to skip. Panama, Hot for Teacher, and Drop Dead Legs are standouts for me. Top Jimmy is such an insane performance from Eddie and Alex. Girl Gone Bad is another crazy instrumental, I always am having a great time listening to it. House of Pain is the only song on this album that I think is subpar, just a bit naff. In saying all of this, David Lee Roth across the whole album has such a cunty voice, it makes me uncomfortable. I do not need him to explain letting off the handbrake in such a sultry voice. Or all of his orgasm adlibs. I do not know exactly what it is, the timbre, the tone, the delivery? Fucking freak. Album rocks though.
Итс окэй. Лучше, чем я ожидал. Это все равно чуть слишком, по-моему, по всем АОР/хард рок 80ых фронтам, и вот это техничное дрочилово - это вот вишенка на торте. Лучшая песня - I’ll Wait.
Classic
VH at their finest, which isn’t really that great. Most overhyped band in history? I’ll give them a 4 just because if you put Eddie in any other band, they might be better.
Classic stuff, weirdly depressing in a stupid naive ‘84 world view way.
Dad rock: 80s synth edition. Actually, the synth-heavy tracks like 'Jump', '1984' and 'I'll wait' were some of the more interesting ones. The rest of it was the same rinse, repeat we got from other hair metal bands from that decade—not necessarily bad, but unoriginal and boring, in my opinion. 3.5 stars (+0.5 stars for Jump, it's still great to this day)
Pretty fun time. Goes against their debut pretty well
This is one heck of a rocking album. It’s just too bad that David Lee Roth left the band after this album. He was so much fun and gave this band an edge. It might be because he kept everyone else on edge and had one hell of an ego…but it helped the band and made them more interesting. Great album!!
It's good not great rock. I enjoyed it but it was a chiller version of some of the anthems and well known albums.
It's the Van Halen album that first blew up for them, and showcases their instrumental prowess as a band, the best of Diamond Dave's shtick, and the most fun songwriting. This album was everywhere throughout the 1980s, and Jump, Panama and Hot for Teacher have lived on as staples of classic rock radio. On listening today, I was most surprised by how synthesizer-forward so many of the songs were. And House of Pain sounded much heavier than the other songs; not as good a vehicle for David Lee Roth’s vocal style. 4+⭐️
Cheesy 80- tals "hair metal". Låter jätte eighties och har allmänt inte förändrats särskilt bra.
One of the routine things that is slowly becoming my favourite thing to do with these 1001 albums is diving into a bands discography to see where the album fits amongst the rest of their work. Sometimes I'm surprised to see there was a record before or after, sometimes like in the case of the BeeGees, I'm surprised to find they existed as almost an entirely different band for many albums before their most famous work. I also find it really interesting when a band has their most recognizable work, like in the case of 1984, flanked by albums I either didn't know existed, or aren't very recognizable. Anyway, this album is good. The singles by now are stale, but I enjoyed the cuts I wasn't familiar with. Back to the discography dive, surprised to see this was their 6th album by this point. Would have guessed second or something.
No. 243/1001 1984 NR Jump 5/5 Panama 4/5 Top Jimmy 3/5 Drop Dead Legs 3/5 Hot For Teacher 3/5 I'll Wait 3/5 Girl Gone Bad 3/5 House of Pain 3/5 Average: 3,38 Jump is a stand out hit here. Otherwise the album doesn't have a lot of substance to elevate it even higher. Overall pleasant to listen to.
Good.
Kuluneita klassikkoja ja muuta ei-itseäni-innostavaa.
A couple good songs
This is #day16 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... let's rock! Or, shall we? Although I'm listening to this one for the first time, I was immediately sold on the synth-led songs ("Jump" and "I'll Wait," especially "Jump"), and the drumming on "Hot For Teacher." Well, the drumming in general. However, guitar solos are too much in-your-face. Other than that, typical mid-80s hairy, hard, and heavy glam rock that I wouldn't listen to regularly. Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day17.
80s tabular, some hits, some misses.
I enjoyed listening to this album while working. Of course "Jump", "Panama", and "Hot For Teacher" are staples from my childhood watching MTV, and I like them, but I hadn't listened to the rest of the album before.
Jump was good
Yeah, the music that you think is pretty wild when you are about 12 years old. (Hot for Teacher is actually quite ok)
Aqui Van Halen faz a mistura de guitarra e sintetizadores muito melhor que ZZ Top em Eliminator. É bem 80's, brega, tem letras fraquíssimas e datadas, e também é meio "metal farofa", mas não deixa de ser bom. Não é revolucionário, mas é cativante, e às vezes isso basta.
Tons of fun. If you don't find yourself tapping your foot, check your pulse
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
There comes a time in the life of every rock band when someone discovers a synth in the corner of the studio and wonders what happens when they start randomly twiddling the knobs. In Van Halen’s case this gave us the worldwide monster hit Jump but it’s clear on this album where the rest of the band pushed back for more traditional rock songs about women’s legs and hot teachers. It’s no surprise that they broke up with ‘musical differences’ a year later.
The guy could surely play the guitar, they discovered a synthesizer can make some music, and they wrote a huge hit. The rest is very dated and overhyped hard rock with the worst of its tropes.
So many classic tracks, and not a down track. 4.5 stars
Great guitar, but had trouble getting into it as much as I wanted to.
The end of an era with Roth leaving after this album.
