Reviews (page 11 of 15)
some great tracks on here aint talking about love, is classic banger as is eruption and running with the devil. its an enjoyable blues rock album nothing too special
Not a big fan but def had some songs they still play on the radio.
I've heard this album before and very strongly associate Van Halen with my ex-husband who was a big fan (mostly of Van Hagar). I don't like David Lee Roth or his voice, but the result being this album is classic. it is THE classic rock and is one of the original sounds of the time. it's entertaining to listen to and I usually don't turn it off when it comes on. however, I don't seek out listening to it and so for that reason, I give it a 3. Best track: You Really Got Me Worst track: Jamie's Cryin' and On Fire are tied for last place
It's hardly my preferred flavour of rock, and I'm in no rush to listen to it again (that Kinks cover... it's not *bad* as such, it's just... what was the point?), BUT there are some good moments - catchy choruses and (naturally) tasty guitar parts and such. Definitely feels like the blueprint for 80s hair metal, which is a dubious claim to fame, but I'll give this the benefit of the doubt and say instead that it's a decent debut album in isolation.
6/10…80‘s hard rock / metal
Has some really fun songs, some less fun. Pretty good overall but very basic and completely unremarkable. The riffs overall are just not that great, and the energy is mostly carried by the vocals. 7/10
my dad (whose favorite band is Van Halen) ’s review: “The best one top to bottom” yeah, it’s pretty good.
I love space rock revival which makes this album more listenable to me but the indie sleaze of this record throwa me off. Courtneys vocals are really annoying but i love songs like "The Creep Out" they just feel so surreal and psychedelic. 6/10 Favourite: The Creep Out Least Favourite: Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth
Enjoyable at the most, basic at the worst
You know you’ve made a properly shit album when you really got me is the best written song on it. Jk this albums ok, I like aint talkin bout love
it was nice to listening to it, but it was not my taste
I forever lean on the Chuck Klosterman rating system: Van Halen's "And the Cradle Will Rock" (not on this album) is the perfect average rock song. Anything better is good. anything worse is bad. So in that spirit, I give this a 3, even though I think it's a little better than that but not much.
It's still hard to believe this came out in 1978. I can't imagine what people thought the first time they heard this. Definitely a band that is greater than the sum of it's parts.
Classic Van Halen… Some great songs on this album but I’m just not a huge fan of a lot of the guitar licks with the two hand tapping
Did not age well
solid album
One of those where I don’t know if it’s a great album, but it’s culturally significant so its placement is apt. Not for me, but I can’t deny Mr. Halen’s talents.
Pretty rocking, some songs a little basic.
Good
Definitely better than 1984, but still only a high 3 as most of it just doesn't quite resonate with me.
Eruption fun
As a guitar player this is potentially sacrilege but I've always found the Van Halen radio hits a little offputting and as a result I've never sought them out. This album was mostly more of the same, but there were a couple of moments I really enjoyed. For example, the doo wop breakdown in "I'm the one" was an eclectic little surprise. Overall though I'd say that while there's a lot of talent on display here it feels like it's mostly bluster to me
Don’t care for Van Halen that much but still the hits are always fun and catchy
I'm not the biggest EVH fan but this was a fun listen. He had more interesting songs than I would have though on the album. Still not the biggest fan of super shreddy guitar like that, but it was still an easy enough listen. Highlights: I'm The One Jamie's Crying
There was a period of time in my late-ish teens where I would have loved this.
Had a couple of good hits.
Por mi, es un si. Por más que no sea mi estilo. Me gustó más que sus contemporáneos del heavy. Nota: 3.5
Listened to this in the car on my way to D&D last night to get myself hyped for the fight that was about to go down. I arrived feeling energized and reckless, which is the intended effect of arena rock imo.
A whole lot of vocal masturbation going on by David Lee Roth, and maybe some actual masturbation from the sounds of it. I would be tempted to say the same about Eddie Van Halen's guitar work, but it's more like a kid doing tricks he wants to show off. They're both GOOD at what they do, but it just isn't that cohesive for me and rarely comes off as music I want to listen to.
Regarding how much I liked it 3/5
Wild thang …..
Ev närmre 3.5
NEED A BEER
Decent listen.
Kinda does exactly what you’d expect a Van Halen album to do. A bit of fun. But nothing more memorable than that.
wish i could rate something three and a half stars?? or like 3.75? good vibes for sure, i liked it a lot more than i typically do for something of this genre good tone of the geetars also tickles the brain just so
N sou fã de Power metal, mas gostei bastante do álbum
Well, I lost my whole review I had typed out...I'll give this one a high three, rounded-down. It doesn't personally speak to me despite the crazy talent and execution. The band sounds insane, and, in a different way, so does Diamond Dave's endless vocal vamping, but it continues to provide amusement all the same. Near hearing real real old school influences here like blues and barbershop.
Complete
This reminded me a bit of Bob Jovi, though not quite as good. They did get good use out of the guitar playing, and were good at “tactically” deploying the guitar where it would be most effective. Favorite Track: Eruption
Hair band rock. It goes hard, but is it really that hard. Better than KISS or ACDC, but so many repetitive songs. Musicianship is impressive, but not enough to make me want to listen to the album often.
reminds of an amusement park and songs you’d listen to on a rollercoaster. or one of those roller coaster montages.
