Reviews (page 13 of 15)
The platonic ideal of an album cover. And the content lives up to it! I think I've always enjoyed VH so much because I get the feeling they are in it more for the lols than the satan worship, if you know what I mean.
When David said “baba, shooby doo wa,” I really felt that. This album is as equally hilarious as it is legitimately great. I’m not even ashamed to say it… 35 minutes that are jam-packed with pure energy.
Bom.
Hadn't listened since high school, had way more fun than I expected! I actually heard this version before the Kinks version of You Really Got Me. Eruption is still great, especially knowing that people didnt know how he did it for a while. This almost got to 5 from me, especially in contrast to Toys in the Attic.
You Really Got Me is fun, the rest is whatever.
Probably their best album. EVH is just a fantastic guitarist as demonstrated by Eruption. Good hard rock with surprisingly strong harmony vocals.
This is everything I wish the Aerosmith album was. It was unique, interesting, melodic, and rocked hard. Eddie Van Halen’s playing is simply phenomenal and the songs Stratton perfectly between pop and hard rock for me. Running with the Devil is a fantastic opening track and Eruption is 1 of 1. The exceptional Kinks cover doesn’t hurt either.
More Van Halen! Just had 1984 a couple days ago. This one is going to get 4 stars as well. Great stuff!
Pre-listening thoughts: I know very little about Van Halen (I know, sue me!). I know Eddie Van Halen is one of the most revered guitar players of all time, and for that alone, I am excited to dive into this record. Of course, I know Jump, but I also know that is an outlier in their sound/discography. I expect this to be pretty heavy rock, which can definitely be a hit or miss for me. We shall see! Post/during listening thoughts: This is the kind of music that just fills your ears in a good way. Very sonically balanced. I have definitely heard Runnin' with the Devil before (thanks dad rock radio stations). God damn ok NOW I understand why everyone kisses the ground that Eddie Van Halen walks on. This shit is crazy bro. Eruption is literally just him lol. THE TRANSITION INTO YOU REALLY GOT ME!! Oh I know this song too! The screaming is not overpowering (like it's not the whole song) so it's like an accent or a seasoning instead of the main course in their songs. LOVE the baba shoobedowa section in I'm the One. Giving very Tarzan animals at the camp. I think I understand Van Halen's general sound after this record. Love the change of sound for Ice Cream Man!! So cute and effectively breaks up the album. I did not dislike any songs on this album - really impressed overall! 8/10 EDDIE VAN HALEN DIED??!!! how did i miss that. my god rip to a legend. Top tracks: Eruption, You Really Got Me, I'm the One, Feel Your Love Tonight, Ice Cream Man
Its the perfect depiction of 80s metal.
This is certainly on the list of best debut albums. Such a unique guitar sound. Great, fun songs with a little edge and a little humor. Eddie was a master on the guitar. As unique as Jimi was in his time (also a top debut album btw). Thoroughly enjoyed this. Eruption/You Really Got Me is an all time classic paring. And I have always loved Ice Cream Man with the acoustic to electric transition.
Not often a debut has such a legitimate claim to being the top album of the decade, let alone the year. VH has many good songs, but the consistency of the run of classics gathered here is hard to grasp. Definitely an album that changed music forever.
At the time, I really liked this album, but I was a only 15, so what did I know. It hasn't aged well, but still has some highlights. But guitar solos bore me now.
faktiskt inte så dåligt, alla låtar var ok
3.5
good, not my taste
This album really starts off with a bang, and take a steep dive after "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love"
I think it's an okay album, but still I thought it lacked a bit.
Probably Van Halen's best. Great songs, great energy and a great musical delivery.
the only reason people compare GVF’s first record to this band so much is because of the guitar
Try again?