Some classic stadium songs. Not an album I’d listen to in it’s entirety front to back
Big time stupid
Some of Van Halen's best tracks in one place, the rest were hit or miss. Pretty good balance of catchy ballads and moments where the guitar/synth/drums just rip
Awesome
Yussss I am hot for teacher
Rinse and repeat rock. Without Panama or Jump, this album gets kicked under the carpet
Weird mix of pop rock and heavy metal. Jump is obviously a classic. Some really good riffs in there too
Også fed. Ikke så god som den anden
Incredible album and arguably one of the best Van Halen records. There are at least 3 radio hits on this album alone, and it is a great showcase of EVH's talent.
Hot out of the gate with Jump and Panama. Easily two of Van Halen's best songs. Jump giving service to the synthlords with an infectious song that is only surpassed by the quality of its music video. Then there is Panama, which pairs best with big hair and American muscle. Either I've missed it my whole life, or something about this remastered mix is really weird though -- the engine noises seem more pronounced and cheesy. Top Jimmy opens with some harmonic fret-play, and features plenty of additional licks with one of the more pocketed grooves I've ever heard from Van Halen. Honestly a weird song in the skitteringness of the guitar, but I'll be damned if that groove didn't get me. Really feeling some elements of Drop Dead Legs that echo in the play of Cinninger. Would be a complete throwaway if not for Eddie Van Halen's play. Second side of the album opens with one of Van Halen's goofier singles: Hot for Teacher. May be goofy, but I love it. Thumping double bass, a wonderfully distorted and ultra catchy riff, and David Lee Roth selling all of the delivery. I completely forgot about I'll Wait. What a completely different tone this song carries relative to the rest of the songs on here. Completely synth led in the most 80s possible way -- the guitar doesn't come in until 3/4 the way through. Have to say, this isn't one I would go out of my way for individually, but I'm loving it here. Some high quality Van Halen right there. Something about the energy makes me wish I lived through this release in real time. Solid 4 / 5.
Classic good album. Serious hot guitar licks. 4 stars
Hot for Teacher always a fun listen. Girl Gone Bad is a jam that I haven't heard before. This album as a whole feels significantly flatter than "Van Halen". Maybe I wasn't listening to it loud enough. High 3
Another album that I have listened to 1000 times in my life. So great for it to come up though because this is a banger from VH. Jump is an all time energy song, and it works even better when 1984 intros it. So many timeless classics on here like Panama and Hot for Teacher that will never get old. I'll Wait is lowkey one of my favorite Van Halen songs. Such an awesome high energy Rock and Roll album that shreds for just the right amount of time at 33 minutes. Didn't need any more songs on here. Not a perfect album by any stretch but it is certainly an all time classic.
Never was the biggest Van Halen fan, but can't deny some of the greatness on this record. Jump, Panama, Hot For Teacher are classics in my mind. The rest wasn't terrible Van Halen I was getting pretty into it. I'll Wait gives me Dire Straights vibes for some reason. Low 4.
Solid 80s hair metal album. Lots of hits for such a small track list. Best Song: Hot for Teacher
Great but blended into the background
Man the start of this album is absolutely killer. Jump and Panama back to back, then Drop Dead Legs? Fantastic. I love a good guitar solo, and Eddie VH is one of the best to ever do it. I was not expecting Van Halen to be so polarising, that was a surprise to me. This album rocks. There was only one caveat I had with it: Hot For Teacher is a weird song and I felt gross listening to it. This album is near perfect to me, the only thing that stops me from giving it a perfect 5 is Hot For Teacher. What a shame. Nevertheless, awesome album, and definitely will be giving it further listens in the future.
The kings of trash rock. What a detectable genere and style of music. Does every song need an Oohhhh! and a Whooo!? Low IQ. But high musicianship, but atrocious lyri
What an energy from this album. The guitars, the drums, the ridiculously fun lyrics. It's what makes Van Halen well...Van Halen. Those drums on Hot For Teacher. So good. Listening more to the guitar on it now, I pick up some ZZ Top sounds that I don't think I noticed before.
great album, multiple bangers
Great album all the way thru
Can’t escape the male gaze!!! Great music , lyrics are trash
Pivotal album for rock, amazing
This album came out my first year of high school and it completely engulfed us at the time. It was absolutely everywhere. Today it made me feel the excitement and anxiety about being a teenager again. I loved it.
I really wasn't a big fan of Van Halen at the time of this album, but I tolerated the singles. Listening today was a blast!!!
I don't think I have ever listened to this entire album before. You certainly couldn't avoid hearing Jump and Panama and Hot for Teacher at the time. Jump is not my favorite VH song by a long shot -- when I want that kind of early 80s synth sound, I'll go look for Steve Winwood. But this is an interesting bridge between the classic VH sound and the just-around-the-corner Sammy Hagar era.
I was, of course, familiar with this since you couldn’t swing a prairie dog without hitting a track off this in high school. How remarkable to hear Eddie Van Halen go 80s synth on some of the songs on this album and somehow stay true to the Van Halen sound. I can’t imagine everyone in his orbit was thrilled when he said “I think I’ll play synth.” Just look at what he wrought!
I’m glad it was short! I did enjoy Jump.