Eddie Van Halen is a good guitar player. Eruption fucks. The songs are fun and happy, though I would like them to be heavier and less poppy. Fun listen though.
it's van halen. turn the brain off and rock out. hell yeah
Surprisingly not dookie
This is waaaaay too front heavy but even with that being the case, the a-side is fantastic and the second side is competent... 3*
Decent fun, but other rock albums I get more out of
Rating: 3 Notable songs: Eruption, Running with the Devil, Ain't talkin about love Quite a short album at 35 minutes. Decent but definitely fades out past the first 4 songs
Pretty good album, full of radio hits. I didn't hate it, but it's never going to be my go-to. Still holds up better than most radio stuff I thought.
Good stuff all the hits. I love the kinks
Not my type of music
Thought it would be harder. But actually very blues forward. Helpful to situate in rock genealogy
3.5 Stars
Rock movido, muchos solos
Not a huge VH fan but some important classics here
Not my jam
Wish I could give this 3.5 stars. Definitely a controversial take but I dont think this is everything I expected it to be.
I can imagine myself, with an unironic mullet, wearing an unironic jean jacket, rocking out to this back in the 70's
Ahead of its time. If you told me it came out 5 years later than it did, I wouldn’t even question it. Impeccable guitar playing and bravado vocals.
Fun, never been huge on arena rock but it still felt impossible not to enjoy myself. Rating: 3.5
I mean it’s not dissimilar to other similar albums from the time which are alright listens (if on the right mood) but aren’t ever going to win any awards for innovation. Although maybe this was innovative and everyone else copied. Down the middle again then.
I like my hair metal fully ridiculous. This is not as ridiculous as their 1984 album which we’ve already had in here. Clearly they had yet to fully develop their egos, drug/alcohol/womanising addictions and couldn’t yet afford a full blown production team. Nice to meet you though baby hair rock.
Partially listened before Fav tracks: Runnin With the Devil, You Really Got Me, Feel Your Love Tonight
Jetzt weiß ich, woher die Chipmunks ihre Version von You Really Got Me haben.
Milquetoast 80s rock. Enjoyed the guitars generally but the songs were pretty flat and souless. Couldn't find too much to like or dislike in here, it's fine.
Short and concise album. Have heard many of the songs before and liked second part a bit more as I hadn’t heard songs. Classic hard rock sound and great guitar riffs. Solid album
☀︎j’aime pas Eruption ☀︎c’est pas si pire ☀︎ je me suis rendue compte qu’il faut carrément que je change mon « mindset » pour pouvoir apprécier ça, genre il faut que je m’imagine être à un certain moment, à une certaine époque. un peu comme ce que je faisais pour Fear Of A Black Planet ☀︎bref c’est pas si pire que ça comme album. 3.5☆, arrondi à la baisse :(
A pretty good album! Talented guitar playing and catchy enough songs (though a few were forgettable). 3/5
Was decent and the singles are good. Still not really my vibe but I can appreciate it.
Not a big cock rock fan, but liked the blues influence. Maybe being a little harsh because I've gotten a few 70s-80s metal bands in a row. Drums here are insane. Pretty wild for a debut album.
eh. hair metal with one flavor
Like sitting at one of those faux-chic Asian wok restaurants and watching the chef perform an entire pyrospectacle, flying vegetables and shrimps getting beheaded mid-air included, just to get you your noodles on your plate. It's flashy, it's entertaining, but like, surely he doesn't *actually* need to be doing all that, right?
Fun times! Starts out nicely with Runnin' With The Devil. You Really Got Me is a classic, great song. I'm The One has some awesome shredding in it. The guitar work throughout the album is excellent. Ice Cream Man is pretty fun too. Only ok songs are Atomic Punk and On Fire. All in all, good album. Best song: You Really Got Me
Only listened to half pretty good tho
I don’t think the tone has aged well (or at least it’s not presently in vogue). The lyrics are so bad. Its stars really only come from the technical prowess.
Eddie Van Halen. I knew more songs on this album than I would have thought.
Decent guitar solos and cracking debut album. However found 1984 more interesting when we had that and this didn’t blow me away
Good rock band. Good music Miss Eddie, greatest guitarist that ever lived. R.I.P.
Eddie play guitar good. That's it. That's the album. 'Eruption' is a perfect opener and tone-setter for this type of music, so it makes total sense that it's *checks notes* the second track on the album. Also, I really like the Kinks and really dislike 'You Really Got Me' - super duper.
The fact that Van Halen decided that “Eruption” wouldn’t be the album opener should act as a warning that this might not be among the greatest rock debuts, as it if often called. I’ve read people argue that it would otherwise sell the album as an Eddie-one-man show - but why, oh why, is the rest of the album when just an explosion of Eddie playing great guitar with some guys playing instruments alongside him? I don’t actually hate it, as you would probably think from reading the above - it’s quite good, considering the genre.
1. Deal With The Devil - it's okay. 2. Eruption - it's an almost 2 minute guitar solo. good stuff, very impressive. 3. You Really Got Me - like it. Good cover 4. Ain't Talkin Bout Love - decent 5. I'm the One - the descending part is cool as well as the chugging bass guitar 6. Jamie's Cryin' - it's alright 7. Atomic Punk - I like the title. Song was alright; the high notes were cool. 8. Feel Your Love Tonight - hmm it was okay. Maybe give another listen? 9. Little Dreamer - pretty good 10. Ice Cream Man - another cover. The acoustic first third of the song was a nice change of pace and refreshing to hear so late in a very guitar-driven album. Pretty good 11. On Fire - going out with a bit of a bang. This was decent
GRAH. OOG BOOG. EERGY WEERGY. GROBBLE.