As much as I've enjoyed Van Halen for nearly all of my life, I've never listened to all of their debut album. I adore Eddie's guitar playing, and I can't imagine what it must have been like for people to experience him for the first time when this album came out. His talent is on full display on this album, showcasing his skills at fast-as-lightning strumming and tapping on "Eruption" to the loud and heavy distortion of "Jamie's Crying." The rest of the band is at a peak level too; Alex's drum playing is tight but doesn't take away from Eddie, and Michael Anthony's bass compliments his brother perfectly. And who could forget David Lee Roth? Fully embracing his usual cheesy bravado, David Lee Roth cements himself as one of the most memorable frontmen in rock, hitting his peak on the poorly aged "Ice Cream Man." The songs here are all uniquely memorable, but the guitar playing upstages all other aspects of the album. Granted, I can't think of another band that seemed to be having this much fun playing hard rock. This was a great album, and its influence would be felt throughout the eighties and beyond.
I lost all my notes again! I had such a good thing about shredding and how Eddie Van Halen's guitar styling was foundational to thrash metal. It was so good, I wish you could read it. Oh well. Great A side, good B side.
Headline is, this is not my thing at all. I don't particularly like showy guitar for the most part. Certainly have no interest in a song like Eruption. Finger tapping etc just doesnt register with me. There was a moment in one of the songs that had a bit of Doo-wap, which was interesting. Odd that there was a Kinks cover on the album. I don't think i will ever listen to even a track from this album, but its not bad, it is just not my thing. Between a 1 and a 2. A one might be too harsh, but i'll see how i feel in the morning
3/11, 27%
The album opens with " live my life like there's no tomorrow And all I've got, I had to steal" My mind keeps substituting in borrow because it rhymes. --- With the exception of eruption this is a shallow, dull, lifeless self indulgent along of an album.
Wellicht heb ik ook niet een volledige poging gewaagd, maar ik kwam er niet in.
A real revolutionary album, one who launched thousands of copy cats. But no one did it quite like Eddie Van Halen on the guitar. Eruption remains still one of the most insane and groundbreaking instrumental guitar solos ever put down on wax. All killer no filler on this album, it is just great track after great track. besides obvious great songs like Runnin' With The Devil, Ain't Talkin' bout Love and Atomic Punk. I've always really loved the track Little Dreamer, just a fantastic song.
Van Halen always is good
It's not just that this became the perfect album for getting hammered in parking lots, although that's clearly a benefit. It contains the most impressive free standing guitar solo...ever? Yeah, ever. Argue about that if you must, but one thing is inarguable: There's never been a rock band quite like Van Halen. Especially this version of Van Halen. The only group that made sense to have David Lee Roth as a front man, so much so that the idea of anyone else fronting the band felt sacrilegious to many of us. A band that countless others tried to imitate but couldn't even come close, probably because the drummer and especially the guitarist were classically trained virtuosos. And it all started here. The '70's are my favorite musical decade for many reasons. One is for how many insanely great debut albums were released in the decade. And this one is truly a landmark.
Van Halen Van halen.. Kukaan ei hypi faneja eibolla ollaan kuvaajan x^2, x>0 alussa kohdassa x=0 heh... fanikäyrä fanikulaari.. yytä nollaa näyttää.. Parasta albumia tyhjälle katsomolle.. ei mene tämän paremmaksi.. debyt...
not my thing but inpressive
Unbearable!
I was thinking that I would mention in my review that you can always tell a Van Halen song, because they have a very distinct sound. But when I got to the song ‘Jamie‘s Crying’ I had to pause and wonder why an Aerosmith song was on this album. And then I realized that I was mixing it up with ‘Janie‘s got a Gun’. This is a very solid album
Over the years, I've played in a lot of rock-music configurations, and with few exceptions, the guitarists have all been devoted Van Halen fans. I was just having a conversation after a recent gig about this band, and the look the guitarist gave me when I admitted that VH was never really a favorite of mine was hilarious — he couldn't believe it. From the get-go, there was something about this band that didn't speak to me. They've got lots of elements that turn me on, but this particular brew was always adjacent to my taste. I'd put it on David Lee Roth, but even with Sammy Hagar, who I will list among the greats in rock vocals, I barely paid attention. So, my takeaway ... these guys sound remarkably confident and fully-formed for this being a debut. They had certainly solidified an identity by the time they came to record this. The harmonies... I'm envious. I would love to be in a band that could sing like this. Really excellent. And Eddie on guitar, there are still moments when this sounds impossible. "Jamie's Crying" was always one of my faves from the band — I mean, whatever my feelings about VH, I know a lot of their material — and "Running With The Devil" is one of their best. And while I'm scoring this a 4 because this really does stand alone, I would never put this on for my own listening pleasure. Whatever it is, it ain't for me. But you've got to hand it to them, this album was a game-changer.