I love Hot for Teacher
I don't love van halen, but overall I found the album pretty solid
Just a genuinely annoying fucking album. I would bet money on every song here being featured prominently in some shlocky Happy Madison production or something of that ilk. Highlights (AKA Things I hated the least) Jump: *** I'll Wait: *** House of Pain: ** 1/2
“Hair Metal” is the worst genre of music
Hell yeah
I liked it!
I had this on cassette back in the 80s and this is the first time I listened to it in well over 30 years. Love it!
Jump and Panama are iconic songs. I think I like Panama more, just because Jump is a little more pop with the all the synth, but both are the cream of the crop on the album. Some of the songs are a little odd/creepy, but for the most part this is a good album with some great songs. I generally like the rock music from this era, and this is not an exception to that. Favorite Song(s): Jump, Panama, I'll Wait
This one made me Jump as though I was in the year 1984!
Van Halen: known for epic guitar solos and songs that don't suck. On those premises, this album delivers. Hot For Teacher has a magic intro, otherwise few songs are above the expectation.
Synths, guitar riffs, yet Hot for Teacher, as a teacher. Time-stamped, yet timeless.
In describing the Cure as too 80s I have invoked the curse. These synths were just lying in wait. I suppose there's some credit due for the innovation in making wild guitar noises. The most musical sportsguitar is still sportsguitar. I've heard some isolated David Lee Roth vocals that are completely unhinged, and that is Interesting. You can't tell in the actual songs though. Got no time for this stuff. It's silly & not in an entertaining way. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
Of course EVH shreds. But the experience of listening to a Van Halen album is not great. I do have one big positive here: Hot For Teacher imagines a world where beavis and butthead type characters are hot for teacher… and teacher is hot for them back. That’s pretty funny, and worth an extra star alone.
Maybe iconic, but not that complex
This is a real dudes rock album. Two of my favourites up front, Jump and Panama. Both with superb instrumentals and decent vocals. These two both get me very hyped. Top jimmy and Drop Dead Legs had some pretty sweet guitar and drums parts. Instrumentals are good overall and very mu huch a product of their time with the overdriven and squealing guitars. The vocals are here and there
Because Van Halen!
'Jump' is amazing (I've heard the intro in so many movies), definitely a banger! 'Panama' is another certified banger! 'Top Jimmy' started out way like a complex composition that was supposed to lead to a deeper song but then was a run of the mill rock song (not that it's a bad thing). 'Drop Dead Legs' started out really simply, but the ending guitar solo was great 'Hot for Teacher': haha, a fun track, gonna send this to Saloni 😂 'I'll wait': Has deeper layers with great work on the guitar. One of the highlights for me on the album 'Girl Gone Bad': nothing spectacular 'House of Pain': nice guitar work, enjoyable
Van Halen is so of its era, and is easily the best of class for its brand of guitar pyrotechnics. If you love it, you love it, and you know exactly what you're getting into.
OH BABY LETS GO
Not as full of bangers as some of their other albums and I don’t love the synth era as much, but still solid.
nothing salvageable about this really
6.5 This wasn’t what I expected, started off brilliantly as synth rock for the first couple of tracks, then became a more straight hard rock and metal album - went harder than I would have guessed Reminded me of AC/DC in places, good production, excellent quality of sound, really good band. The vocals did not use the metal voice, which really worked for me. I did prefer the handful of tracks that used the synth, so it is difficult to look past the elephant in the room as best track Best: Jump
Just a bloody great album No notes
It’s very OK, first two tracks draw you in and then the deep cuts from the remaining tracks are lack luster
So good! EVH is unreal. Damn good album for the bands first release.
OW! Pretty awesome.
Fun album!
Great guitar work but Van Halen kinda sucks. Hot for Teacher, Jump and Panama are classics though
I have heard jump too many god damn times man for real the sound of that synth makes me feel like I’m at the Somme. Panama was used as psychological warfare for a reason. Another song I would enjoy much more if I hadn’t heard it eighty billion times. This album is the sex offenders anthem. Hot for teacher is the best song on this album if you just don’t pay any attention to the lyrics. Never heard I’ll wait but it was a refreshing intermission before a return to sex offender anthems. Guitar work is pretty good but if you’re listening to this album 40 years after it’s come out it’s hardly gonna be revolutionary compared to things you’ve been listening to all your life. Probably goes way harder in 1984 when the sickest riff you’ve ever heard is something those hacks from kiss put out and the idea of consent was a lot more loosely defined.
Not my favourite genre, but a good example of pop rock. The guitar and synths used for Jump are well ahead of their time. But other than Jump and Panama I personally find most of it fairly forgettable.
I did not expect to like this so much. Glam 'hard' rock is really really really not my thing, but this album is filled to the brim with Bangers and well made songs Back loaded tho 8/10 Fav tracks - Jump, Drop Dead Legs, Hot for Teacher, I'll Wait, Girl Gone Bad, House of Pain, Least fav - Panama
Panama is pretty sick, played that song about hots for the teacher on guitar hero, very hard!
A foundational album in the genre of Sex Offender Metal
I like the synths
Good album with fun songs
Amazing guitar
Heavy metal. Un par de megahits. Un 4.
Le doy un 4, pero por Jump.
This is not really my type of music, so it's a bit hard to give it justice... It wasn't terrible, but not really that good either. 'Jump' is such a cheesy song as well, doesn't fit in at all with the rest of Van Halens rock repertoire. Weak 3.