Hello Reveiwthony Halentano here. The internets busiest music nerd. It’s time for a review on the brand new LP from the eclectic rock band Van Halen. Sparing guitar riffs really carried this project. I was a bit annoyed by the repetitive background singing. Would be a treat to see them live. Feeling a strong 6 to light 5 on this one. Transition
rad. some bangers on here, but overall sounds pretty generic. Think their other albums are probably better
3.5 not bad but I don't know if it's super inventive.
6/10
Just your basic, solid, hard rocker.
I remember loving this album when it was released. It doesn’t quite hold up, sounds a bit dated. It does have a lot great guitar riffs by Eddie Van Halen. David Lee Roth has a definite swashbuckling attitude to his singing which is still enjoyable. It caught my attention that this album has a bright, crisp, and tight feel to it, much like Boston’s debut album. I wonder if Boston had a conscious influence on Van Halen.
3,5
It was fine, I guess
picit egyhangu volt egy ido utan, meg kell egy vibe h ezt hallgassam de amugy fullos
3.3 2x catch up 4/18
Entretenido y rockerón, pero ya lo sentí medio viejito.
Then sortens metal jag har svårast för, men här finns några bangers och stundtals fantastiska gitarrer. Trea plus.
Pretty good! This feels like quality hair metal (if that's the right genre) 7 out of 10
Eddy is a pretty good guitar player. I like that most of these songs have a really fast tempo, really amps you up Not bad overall.
The pterodactyl is strong in this one. 6/10
Massively influential, charismatic, and explosive. It's not music that personally moves me, but it's fun and I understand why people like it.
Alright
Great album although dated now.
1. devil - 2.5 2. eruption - 1.5 3. me - 1.5 4. love - 2 5. one - 1.5 6. crying - 2 7. atomic - 1.5 8. tonight - 2 9. dreamer - 1.5 10. ice cream - 1.5 11. fire - 1
I don't know, this just wasn't very captivating to me 5/10
I really like the guitar, the instrumentation is pretty cool and I see how it has impacted so many musicians after. I would try to copy this if i was in the 70s. It would have been game changing to me. I don't really like the vocals, they just kinda feel like they're for me. Not bad just kinda fine
I dont like this album. Its not the type of music i like. I wouldnt listen to this. I wouldnt recommend this to people.
I got into like rock music because of my brother so I like listening to the instrumental. I think its a good album I really like it. The lyrics are good aswell but I don't pay much attention to them because of the instrumentals. I would recommend this album to a rock lover, its a really cool album.
I like this album because I enjoy the upbeat melody. The lyrics are not my favorite, but the figurative language is clever.
Have you ever wanted to listen to rock music? Then this song is perfect for you. In my opinion, I don't like this album because I don't like rock music. Another reason why I don't like this album is because I don't like the voice of the singer and how the instruments sound. I would not recommend this to someone else because I don't like it and I feel like someone else would also not like it. I would give this a solid 3 stars out of 5.
Honestly liked this much more than anticipated. Some good songs
Pretty interesting some of the riffs and very recognisable songs
I remember this album blowing my socks off when I was about 12 learning the guitar for the first time. Listening to eruption blew my mind and still does to this day
Some great guitar, although the string tapping thing does get a bit boring. Sing in is really cheesy, but I can get past it on some songs. Favourite song: Jamie’s crying’. Overall around 6/10
Guitar hero vibes Rating:6
a bit back i saw a tweet calling Black Sabbath impressive given the fact that its frontman is and always has been barely sapient. personally, i find it incredibly funny to consider Ozzy Osbourne a type of kobold who would be happiest sorting moss in a cave if he and a guy missing part of his finger hadn't invented heavy metal. in this sense, i consider Eddie Van Halen to be the opposite: someone too smart and talented for their own good inventing the 1980's with insane, Mozart-like talent despite not being able to read music. he didn't invent tapping, but he did it well enough to name it "tapping" in the first place, and i think that's basically enough to drive someone who's just a cut under him crazy. the rest of the band is making good time catching up to Eddie, but they're still not gonna win the race. he's basically a lap ahead of them at all times, cylinders blazing. of course, that doesn't mean that Van Halen is entirely my cup of tea. they did pretty much invent what glam metal was gonna sound like until its death, and i feel like that sort of colors the whole thing an unfortunate shade of stupid. still, i can't blame Van Halen for that -- i blame the wannabes for running the sound into the ground. you can pick out any of the Def Leppards or Guns N Roses and find the DNA, but none of them are smart enough to put the world's then-most technical and insane solo right before a cover of the prototypical "song so easy to come up with you could write it by accident if you've never played a guitar before" track.
First album of the 1001 that is rock, that was fun. In my opinion, the album decreased in goodness with every proceeding song… I wasn’t expecting a kinks cover (kinks did it better)…
Even though it’s not my type of music, I still enjoyed it.