yeah, this is a good time. i was wondering why i like this but not the later pop-metal bands like Def Leppard, Motley Crüe, Bon Jovi, etc. I guess it's that these guys don't take themselves seriously? also, i love the harmonies and the goofiness of it all. plus, they're badass musicians. Having listened to Louie Prima a few months back, that album puts a lot of this album into context, given that DLR would later cover Just a Gigolo. Or maybe I'm imagining it. But I don't think so. There's some old-school showmanship and song structure at the heart of these songs. Also, our recent listen to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and how Karen O is such an overpowering lead singer... the same is true with Mr Roth, whose personality just leaps off the vinyl. But in this case, he's got a band who can keep up with him. So this was a fun thrill ride. Got my day off to a nice start. (And other than the hits, I'd never listened to it before, so that was cool.) P.S. I've never loved Eruption. There's cool stuff going on there, but musically, it's a disjointed mess. A fun mess, I guess; but I digress.
I can dig why people love this album. I didn’t realize all the hits are on this. I appreciate Eddie’s guitar chops. But it ain’t my bag.
Excellent - strong start with "Running with the Devil" then excellent choons like "Ain't Talking Bout Love". I very much enjoyed it, although it wasn't quite banger after banger, so only four stars.
Это охренительный альбом. Он небольшой и звучит стремительно. Удивляет то, что на нем нет ни одной проходной песни: все на своих местах. Любимые: Ain't talking bout' love, Runnin with the devil, You really got me, Im the one, Jamys cryin' и конечно прекрасное соло Eruption. Также могу сказать, что это одна из тех немногих групп, где каждого участника можно назвать гением: гитара, вокал, бас и барабанны звучат интересно и создают целое полотно на 3-4 минуты, много деталей и чистый профессионализм. Этот альбом безусловно на 5+.
Screw the Johns
Really solid, hard to fault. Comparing like to like, though, AC/DC's Powerage from the same year shows it LEVELS. Bon Scott decided to take things in his OWN HANDS. Great cover of You Really Got Me
5.0 - One listener commented that back in 1978 this record sounded like it came from another planet. As a purely guitar-driven composition, “Eruption” still sounds otherworldly - possibly Eddie’s greatest achievement. There’s a sheen to this sound that foretold much of what 80’s rock would sound like, for better but mostly for worse. David Lee Roth fronts the sound impressively with a Beach-Boys-strung-out-on-Hollywood-Blvd vibe. For this moment in time, Van Halen had grabbed the world by the balls.
(sorry dad.) Obviously an album with lots of influence, my own taste strays pretty far from hard rock and so it was never really a possibility for this record to catch me off guard or anything. The guitar work is great, but is really the only thing creating a distinction between the songs. I appreciate the musicianship on this album but probably won't return to it much. Rating - 5.0 Favs - Ice Cream Man - Jamie's Crying - Runnin' With The Devil
Couple of bangers
i wish i had a dad
it was ok- nothing too remarkable. personally found it a bit aged for my interests
One of my favorite albums of all time. Instant 5/5
Love it hate it, this is one of the most influential guitar albums in history. Banger after banger. Generations and generations of guitarists memorizing songs and techniques. Honestly 8 thinks that rock music would not be the same today without this album.
Lyrics are missing as is the emotion in the delivery of the vocals Impressive solos and some nice riffs but nothing transcendal. Listening to Van Halen-inspired the Darkness is more fun Finally quite a dull listen.
Points for shredding
great listen. i didn’t know eruption like wasn’t an actual song though
Good songs: Ain’t talking bout love You really got me Atomic pink The rest is pretty meh
A few classics which I remember like running with the Devil, eruption and You really got me. I'm also surprised and very impressed how much talent all of them display on their first album. But Eddie is stealing the show on every song with that super sonic squealy guitar.