The last "Van Halen" album we had was their self titled album. In that review I noted that I liked more their metal songs and less their more poppy songs. This album further goes in to the pop area and as such I'm not really a bit fan. I mean "Jump" and "Panama" are instantly recognisable but I'm not really a fan. The only song I really like is "Hot for teacher" with its iconic drum intro. And again, that song is more heavy metal than pop. Weak 3.
Not a big fan of this music
Not the type of music I usually listen to, but I liked I'll Wait and You Give Love A Bad Name.
2.5/5
Guess I know why I knew most of these songs, I get it. Hot for teacher is the corniest song ever
Fun album, no real complaints ^_^
singles are great, filler is usually fine. evh is fun in how he oscillates between rhythm guitar restraint and absolute shredder wank.
This is a really good Van Halen album. The singles are the best songs, but the rest aren’t bad. I tend to prefer the Sammy Hagar years a bit more (I know…) but this is pretty much peak Van Halen.
En mi opinión, el mejor álbum de Van Halen. Fusionando tendencias pop con hard rock, la banda se luce con algunas de sus composiciones más intricadas y pegajosas. Además, he de felicitar a este LP por no tener nada de relleno, con bellos 33 minutos de "puro rock". Si alguna tienes que escuchar algún disco para entender por qué Van Halen es tan un nombre tan grande en la industria musical, escucha este.
Hair banger rock at its finest. It’s pretty impossible to not get pumped listening to this and it manages to keep the energy up throughout the album without it feeling one note or getting old. Only 33 mins long but I enjoyed every minute.
Pretty good. This one surprised me. I went in with low expectations expecting to listen to more overplayed dead horses, but overall very enjoyable. Jump, Panama, and Teacher are all five star songs, even though they’ve been played over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. David Lee Roth seems like the kind of person who would be a horrible roommate but a fun neighbor (down the hall or street not sharing a wall with).
Generally I feel VH aren’t for me. That said, this was better than I anticipated. I know the hits obviously and they’re fine, if you overlook how overplayed they are. And it’s blessedly short.
It is what it is. No big surprises.
-now this is classic 80s dad rock. i very much enjoy the guitar shredding and high energy, though a lot of the lyrics and vocals could get pretty corny -Favorites are Jump, Panama, and I’ll Wait
Fuck yeah!!!
Notorious 80s album that you cannot “jump”! I didn’t enjoy it personally in a big way
Absolute classic
It’s pretty dumb but dumb fun is what Van Halen excels at and they don’t overstay their welcome on 1984. They rip thru the keyboard hit Jump and Panama carried by Eddies signature crunchy riffs. The content of Panama is kinda confusing, is Roth racing cars for the rights of a woman, is he chasing her in his car? Top Jimmy, again musically it’s so good, lyrically… I mean just read the lyrics, they honestly read like a short story an 8yr old would write about a cool dude, so dumb. Hot For Teacher, again so dumb but you can’t deny how cool that drum opening is and another classic riff from Eddie. Roth’s so good at the smarmy delivery too, it’s a great dumb song. 4 dumb stars
too 80
Cliche
pretty good
Jump is not junk, but most of the rest of the album is.
Great classic rock album!! Several great songs
liked this WAY more than I thought I would. Great players? did not know!!!
...
This was released my senior year of high school. Been a minute since I listened to the whole thing. Great album that has held up. Huge Eddie Van Halen fan!
This was another seminal 80s teenager album (at my school at least) but I never understood the whole ‘hair metal’ movement!! Three stars from me. One for the album cover and 2 for Eddie van Halen’s awesome guitar tone!!
Great title - What a year! I like the playfulness of the cover art, and it was interesting the read about. Margo Nahas apparently declined to draw four 'chrome women' dancing and instead painted a putto stealing cigarettes - go Margo! First up I'm not a fan of Hair Metal in general. I can appreciate Eddie Van Halen is seen as an incredible guitarist of this genre, but its just noise to me! Too much crash symbol, too many dive bombs and creepy dude lyrics.
fucking fuck yeah bitches
Van Halen's 1984 is a landmark album that marked a turning point for the band, incorporating synthesizers alongside their signature hard rock sound. The album produced some of their most iconic hits, including "Jump" and "Panama," while showcasing Eddie Van Halen's innovative guitar work and David Lee Roth's charismatic vocals. While some may view it as a shift towards a more pop-oriented sound, 1984 remains a powerful and influential rock record.
I wish this website allowed replies and downvotes. Nothing but absolute shit comments that are prisoners of the moment with no appreciation for the construction of the history of music. This album was fantastic for its genre and features one of the most mimicked and imitated guitarists of all time. His phrasing is fantastic and his technique was unique. Diamond Dave was also an enigma and VH captured the right vibe of that era.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't help but love cheesy 80s rock. It's my guilty pleasure that I don't feel guilty about loving at all. I already adored this album and another listen through on this project has made me appreciate the gorgeous guitar tones even more. Just great from start to finish.
Pure '80s vibes. A tight album with a lot of memorable bangers.
Great album, though not their very best
5/5
Classic over-the-top 80s metal rock. It's great. Most of the songs on the record became hits, and I had no idea this was their 6th album. Overall, it's fun and still enjoyable even though I've heard "Jump" a million times. Short and sweet. 3.9
Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher. A triumph for MTv timing.
Had high hopes, after first two absolute bangers the album goes downhill. Very repetitive in my eyes :(
3.5 stars rounded up.