3.4/5
the well established radio songs on this album were of course great and lots of fun to listen to, can only imagine how innovative the instrumental work was at the time. Most of the other songs are pretty rough lyrically but I had to kind of laugh at the performative swagger. Rating: 2.5
Van Halen is the 80's answer to the question Hendix asked in the 70's. Great rocker for my Monday drive time
I didn’t mind this, especially in the beginning. Not my thing but I can understand why it’s on here.
The double-tracked backup singers on this album is so cute. It's not rock n roll though, imo. Listening to Eruption, I was reminded of when Michael J Fox rips off a shred in Back to the Future and says "oh i guess you won't be ready for that for another 20 years". Well I'm still not ready for it 40 years later, unimpressed. 3.5/5 rounded down to 3. Somehow 35 min was too long. I did like On Fire, which funny enough is the lowest listened to song on the album on spotify
Eddie is awesome and some of the songs are classic. Some of the songs are just hair though. 3.34
Not bad, just nothing exciting
Some truly remarkable guitar, but overall not my cup of tea
I can see how this album is the basis of hair metal.
On paper, this should be absolutely perfect for me. Virtuoso guitar playing? Check. ’80s rock swagger? Check. Arena-sized confidence and riffs for days? Absolutely. And to be clear, I do like it. I just don’t quite love it. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar work is, of course, phenomenal. The technical brilliance is obvious, but it never feels sterile. There’s flair, imagination, and a sense that he’s genuinely enjoying himself. The rhythm section of Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen is equally impressive—tight, punchy, and full of drive. The whole album moves with real momentum. Where it falters slightly for me is David Lee Roth. I don’t dislike him. He has undeniable charisma and a cheeky, mischievous charm in his delivery. But I often find myself thinking he’s more fun than he is good. When I enjoy his solo work, it’s usually because the songs themselves are strong, rather than because I’m blown away by his vocal performance. That same dynamic is at play here. It’s a great debut, packed with energy and musicianship, but it never quite tips over into something I personally adore. Standout Song: Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love Score: 3/5
Heard this before. I certainly appreciate some Southern California rock representation. And this is the album that introduced the world to Eddie Van Halen, whose guitar virtuosity appears throughout the album. But a lot of these songs don't really hold up and overall this is just a average effort by a rock band. One thing I did come away appreciating more was their background vocals which really are sneaky good. I think you have to put at least one Van Halen album on this list, but I'll have to think about whether this was the one.
I see why people like it, but its not my particular taste. I like You Really Got Me and Ain't Talkin' Bout Love. Ice Cream Man made me uncomortable.
Van Halen doesn’t do much for me. Eddie Van Halen is undeniably one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time, but the songs are just kinda dull. It wasn’t a bad listening experience and I do like some of the songs, but Van Halen fans practically cream their pants talking about how awesome and cool they are, and they’re just ok.
3.5
Fine, radio music
Favorite Tracks: "You Really Got Me", "Jamie's Cryin'", "Ain't Talkin' About Love", "I'm The One", "Little Dreamer", "Ice Cream Man"
Not my thing but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would... which wasn't allot
Good stuff. Not what I’d usually choose to listen to, but certainly not my least favorite classic rock album I’ve heard.
3.3 stars rounded down. The singles are technically great but the album also sounds dirt baggy and somewhat date rapey. Very 80s in a bad way.
My sister dragged me to see them in 1986 or so, Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, and it was one of the best show I’ve ever seen. Great musicianship and energy, really gave thenfans their money’s worth. Having said all that I’ve never been a big fan of their records. This is fun for a debut with Eddie’s guitar work and a great cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” earning this a solid 3.
I assume everyone has heard five of the first six songs? I like “ain’t talkin bout love.” And then the other songs were fine. Oh, wait, “little dreamer” I like more than the rest of side two. Two songs to the playlist.
Eddie Van Halens guitar sound and style was so unique to this era and really made Van Halen pioneer their newly created genre, ‘glam metal’ It’s a pretty awesome debut album. I enjoy Van Halen it in bits and pieces, but a whole album is a bit much for me.
I'm not a big fan of arena rock or guitar shredding but this album rocked and I enjoyed it. It wasn't until this listen that I made the connection between "Jamie's Crying" and Tone Loc's "Wild Thing".
High energy, intricate, a lot going on. Definitely identify a lot of 80s rock taking their lead from this
Strong, classic album To me, somewhat unremarkable, I'm not a listener of hard rock and often can't meaningfully distinguish tracks
Better than expected but still too much meedly mee for me
6.5/10 Another one in the zone of metal I like. Fun, well played, excellent guitar Mostly good songwriting & vocals Didn’t like all of it, and probably outstayed its welcome even at 35 minutes Best: ain’t talkin bout love
It works as a showcase for EVH's obvious guitar virtuosity, but late 70s to mid 80s cheese rock is just not something I enjoy listening to.
Terribly uninteresting, not a fan of the vocals, and Ice Cream Man creeps me out. Still pretty epic at times. Leaning toward a ~4.5/10, rounded up to 3 stars.
Not really much to say about this van halen album that I didn't say about the last one, it's over the top 80s hair metal (ahead of the curve being released in the 70s) with better guitar than the others in the genre. I think EVH invented tapping and would hide his guitar when playing eruption? Read that some here once. I don't think any particular songs stood out but it was generally okay.
More entertaining overall than 1984 - not a fan of the cover of You Really Got Me, but Eruption and Jamie's Cryin' were excellent. A really fun record, nice and snappy. Not enough riffs for me though, outside of Eruption, I think they lean into that more later on. Good stuff, nice and average.