Going into this I had only negative feelings towards Van Halen and the type of hard rock they represent. But this was pretty fun. You can really hear eighties hard rock in formation here. It’s plastic and over the top but the guitar shredding also has some lasting power. Highlight was “Ain’t talkin bout love”
5 stars This is a perfect rock n roll record that begat a lot of complete crap.
Ok so this album has a lot of elements that would go into later music. Atomic punk feels like an early metal song, ice cream man has a lot of funky elements, the bass comes through very well. It definitely feels like a lot more rock than I originally assumed sprang from this album
Loved the energy on this, lots of bangers
Brilliant. 5/5
Well, I hadn't realised Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub was based on a Van Halen song. I had very little previous knowledge of the band - probably only Jump, Jamie's Cryin', and the solo on Beat It. I mean, it's okay, but I found the vocals very flat and soulless. Feel Your Love Tonight was probably my favourite.
boring pero ok lang
Classic rock album, second half gets a bit slow. Aint talkin bout love is a CLASSINC
Essence of rock
5/5 Classic, Classic Rock I grew up listening to this. Fantastic! Standouts: Runnin’ With the Devil, Jamie’s Crying, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love, Feel Your Love Tonight, You Really Got Me, Eruption, Ice Cream Man, I’m the One, Little Dreamer.
"Runnin' with the Devil" & "You Ready Got Me" are great tracks, the rest of the album is pretty solid
hairy, glittery
Eddie plays the guitar like it is a piano. Wonderdful.
It's a masterpiece through and through. What it's all about. Imagine hearing this when it came out. I would have stood on my desk and just pissed.
i thought this would seem better now but i was wrong it’s still not good
I'd say this is more of a 3.5 than a 4 for me but this proto-butt rock is still a really fun jam.
very cool
the guy on the guitar were putting their entire pussies into it
I used to listen to this album a lott but I hadn't listen to it in years now. I kinda grew out of it so I don't think I will listen to it again for a while but it still deserves a good rating. 8/10
I discovered Van Halen when I was 15 and the guitar was something different. This album get me to my adolescence
-my second van halen album!!!! -guitar is just as good as i remember -eruption is CRAZY -i HAVE heard you really got me before -they definitely are more traditional rock in this album than the other one i listened to -i’m the one is very cool -UH???? THE SHOO BE DOOP????? -was fully not expecting that at ALL -i really really like jamie’s crying, probably my favorite
Iconic!
ugh fineee mines better - - - LISTEN CONFESSIONS II - - - on all streaming platforms NOW!!
Crazy that this album is only 35 minutes long. Super tight with plenty of known songs, especially with "Runnin' with the Devil" and "Eruption". Man David Lee Roth's voice is so iconic next to Eddie's guitar, of course. Van Halen has that magical pairing of an S tier guitar player alongside an S tier frontman. 9/10.
Some of the best heavy rock ever made.the first half of this album might be some of the best rock ever.EVH’s playing is stunning and energetic.David lee Roth’s vocals give the songs so much personality.Every song is a banger.
FML 2
Maybe you just had to be there but I just can't stand hair metal. So lame and cheesy.
Listened to the greatest hits, but were suprisingly good
This album defined hard rock for the 80s. Fantastic guitar and I really prefer David Lee Roth's vocals too.
One of those "it was probably better at the time" albums.
Changed rock forever. Filled with extremely catchy fun songs. Eddie Van Halen shows why everyone tried to copy him,Alex has great drumming,David Lee Roth is one of the greatest frontman of all time and Michael can deliver some great bass lines.
Garenje i prženje na najjače. Eddie bog na gitari. Tekstovi osrednji. 1. 4 2. 4 3. 4 4. 5 5. 3 6. 3 7. 4 8. 4 9. 3 10. 3 11. 3 3.64
Good but not my favourite music
4.25
"Van Halen - not Van HAGAR" - Joe Dirt While I agree with Mr. Dirt, I'm not a huge fan of either. They were definitely better with David Lee, and Eddie shreds. They at least helped invent a sound that a lot of others copied and never quite achieved. This is an impressive debut album with a few classics. Respect (event from a fair-weather fan).