Such a good album - still as fresh and energetic as when it came out
meh
This feels like a quintessential 1980s album. It’s hard to think about from Rock from the 80s and not include Van Halen on that list, and I feel like this album has all the singles you would expect somebody to know. Obviously some of the lyrics and juvenile and questionable at times, but they exist as a product of their time, and can exist then without trying to be recreated now.
Not bad, very much like i remember it
A couple of good songs. They are the songs that made it on the radio
127/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
I can‘t hear it anymore…typical 80‘s Hard Rock…4/10
Tremendous opening with jump. Followed swiftly by the great panama. Some impressive guitar solos and riffs in drop dead legs. Hot for teacher, an absolute banger. Great song. Love the opening riff and fast drum beat. The rest were hear nor there for me. Overall a pretty good album. I'd probably say a 3.5. I think a 3 is too low so ill have to give a 4.
Some all timers on here. Rest is meh
Too loud for me.
Great classic rock album that doesn't try too hard. It's a pretty good example of knowing all the band members capabilities and sticking to it.
When I started listening to this I got the same feeling I get when I start watching the Karate Kid. Goddamn I am just so excited about what's ahead of me. Same brain space.
Gillar bah inte van halen
ja asså dessvärre är jag lite halvtraumatiserad av jump efter jag sjöng den på lel-el, men den är ju rätt fet på sina ställen🚀🚀 resten av albumet var helt okej! Tappade dock mig rätt mycket mot slutet 🥱 Inte riktigt något jag hade satt på i vanliga fall men annars väldigt lättlyssnat. Och han är väl typ helt okej på gitarr den där grabben 🤣😂😅😅🤣🤣🤣 Bästa låt: jump, panama
Helt okej men rätt många mid låtar Bästa låt: Jump Jättebra låt
Preferred this to their eponymous album. Love the driving beat of Girl Gone Bad, and House of Pain is great. Not so bothered about the slower tracks.
Jumps prelude was as good as Jump. It's just hype song after hype song. Top Jimmy resembles the walk this way cover of Run DMC for some reason. Girl gone bad's intro is perfection. The snob in my ear tells me 4 stars, my hearth says 5 tho.
rip eddie (for the second time this week)
Loud, dumb and flashy, with some incredible instrumental prowess. David Lee Roth still can’t sing for shit, though.
Après l'avoir écouté, c'est normal que lui aussi soit inclu si leur éponyme l'est. On est à peu près dans la même tranche de qualité/plaisir, peut-être une petite coche au-dessus. Encore une fois, les deepcuts restent moins intéressant que les gros singles, mais on comprend son statut de classique. 7.5/10
Amazing guitar solos and some of the song structures aren’t that bad either, real fun stuff but there’s way too much vocal cheese for me to enjoy this truly.
80s hair metal is all so similar, but I have a soft spot for this specific generic album in particular. It's good fun.
1.) 1984 - 100% thought this was just going to open into the City Escape music from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, points for making me think of the Chao Garden 2.) Jump - it's...it's Jump, I don't know what to say about it that a million others haven't said; classic dad rock with fun synths, probably shouldn't have listened to it at work though, definitely looked longingly at a nearby window 3.) Panama - it's...it's Panama; again classic dad rock, I like this more than Jump tbh, feels more fun to bop to; wouldn't turn the radio away from the previous song or this one 4.) Top Jimmy - honestly this one just kinda became white noise due to needing to focus on work, but it was a fun passive listen I suppose? 5.) Drop Dead Legs - can't believe this man predicted Lady Dimitrescu; the guitar toward the end of the track was nice, but overall kinda plain 6.) Hot For Teacher - title already hasn't aged well; the instrumentation I vibe with, but the lyrics have me a bit squicked (consequence of the times a-changin') - unfortunately I'm more lyrically-driven than just instruments 7.) I'll Wait - really starting to lose me here, lyrics are stalkery and it feels less like a love song and more like a dude mumbling to himself about a Playboy model, dick in hand; again, sure it's due to changing times, but the wobbly guitar doesn't make up for the sleaze I'm feeling 8.) Girl Gone Bad - this is just straight up four couplets about a prostitute, which kinda sucks because I actually really like the instrumental components across the board; if I turn my brain off regarding the content this song is pretty solid but it loses points for just being "hey a lady of the night, oh she likes someone, BaAaAaAd WOO" 9.) House Of Pain - alright you're winning me back with at least an attempt at some nuance and really nice guitars, along with a fun outro (is that a cowbell?) Overall I'm sure if I didn't pay attention to the lyrics this would get a 4/5, but it really loses me on the back half.
loved the guitar solos
This is a fun album, as in, I can imagine the band having fun making it and drunken teens having fun listening to it. It is also an "important" album in the evolution of popular music - so says the critics. Is it a good album though? Is it?
nothing to it
This album is incredible. Just so finely tuned rock tunes that clocks in at a perfect time, 33 minutes. Doesn't overstay its welcome at all, and leaves you wanting so much more. Has Van Halen's biggest hits on here as well. EVH is a demon on the guitar but lets not forget the excellent drumming from AVH and the great complimentary bass playing from Michael Anthony. David Lee Roth's charismatic vocals is the cherry on top
this was alright- super duper 80s. it really reminded me of ready player one wich was nice :)! added 2 few song to my playlists but might delet them later icl
This was a good album. I had higher hopes because of the hype this band gets but this album earned a solid 3. With classics like Jump, Panama, I'll Wait, and Girl Gone Bad but some of the others left more to crave.