Thought this was considerably better than their last offering we had. Less cheesy. Not sure I'm a van halen convert yet but better then I was expecting
Toller Rock.
I don't really enjoy it, but somehow it's still good. The talent and energy are excellent but just doesn't come together into something I enjoy.
Interessant!
Loses a point for being a smidge too pervy. 3/5
Fun
Fav: Jamie’s Cryin Least Fav: You Really Got Me It was alright I guess
I enjoyed this one less than I expected (based on the name recognition). Might be partly because the technical proficiency with the guitar mostly goes over my head. Favorite track was "You Really Got Me" but that's just a cover so it only awards partial credit. "Eruption" is fun. "Runnin' with the Devil" is alright.
норм, но специально бы слушать не стал. подойдет для посиделок в баре.
its cool but I dont see myself going back to this album
nice
Pretty unimpeachable debut and guitar sound.
Man, EVH was a monster guitar player...
A lot of these songs are basically the same song, but slightly different lyrics? Still decent, at least for the melody.
Has something going for it and I see its place but it is just trying a little too hard to rock. Wouldn't complain to hear it again but won't seek out
This is quite enjoyable, although I have nothing with Van Halen.
Up and down for me. Some of it felt like very overproduced stadium rock, others felt like timeless music
Not really my kind of music but this was surprisingly bearable.
This is a fun album to have playing in the background when you are playing cards and drinking beers with your buddies. The hits are great, the others songs are fine. Eddie Van Halen was an amazing guitarist.
Van Halen are serious musicians but not serious songwriters. Eruption is parity at this point but for 1978 was undeniably RAD. Saturday Night Fever was 1977.... Runnin' with the Devil and Jamie's Cryin' are "B" songs and I think the comparison with average Aerosmith songs is a fair one. Ultimately VH is best experienced as a single song turned ALL THE WAY up or a best hits album...they don't have a single end-to-end good album. Note: The drummer in me knows that Alex Van Halen is criminally underrated and is a Top 20 rock drummer (Hot for teacher not on this album but is one of the more inventive and musical drum parts for a rock song).
Me gusto hartobastantefull. Pensé que iba a ser mucho más metal o algo así, pero definitivamente no se debe juzgar al álbum por la portada nomás. Es una combinación entre the police y dire straits. Mis favoritas: "You really got me", "Feel your love tonight" (que metí en mi playlist del amor después del amor) y "Ice cream man".
Divertido, aunque un poco monótono. Nada del otro mundo.
I'm not a hard rock listener but a lot of tracks were great. Second half kind of boring but I feel like people take listening to this too seriously. I liked it and I might change my rating after a few re-listens.
It's kind of crazy how many songs are on this 35 minute album. Erruption absolutely rips, but unfortunately I care a lot less about the songs where they're singing. They're probably also better live/thru speakers that aren't a laptop. If Mr Lee Roth was a woman I honestly might like this album more also but I guess that's a me problem.
Nuevamente toca escuchar por primera vez el disco de un artista/banda que sólo ubico por su nombre y alguna que otra contribución con otro músico. Sonidos ochentosos, hardrockeros, con voces que me recuerdan a las de Iron Maiden, casualmente en la misma época en que el punk y todas sus vertientes nacían. No es un sonido que particularmente me vuelva loco: me es demasiado luminoso y hasta un poco naif. No tengo mucho más para agregar. Hasta la semana que viene.
Very good, not what I would listen to but good listen. Not my type
Impressive but not my thing
I expected some iconic guitar solos but I did not expect the harmonies on Feel Your Love Tonight! Maybe not the most cohesive but I like the songs and even the cover of The Kinks
I'm saving the 4's in case Diver Down or Fair Warning show up on this list. Would do 3 1/2 if possible. But cant go 4 on this one
It’s an alright album. A bit too short for a rock record. I liked Van Halen ‘s guitar work. But I’ve already listened to many albums like this. If I had listened to it earlier, I would’ve enjoyed it more. 3 stars for “Self Titled”.
I'd probably like it more if I wasn't sick of 70s/80s rock at this point.
there are some classics on here
Not exactly in my wheelhouse but a good time nonetheless.
Too much cocaine 3.3
I only knew Van Halen from their 80s hair metal era, so this album was a pleasant surprise. There are interesting parallels between this and Iron Maiden’s first album, with both having a punk edge, but this album also includes blues and even some vocal scatting on one track. The highlight is probably the showboating guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen on Eruption that segues into a cheeky cover of The Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’. Good fun all round.
I was ready to hate it, but it's not that bad. Oh sure, Eddy was already a neck wanker in these early days, but it's still pretty raw on the edges and fun(nier) to listen to.
This was my first time listening to a Van Halen album - but I knew a lot of these songs already from the culture. High energy glam metal with some classic Van Halen shredding - no surprises here.
1/2
A classic.
Yeah the guitar is great. BUT. It is over produced poodle permed cock rock with some lazy filling. Good but not great.
Familiar sounds. Mostly good.
Cool guitar noise from some very talented guitarists. HOWEVER, I can’t help but find music a bit dull when everything is so full on all the time. It’s almost like it all blurs together and becomes less impactful as a result. I might be talking nonsense, but it just didn’t wow me somehow.
Hair metal is cringe.