36 minutos em 12 faixas que explodem uma energia incrível de hard rock com doses de hevy metal. Os riffs e solos são certamente históricos.
Technically proficient, but boring as hell.
The probably deserves a 5 for Eddie's guitar chops and David Lee Roth being the ultimate rock front man (also ripe for parody, like Dr. Rockso in Metalocalypse) but I just don't enjoy it on that level. Yeah, there're some great songs and moments but then some songs left me a little unsatisfied. A solid 4 for sure though.
This is one of my all time favorites.
Je m'attendais à un peu plus. Pas un mauvais album mais considérant que mes pièces préférées de Van Halen sont sur cet album, je pensais que le reste allait être aussi excitant. 7/10
I knew more songs on this album than I thought!
If you ever want to torture me just play continuous guitar solos with zero backing instruments. The Kinks cover was bad. I really do not like this album.
Ok, but not my thing
Iconic sound but not one i'll come back to a lot
Some bangers but lots of widdling
This is the archetypical rock album that so many many others tried to emulate. The Van Halens' first album represents the height of their powers.
eddie van halen's guitar work is the first thing that stood out to me, but i'm sure it does for most people. i'm thrilled he had his own instrumental song, "eruption," to play with, and it's not a surprise that became so well known, even if it wasn't ever a single. it contains some of the best guitar work in hard rock! the rest of the album doesn't slouch. take any song, and you'll find some beautiful guitar work. there was some nuance that was easy to overlook, that i only heard upon multiple listenings. there's a pinch of eddie van halen playing the sitar on "ain't talkin' 'bout love." on "i'm the one," there's a quick interlude containing some scatting. despite those nuances and more, the lyrics are great. the songs are catchy. what an enjoyable listen. rip eddie van halen!
Love the inclusion of this album! There are many examples on this project from the late 60s and early 70s, during the birth of heavy metal, from the likes of Black Sabbath and others. By the late 70s, many other bands were beginning to run with that baton and take metal to that next level, and Van Halen is one such example. Van Halen's self-titled is another one of those albums where it is always amazing and surprising to remember that this is a debut album. Not only are a good handful of Van Halen's greatest hits on this album, but their musicianship is already top notch here. Amazing instrumentation is on display all across this album, but someone need look no further than the incredibly impressive guitar solo "Eruption", which changed the entire landscape and set a new standard for guitar solos. Probably somewhere above a 3.5 for me, and definitely deserving of a boost to 4!
Wasn’t really a big fan of Van Halen, but a lot of classics I forgot about on this one.
Got pretty much what I expected from this album - banging riff rock with eccentric guitar solos. It was a lot more fun and upbeat than I'd reckoned too
Not a fan but I own this one. Worth a listen every few months. Remarkable debut for a guitar god
I don’t care whether you like glam metal or not, if you try to tell me you don’t like any songs by Van Halen then I’ll call you a dirty little liar. They’re so catchy, and the music is fun! That said, I’m unsure of if I’ve actually listened to an album in full before, so let’s see if the deep cuts are as good as the hits! Songs I already knew: Runnin’ With The Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love, Jamie’s Cryin’ Favourites: Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love, Jamie’s Cryin’, Ice Cream Man First of all, looking at the track list, they really love apostrophes! That was exhausting to type out on my phone! The music is very good here - it’s catchy glam rock/metal with plenty of guitar showmanship. I didn’t really enjoy On Fire as Diamond Dave’s wailing got a bit much even for me there, but overall this is a very good piece of music. Easy to recommend.
4.5
This is everything that rock and roll was about in the 70s
It’s funny that this music was at one point considered hard and “dangerous.” It almost seems quaint today; a cross between rock and pop. I’ve never been into straightforward rock of the late 70s thru 80s. The bass is usually mixed so it sounds thin, and high cymbals replace low bass drums. When I’m in the mood for hard rock, I prefer heavy rhythm sections and sludgy guitar riffs. Having said all that, it’s Van Halen. The guitar is killer. I know I’ve never listened to this album before but I still knew almost every single song, even the guitar instrumental. It’s a really fun album. It’s an undeniable classic of the genre, It’s just not my favorite genre. I’ll split the difference with my rating.