*eyeroll* This is music for horny adolescents (of any age) who objectify women and don't realize how toxic that is. But, I suppose when 30-year-old's sing about homework, I don't know that I should expect anything else. I imagine hip thrusts are frequent stage moves. This album made me cranky. Jump is only popular for the synth and guitar. Certainly not for the lyrics. Which, perhaps can be said for the entire album. Ugh.
Not really my style but the songwriting is really great throughout
neben dem Überhit "Jump" ganz ok
The problem is less with the music, which is fine if a little too sleek and wanky for my particular taste, and definitely with David Lee Roth and the fact that although he’s a decent singer and was a great stage presence, he was a lousy lyricist. No matter how good the music is, having to listen to a song called Drop Dead Legs unironically is torture. I both liked and disliked 1984 more than Van Halen I. On the one hand, more of the songs stood out. I wouldn’t mind listening to Jump or Panama if they came on the radio. On the other hand, there’s less of that weirdness that was lurking under the surface of I. And as I can’t decide which is actually better, I’m gonna give the same rating
3.5
This record is fun, gets in and out quick and makes me feel like I’m in an 80s movie training montage. Good way to start the day.
Despite the overwhelming narcissisism of DLR, pretty good.
Good stuff, lots of guitar noodling and of course a little bit of sexism. Generally not my cup of tea, but there is no denying the skills and talent in the instrumentation. The tracks mesh well together making the album a good listen (minus the sexism) from start to finish.
Excellent album - I tend to go for the first two VH albums and I forget how good 1984 is. Really hilarious how there was a huge uproar over the keyboards. It’s not that overwhelming.
Call me basic but I like the two big hits from this (Jump and Panama). Then everything else is pretty generic hair metal. Completely fine. 3/5
Dogshit except for 3 things and they are not enough: 1) Occasional pyrotechnics from Ed. His influential style has become the norm by this point, but he's still great at it. 2) 'Jump' is a great pop single. 3) That thing where Dave sounds like he was out in the garden by the barbecue and someone calls him inside and he's like: "wuh, aaaaaaaaah. hey oh, yeah!" These songs are bad, ZZ Top want their riffs back and the rest is hair metal with surprisingly dull sounding guitar and dodgy song subjects and lyrics. The band do have a driving AC/DC style chug, but so do AC/DC so listen to them. This did not even make me want to buy a Camaro IROC with the bumper hanging off or get a mullet like 'Eliminator' does. Pan-a-ma! Panama-hah! Pan-a-ma! It's on the street! The heat is (doof doof doof doof) on.
Not for me 1/5
A few classics on there
Destaques para: Jump, musica clássica da banda Panama Hot for Teacher. 4/5
Excellent
a classic! I love Drop Dead Legs :)
Starts off so strong out of the gage. But this ain't an album band. Everyone is here for the stadium hits. Beyond that everything is forgettable, lyrics, arrangements' et al.
Like listening to the classic rock station at work… could be a lot worse but not really moving the needle
Their first album was ok after that meh...
Well, this is a classic! I'm feelling like 16 again! Jump was my clock alarm every morning when i was in highschool and Panama was the Bus Anthem! Even though I'm drowning in this feeling of nostalgia, there's something about this album that brings a sense of youth to whoever listens. Because it's fast and quick hahahaha. Jokes Apart. This album has never gotten old. This still smells like teenage spirit, full of pimples and horny! Exactly how I once was.
Expected to enjoy this on the basis of ‘Jump’ but it was actually much more varied that I expected. It actually had songs I feel like I’ll want to listen to again which has been rare in this list so far! 3.5 but I’ll round to 4
God I hated this. Listening once was too much - I refuse to listen again.
Some great tunes. Some I wish I could forget
No es mi estilo. Gran hit con Jump y poco más.
Jump, Panama, AND Hot For Teacher!? there is enough stadium rock in just those three singles for at least a decade. Top Jimmy has these wild almost country licks.
Panama is great and this is representative of 80s hard rock
I usually say I'm not a Van Halen fan but I really enjoy their music. Every song on this, though very synth heavy, is just full of great energy and fun. Jump, Panama, hot For Teacher, I'll Wait - all great songs! Just fun, headbanging, singalong tunes.
rauchends baby okay. nennedses 1984 well mega vil synthis? aso au de introsong. jump intro synths sehr cool. aber find de song easy whack. jop s riff wird huere schnell langwilig und d hook isch afoch JUMP. panama isch scho besser wenigstens dörf de eddie spiele. yeeees rooooock. prechorus isch echt no geil. aber sust ischmer das ganze chli zu basic rock irgendwie. gitarresolo uf top jimmy und s riff gönd huere dumm aber de rest vom song isch fast scho e chinderlied? nai. nai. drop dead legs macht rock riff jaaa! de eddie cha scho huuuere spiele. sehr cool. hot for teaaacher. coole intro stuff de bluesy lick stuff isch huere geil. de song nocher ischmer chli z nervös. synths bi ill wait sind easy cool, besser als bi jump und de eddie haut wieder use. chani lose de song. house of pain isch wieder afoch so wieni mer van halen vorstell aber isch halt nöd meega miis.