It's Van Halen and they are a very distinct sound, but it's just not the type of rock or sound that caters to my ears. They slay, and have a ton of energy, but it's just not the most pleasant thing to listen to. I appreciate what they've done for music, and they have good moments, it's just not music that's for me.
Enjoyable but repetitive
I don't condone guitar-jerking metal, but this actually starts pretty strong although it becomes more and more cringe, and, the lows of hair metal should be noted as Van Halen's fault.
Okay, in a way.
Considering this is Van Halen’s debut album that kicked off their whole monumental career, the importance of this album can hardly be overlooked. It’s some great first steps that started the band on their way to superstar status. That being said, I feel that there’s only a few standout songs with the rest having that iconic Van Halen sound but lacking that pedal-to-the-metal energy to make them truly special. Outstanding debut, but unrealized compared to some of their other material.
Highlights: Eruption Atomic Punk It's hard to think about Van Halen impartially. On the one hand, they are held up up as unimpeachable Gods of rock and roll. On the other hand, I have heard so much of their music, so often against my will, that their sound is cliche. I had never given any VH album a full listen, probably because of their omnipresence, so this was the first time hearing some of the deep cuts. The solos rip, but the album becomes a bit of a slog, especially the back half. Not as bad as I feared, not as good as I hoped.
I’m pretty sure Jamie’s Cryin’ because David Lee Roth told her she was “semi-good lookin’” in “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”.
It's alright, I'm just not a huge fan. I tend to like rock, but little stood out to me here. The later part I enjoyed a lot more with Feel Your Love & Ice Cream Man. I really enjoyed Ice Cream Man; it started out sounding almost like a country song, before transitioning into something closer to Elvis's Rock'n'roll. Also lol at Eruption being a 1:42 guitar solo, and that's the whole song. Took me longer to catch on than I realized Favs: Ice Cream Man, Feel Your Love Tonight
I think someone here said that listening to AC/DC is like eating a bar of chocolate. It's the same through the way, but it's chocolate so it's very enjoyable. I have the same thoughts about this album. Although this chocolate is "only" good and you know there are better chocolates on the shelf nearby. 3.5/5.
Love the lead guitar on this album, but I have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
Not a fan of Van Halen, though I get the impact this album had.
Done
High energy guitar driven rock, it's pretty fun and up my alley. But gets a bit samey as you listen through the album. None of the songs are particular standouts for me
Great guitarist, obviously. But quite middle-of-the-road as a rock album. It might just be dated now, but I didn't find anything particularly special about it. Would probably listen again if I was in the mood
It was fun to listen to that all the way through, I honestly don't recall hearing it from end end since the early 80s.
Basta rock basta basta basta che due palle. Alla fine non ho nessuna critica sennonché il rock dell’epoca è tutto uguale. Non c’è nulla che sia eccitante, nemmeno sto “incredibile” assolo di chitarra
bello, bellissimo. ma è il solito album rock/metal anni 70/80, e per quanto riconosca i Van Halen e la loro importanza, purtroppo non mi ha appassionato così tanto.
Was hoping I'd like this more than I did. Their aesthetic just doesn't work for me. "Jamie's Cryin" and "Little Dreamer" were the only songs that made me listen a bit longer.
Didn't manage to listen properly but what I did hear I enjoyed
yeah its pretty good
Running with the Devil, Little Dreamer and Ice Cream Man are pretty definitive sounds of what Van Halen pioneered for the rock sound of the late 70’s early 80’s. Fun listen, probably won’t relisten often, given it’s not much of an album. 3/5!
Ascoltato il 5-SET-2024, buon album, non incontra il mio gusto al 100%.
at times mundane, at times brilliant
The best songs are really good but side two is weak in my opinion so 3 stars or C+ is my rating.
Not my vibe. They’re talented but I’m not really into the 80s rock scene
Another one from the meant for entertainment self- indulgent machismo rock list. Nonetheless, the musical content is surprisingly cool, performance and execution are convincing. The rating is more about it's cultural context and "meaning.
I should like van halen - a talented front man, some amazing guitar work but it just feels like the single influence on 80’s hair metal and the US bands that made the genre a joke. Some decent songs but not enough for me to listen again.
Classic, short, a little repetitive but definitely an album with perspective
Classic rock.
Classic.
Great shredding, but the muted screaming vocals found in a lot of 70's rock has never been for me.
Tyckte inte om albumet så mycket. Inte jobbigt men inte heller njutbart att lyssna till gitarrsolona. Kände bara igen ”You Really Got Me”. Tyckte om energin i vissa av låtarna. Ett flertal upprepningar av samma text vilket inte är så kul. 3/5.
Honestly better than I was expecting. The guitar solo on Eruption is CRAZY. This kind of rock isn’t usually my vibe but it’s solid.
Ok
not for me
Pretty decent rock record. Really starts off strong the first half and slowly tapers as a lot of these kind of rock records can for me. Definitely crazy this was a late 70's record as I really associate this band with the 80's. The guitar playing was definitely ahead of it's time to usher in that hair metal sound. Great playing obviously from eddie but from the whole group. Some bits of Queen inspiration with the harmonies, great technical playing. David Lee Roth is an unforgettable frontman as well vocally.
These glam metal albums aren't really the type of thing I'm into but I can appreciate and enjoy them, which I did this one. I probably won't ever listen to it again, but I liked the whole thing.