ich freu mich scho jz hert uf panama (und nöd würkli uf jump will soo hert overplayed) s intro würkt echli wie "hey mier hend jz imfall synths hahahah fuck es isch ebe doch en banger, ich nimm mini ussag über jump wieder zrugg (also doch immerno overplayed) PANAMAAAAAA ouh han jz nöd so glost aber ja top jimmy und drop dead legs sind lieder gsi hot for teacher no geile ahfang mite doublebass mega de "ich chan gitarre spiele" ahfang aber find recht geil wies schlagzüg zieht ja finds recht cool aber d lyrics sind schochli weird? I'll wait mega catchy synthi aber am schluss fast echli obnoxious wie er sich gfühlt durs ganze lied durrezieht und wieder horndawg? house of pain würkt wie wenn eifach denkt hend "hey mier gebet eifach ah", hetmi jz nöd umghaue sehr schwierig zum bewerte, panama und jump sind hslt schono banger aber s ischmer chli too much und abgseh vo paar moment hetsmi nöd glich packt wies debutalbum
Ugh, Jump is iconic and Dave Lee Roth is such a great showman but the rest just trundles along. Hair metal is not my genre
føler mig meget vindicated i at sige, at Guns n' Roses er ældet meget bedre end deres modstykker rn Jeg synes Eddie Van Halen er en god og meget genkendelig guitarist, men sangene er bare monotone og dated og ham sangeren altså...........................
Den her plade var simpelthen lige lovlig 80er til min smag.
Føltes som en kort plade! Jump og Panama lyder lidt som cover versioner af hinanden.
Does what it's trying to do with a lot of gusto, but what it's trying to do isn't something I'm keen on. Has one track that sounds a lot like Doogie White era Rainbow, or a hint of Rush.
I like some of the songs on this album but I still don’t really like Van Halen.
Not bad at all
great guitar wankery but not a fan of this cheesey 'rock of ages' era
Not my thing but decent enough for what it was
I did not expect to love this album but I did. I wouldn’t have found this album any other way. I’m so glad I did.
Some nice nostalgic 80s synth rock tunes on here, and Eddie Van Halen was hands down one of the greatest guitarists of all time (RIP). Some decent stuff among the non-radio hits, too. A lot of objectification (particularly the video for Hot For Teacher) that wouldn't really fly today, though.
Legendary, but doesn't quite have the magic of the Van Hagar era
You have to get past the sexism, as the guitar and drums are amazing. This is a solid album overall.
Such a legendary band however some of the song lyrics were not the best
Such a fun album. Are some of the lyrics shallow and questionable, sure. Are the songs relatively simple and lack real musical depth and complexity, yeah. Is the David Lee Roth the world’s greatest singer, no, no he is not (but he is a superb frontman). But do they have one of the greatest guitarists of all time? Absolutely without question. Eddie is an absolute beast. “Hot for Teacher” and “Girl Gone Bad” have some seriously underrated licks on them. “Panama” is just such a fun song along with “Jump”. The lyrics may be meh in places but Eddie more than makes up for it.
classic 80's rock album, but not their best. big guitar, big drums, light on lyrics. some great tracks besides the commercially over-played Panama & Jump.
Good listen overall and not too long! But only a couple of the songs I would revisit
I enjoyed it, I liked the synth and “jump” is a certified banger. But it tapered off a bit in the end. Also it was a bit short. Short but sweet perhaps.
Not my thing. Had some good movie montage music, other than that not my thing
It’s a great album, but all the other songs never reach the heights of “Panama” and “Jump.”
This actually never stopped fucking banging. some of it is a little cheesy cause like is saying that your teacher is hot hardcore? Well no, but somehow it’s still the best song on the album. makes me wanna grow my hair long again just to headbang that shit 1. hot for teacher 2. i’ll wait 3. house of pain
If you like Van Halen, you'll love this album. I think their self titled album is better. 1984 is little hokier and 80's...of course.
Rubbish. Music as pretentious as the album cover.
It’s not getting 1 star solely due Jump
could i write poetry to this? y
Absolutely massive. I've probably listened to this album a thousand times. It's perfect.
One of a couple Van Halen albums that could also function as a greatest hits album
Big Hair, Big Ego, Big Guitar, oh the polyester and vinyl. I think I will leave this collection of memories in my 3 star bucket. Of a time and place, but not my time or place.
Great album that I have heard a million times and still think it's great. The guitar is superb and innovative for the time. Really enjoy this one and I'm sure I will listen to it a bunch more.
The last 80s Van Halen album to feature Diamond Dave and nothing but hits again. While at the end of their run, Van Halen still put out some of their most recognizable tunes. Jump and Panama are probably the biggest tunes but I defy anyone to listen to the opening drums of Hot For Teacher and not instantly know what they are listening to. 10/10 One of the most iconic albums of the 80s Would listen to over and over(and I have).
Some good singles. Not my favorite album as a whole.
Hearing this so recently after their self-titled, I’m struck by how more “of its era” this album felt. The first was a swaggering proclamation. Except for the songs Jump, Panama, and I’ll Wait, I don’t feel like they jump to those same height.
Kickstarted my love for VH.
I wasn't expecting to like this so much! So many solid tunes.
PG
Hmm, I was aware about "Jump" - as this is played so often, I have reduced Van Halen to this song. Thanks to get a chance to hear the complete album :-) At the end I was surprised - songs like "hot for teacher" are really good, creative and powerful. Thanks for this. At the end 4 stars - because not all songs have this high level
Panama, Jump, and I'll Wait were good tracks. Hot For Teacher is pretty cringey nowadays, definitely a product of it's time. Overall, definitely defined 80's rock. For that, it gets a 4/5, though I probably won't listen to it again minus the aforementioned hits.
All American dumb guys just blasting the guitar. Not great music, but like, who gives a shit.
Wow I really enjoyed this. Sure, the lyrics are a little dated/shallow in places but I absolutely had a good time. Not all music has to be so serious! Made me want to dance around (but I didn't because I'm still recovering from a procedure this morning, another time!). Guitar riffs that made me want to close my eyes, and drum beats that had me bobbing my head. Vocals matched well with the vibe. Of course I already knew Jump and Panama because I have seen a movie from/set in the 80s before. Most of the rest of the album was just as fun to me. Drop Dead Legs was the weakest imo but even that I wouldn't necessarily skip on a relisten.
This is unpleasant
Decent album, some nice energetic music to hype yourself up
The vocals and lyrics really are the weakest part, it was nice not everything was guitar masturbation. But in the end it all sounded the same. 3 stars for the hits
JUMP IN PANAMA 3/5
See what happened was - I was at the racetrack all day & my team won & I had a few whiskeys outside once arriving back home & I was about done w the last one to go to bed bc fauuuck I'm sunburnt & then I saw it was 1984 & only 33 mins... And that is how I got blackout drunk in the driveway soaking up the moonlight. It was a 5 star experience! RIP EVH!
Loved it!
In the early 2000s I saw Bill and Ted's excellent adventure for the first time when I was in middle school. Heard about this incredible band called Van Halen then found 1984 in my parents tape collection. Turn it on full of expectations and heard Jump then turned it off and decided that the 80s were a weird time and this band sucks. I still don't love Jump, especially as a title track. It's a fun dumb song but it sounds nothing like the rest of the band's catalog and Eddie doesn't do anything for most of it. I'm happy I went through the whole album this time. Panama, Hot for Teacher, Drop Dead Legs and Girl Gone Bad are all worth it. Eddie is a guitar god. I love the things he pulls off on this album. The whole band is super tight and David Lee Roth is manic in the best ways. Still not my favorite band, but I get it now. Be Excellent to Each Other dudes.
2.5 rounding up to 3. It's fine. Not really my genre, so my rating might not be fair. If I was at a dive bar with a good buzz and playing pool, sure, it's alright.
Realno tak i tak nisam objektivan tak da 4 jer je Hot for Teacher takav banger.
Jump is fantastic but the rest is just really average. Some good moments here and there, and a couple of songs have fantastic intros but then become incredibly cringe (Hot for Teacher and Girl Gone Bad)
Effective for what it is. The jump ball at every NBA arena has been forever changed by this album. I'd rate this 2.5 if there were half stars, but because this gave me a light headache I will be downgrading to 2.
This is the peak of Van Halen, and the peak of glam metal (if you can even call it such). The album is just banger after banger for a solid half-hour, which is great. It doesn't linger long enough to overstay its welcome. Spin it twice!
What a joyous album. You can't help but smile and shake your assets!
to be honest, Panama is a great song.
guapo guapo ojo con top jimmy y girl gone bad, locura
I would not debate that Eddie Van Halen belongs in the upper echelon of great rock guitarists. But overall, these songs didn’t age well.
Solid rock album. Eddie Van Halen's guitar work alone could earn this a 5 but the songs are good, too, and I enjoyed the extra notch they took it up on the last track.
I didn't liked this when I was living through it. I know the content is so misogynistic but I like a few songs much more than I did then.
I don’t want to hear Van Halen play synth any more than I want to watch Picasso do pottery. Eddie does a great job here of writing good songs around his cool guitar tricks. Panama and Hot For Teacher are classics. Jump and I’ll Wait always felt like the beginning of the end to me. Drop Dead Legs is the ghost of VanHagar future.
I believe I got this album right around when it came out on cassette tape. Must have been about 10 or 11 at the time and loved it. Haven't listened to the entire album in decades, I'd wager. I still love it.
legendary songs on this one, quite enjoyable but not my favourite
I swear what I am about to say is the truth For as long as I have known about this album's existence, I have assumed the little cig-smoking cherub was "supposed" to be David Lee Roth. I do not know how or why I came to that conclusion. Anyway, Panama rocks.
7/10
the synth heavy songs are kinda awful but Panama fucking slaps, hmm
Rock and roll, man
stupid lyrics and the sound got old. some interesting synth stuff i guess.
My, this band is very tight! 4.6
One of my dad’s favorite bands is Van Halen so I’m going in with a lot of predisposed enjoyment just from hearing a lot of this as a kid. Jump fucking rules. Panama was on one of the Gran Turismo soundtracks and will forever be one of the greatest driving songs. Top Jimmy is when you realize Eddie Van Halen is well deserving of all the praise, those harmonics and everything at the start. A warranted complaint is that, yeah these lyrics can be pretty misogynistic. But I don’t know if they’re THAT bad. Plus so far every object of desire has been of age, so that’s a plus compared to a shocking amount of their contemporaries. The album ends a little weakly, so it isn’t a 5, but a really solid 4, surprised how much I loved this