El sonido de este primer disco de Van Halen, lanzado en 1978, iba a marcar la línea que seguiría el rock & roll en la siguiente década y parte de los 90. Sin artificios, en él destaca la forma de atacar la guitarra de Eddie Van Halen. Son 11 temas enérgicos diseñados para levantar al público, de ahí la inclusión de una versión sobresaliente del "You Really Got Me" de los Kinks. El disco abre con "Runnin' with the Devil" y un riff de guitarra fantástico en el que Van Halen describe la emoción por vivir al límite la vida sin pensar en las consecuencias ("corriendo con el diablo"). También me gusta la visión amarga del amor contenida en "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", el ritmo desenfrenado de "I'm the One" o todo un himno rockero, "Jamie's Cryin'", sobre la angustia emocional del protagonista abatido por le desamor y el rechazo. Mención aparte en mi opinión merece la empoderante "Atomic Punk", un temazo que nos habla de libertad y rebeldía.
surprisingly liked this. didn’t love it. but i was very pleasantly surprised.
It was alright I suppose, a two would be harsh. Does feel like other bands (Led Zep etc) do this kind of thing much better though. Simpsons: Yes
was ok. I liked the album's first half, especially the cover of You Really Got Me. The second half let it down slightly
Bueno, pero si no me lo sugieren jamás lo oigo.
Van Halen's self-titled debut album is a high-octane showcase of rock prowess, clearly highlighting the band's exceptional talent. With Eddie Van Halen's groundbreaking guitar work at the forefront, the album presents a series of tight, well-executed tracks that capture the essence of late 1970s rock. The chemistry between the band members is palpable, creating a sound that is both energetic and polished. While the album has its moments of brilliance, such as the iconic riffs in Eruption and the infectious energy of "You Really Got Me," it remains very much a product of its time. Some tracks are undeniably impressive and demonstrate sparks of genius, particularly in Eddie's innovative guitar solos. However, not every song reaches these heights; the rest of the album is solid but falls into the category of competent, if somewhat conventional, rock. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Ice Cream Man
This was actually much more fun and skillfully made than I was expecting - and aside from “Ice Cream Man,” never really annoying. Fairly or not, though, I’m finding it hard to justify more than a 3.
Brought back the 80’s for sure!
It's so good! It's like a greatest hits album! Very strong 3.
I can see why it’s great, I just personally didn’t enjoy it too much
Too much 80s cock rock on this list. This is better than some of the others though
don't like the singing, this album got me into guitars, specifically Eruption big surprise. Memorable songs that I don't ever choose to listen to
Least favorite song - Im the One Favorite song - Jamies Cryin
Sure !
Yeah yeah, I get it. You’re van halen. 🤘
quintessential dad rock!
Fun, quick and energetic! Now this is easy listening
Van Halen is super fun and I am especially partial to this early era of theirs... never been my fav band but its fun... kinda perfect watching hockey in the garage music
Very enjoyable, but another that didn't blow me away. Favourite track: Ain't Talking 'Bout Love.
Can't deny the guitar. I'm sure the sounds were crazy back then. Not my thing.
Classique
Some great tracks here (aint talking about love, you really got me) but I was overall pretty meh about this album
Sure - classic 1970s rock can't be wrong. I especially liked "Jamie's Cryin'," which I hadn't heard before.
If the song "Ice Cream Man" didn't exist this album may have gotten another star
Eruption
Not a huge Van Halen fan but this album has a lot of classic hits.
Surprisingly enjoyed this album. Impressive for their debut, how they developed a distinct sound for themselves. I think the Ice Cream Man would be my favorite track, but I also enjoyed the opener and “Jamie’s Cryin.’”
A decent heavy rock record, and a Kinks cover is always a good touch
goofier and more fun than i anticipated. not keen on the kinks cover, however. ⚡🎸👩🏻🎸🔌 highlights: i'm the one. see also: chicago, freaks and geeks (1999).
rip eddie
is ok
I’m not a big Van Halen fan
I was never a huge Van Halen fan, but I appreciate some of the hits on this release.
under-hated album
Not really my type of music but it was cool 🤘
Great guitar as expected!! Bassist killing it too. Easy background music and awesome to focus on too.
Another impressive debut album on this list. The guitars are absolutely shredding and redefined the sound of rock and roll. The vocals are certainly charismatic. The album is concise and maintains a satisfyingly steady pace without major lulls. There's really nothing bad to say about 'Van Halen'. It's a staple of any hard rock collection. Personally though, I'd have to be in the mood. I really respect their accomplishments here but it's hard not to hear them as a parody of themselves at times. But that's unfair because I recognize that they're great.
It's fine. I understand the appeal and the innovation, but I've never really enjoyed Van Halen, and this time was no different. I think part of it is that I really don't like Dave as a singer. EVH is amazing technically, but it seems kind of lifeless to me. No soul. No emotion. Just really fast playing.
Clasique
It's rock and it's okay
Kitaraahan tässä soitetaan jossain kai.
Great guitars. But no emotion and the songs sounds the same.
Can't seem to decide if it wants to be Glam Rock or Hard Rock (Screamy parts and guitar aerobics).
Van Halen's got some solid replayability and this album shows it. Nothing mindblowing, but some solid tracks I'll come back to. And this album cover goes ballistic. So simple yet extremely effective
64/100
First of 1001! I wouldn't turn it off if it was in the background, but I found it difficult to just listen to. Except Eruption and \"I'm the one\" - they made me put my phone down.
Some of the songs in the second half are a bit ropey but it’s a good album
I feel like the one thing this album is lacking is some song diversity. The opening three tracks are incredible, and then the rest of the album doesn't really go anywhere else or explore any other musical ideas. Every song being the same length and same tempo unfortunately makes them all start to blend together; when everything tries to punch, nothing really does. Top tracks: Runnin' With the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me
The definition of “not for me”
running with the devil rieeese gitarre intro. tone isch huere geil. song cool. sehr roooock aber au wegwiisend glaub. eruption isch de tap stuff, cool i guess. you really got me hani nöd gwüsst dass das ufgnoh hend aber macht sinn. sehr en früene reelativ herte song. sint talkin bout love isch cool i guess. im the one isch huere schnell mega hogh energy i like jamies crying ischmer no recht nogloffe atomic punk isch echt zimli punk mit heeertem eddie solo. feel ypur love tonight chli rapey text? nöd sooo cool. little dreamer no cool mit de bgvs und s solo slappt. on fire isch wieder afoch roooock aber de bass im refrain isch huere nice. guets album, sehr sehr guete rock und glaubega wegwiisend aber cha jetz nöd hebaupte dases mir soo fest gfalle hetti zum es vieri geh
Not bad but not great, my favorites were “Runnin’ with the Devil” and “Jamie’s Cryin’.”
Not sure why I was expecting hard metal. But this was pretty approachable rock. Surprisingly enjoyed. Wouldn't have guessed there would be some doo wop too. Favourites: Ain't talkin bout love, Feel your love tonight
I want to like this more than I actually do. The guys are clearly immensely talented, but the end product ends up a bit over the top, and mostly just playing all of the notes all of the time.
It's good, but I'm sure it was better when it was new. Favorite song: ain't talkin' 'bout love
Good album
This style of rock just always feels like a bunch of dudes who are super obsessed with sex in the least sexy way possible. Still, catchy at times.
Not the biggest fan of hard rock but this was good
I needed a bit of rock today. Apart from a rotten Kinks cover, not a bad attitude.
5/10
cool
#209. Eddie Van Halen is a fantastic guitarist but Van Halen as a band is annoying, and D̶r̶. R̶o̶c̶k̶z̶o̶, t̶h̶e̶ r̶o̶c̶k̶ a̶n̶d̶ r̶o̶l̶l̶ c̶l̶o̶w̶n̶ David Lee Roth is just terrible. I've always had a dislike for this band, and a disdain for their popularity, and listening to it one more time didn't really sway me. I'm going to give this a three instead of a two for at least not being the album that Jump and Hot for Teacher are on. 3/5: really, Eruption saves this otherwise intolerable album.
this goes so hard
Wild how Eddie Van Halen seems fully in control of powers already on this album. Some cool stuff. David Lee Roth seems not quite as magnetic here. Compared to later stuff where you appreciate what he's doing this seems a little sedate from him. Guitar solos lined the music of my youth, and i appreciate how much points to this. EVH
To be honest, I've always thought Van Halen is the only one who did glam metal interesting with his atmospheric, virtuous, powerful guitars. But listening to this made me realize that they took themselves a bit too seriously, and this is a big move against glam metal's just-have-fun aesthetics. Of course it's not their fault I labeled them glam metal. Genres are funny. But I guess we can all agree that it is definitely a powerful guitar-driven album, despite being a bit uninteresting and "glammy".
Some classics but mostly not for me.
Firat heard this in the mid 80's as a teenager. Running with the devill and eruption really resonated with me then and still do today. Apart from a couple of songs this could be a greatest hits album👍👍
Few decent tracks to bang my head too
Un peu violent pour moi mais clairement intéressant à écouter et envrai pas mal
Interesting... this is quite a niche album for sure. Only heard some of mr. Van Halen's guitar solos before, and I guess this is pretty much what I should have expected an album of that to be. I am not a big fan of this frankly. It feels very over the top in a sense that I don't like. 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' is a cool song, and it's cool what he does with the guitar, but it just doesn't speak to me. Still, I think this could definitely be in some peoples' taste, especially if you like power guitars and glam rock. I'll give it a weak 3 for 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' and for recognizing his influence on guitar playing.
I have a love/hate relationship to Van Halen. I really like old school metal and this is pretty close to that. However it also feels like the fratboy version of it. Where it was watered down and made more commercial and poppy. Not in a hipster gatekeeping way, more that i prefer my metal to be nerdy with devils and dragons and less about sexy women?! I dunno. Anyway this was closer to what i prefer as this is clearly inspired by heavy/rock metal. Running with the devil is a good track. But for every good heavy rock/ judas priest-esque (is that a word) track like "I'm the one", "Running with the devil", there is a more poppy track i do not like as much ("Feel Your Love Tonight", the "You really got me" cover etc.) Going to settle for a 3, it just made me want to listen to some Rainbow, Dio and Judas Priest.
Eddie må vara en grym gitarrist.. Aldrig varit ett superfan av Van Halen och denna gitarrtunga pop/glam rock.
Probably responsible for a lot of terrible hair bands to come but still cool and innovative. Ice cream man is the best song off the album.
Cock rock
should probably listen to again