To my ears, 80s Metal is the worst of all genres. I realize this is not quite the 80s, but its very, very close. Regardless, I involuntarily rolled my eyes when I saw Van Halen pop up. I couldn't bring myself to listen to this at work, so instead, popped it on while I was sitting on my back deck, sipping a beer - with a perfect blue sky and a pleasant warm breeze. And I kind of liked it! For the first 4 or 5 songs, it was pretty good, before it all started waning. But for a brief moment in time, I heard it.
FINALLY! This is what I’ve been waiting for. Every song in this album was a banger. The transition from eruption to you really got me surprised me too. The first 5/5, with hopefully more to come.
Fantastic! Clasic Rock! Love it!
It's fun but samey.
day 12. it’s getting a solid 4/5 from me, it would be a 5 but I think listening to a full album of them just wore me out a bit because of how fast paced everything is! I guess I wish there were more ebbs and flows. Also I’ve always found Jamie’s Cryin’ to be a painfully annoying song. it’s an undisputed classic though. Faves: Eruption+You Really Got Me, Ain’t Talking ‘Bout Love. unexpected fave out of the ones I didn’t know: Ice Cream Man
Technically impressive, but the song writing is mediocre at best
Not available on spotify
Absolutely incredible. Everything about this album, this moment in time and these musicians, is exceptional. 5/5
One of the actual hard rock albums from the 70’s I like everything from. Great instruments from everybody. A lot of naughty lyrics. 😉 Running With the Devil, You Really Got Me, I’m the One, Jamie’s Cryin’ and Ice Cream Man are top 5.
runnin with the devil, aint talkin bout love, im the one, atomic punk, ice cream man. great guitars.
Catchy songs, good harmonies and great guitars. FS: Eruption, I'm the One
What can you say, really bad ass!!
I can't believe that it was ok to listen to this at 14. So dirty! But damn, they had some great links on this album. I like the rounds and harmonies they use.
Muchos megahits.
Arguably the best sounding guitar-rock album if you enjoy silly songs and killer musicians going into a full "performative", self-indulging mode. Let me elaborate on that, starting with the "performative mode". Because let's face it folks: what's the real point of "Eruption", apart from telling the audience: "Look how good, how *godly* I am with those six strings"? Yeah man, well, Jimi Hendrix was godly too. The main difference, a *pivotal* one, is that Hendrix's solos, as complex and rich and technically difficult as they were, also told a musical story that meant something in the *overall context* of his songs or live performances. In contrast, "Eruption"' solo is a masturbatory feat that, very tellingly, is placed as an aside, and so, in its own little box. And the fact that this short track is the second of the album only reinforces this sense of containment, oddly enough. Obviously, the "volcanic" overtones of "Eruption" tell the story of an ejaculation, so when I say "masturbatory", I do realize that Eddie Van Halen, God rest his soul, had all that in mind as well. But where a guy like Hendrix stroked and pleasured himself as part of his "lovemaking" to the audience, Van Halen sounds on his own, as if he was locked in the restroom so as to relieve himself from that technical feat that burdens his mind. Maybe this alienated, onanistic overtone stems from the fact that the little story that "Eruption" tells you has no real point. Or maybe it's because the whole intent is very naive, come to think of it. What this solo mostly tells you is this: here's a gifted kid playing with his tool, look how good he is! There's nothing else, no other layer to this thing. Which might have its own sort of immature charm, I'll grant you that. "Immature" still being the word to remember nonetheless. As for the "silly" songs, there's the same sort of line that the band constantly straddles throughout this record, aptly summarized by the ambiguity of the word "silly" in its modern usage. Because those songs are indeed both fun AND ridiculous, both catchy AND obnoxious, both smartly done AND dumb. Gosh, that doo-wop bridge at the end of "I'm the One". Is it genius or slapstick comedy? Can it be both as well? And, OK, I get it guys, "Ain't Talking About Love" has a killer riff, and in itself, it's a great tune. But even that one can make you smirk at times. I mean those "hey! hey! hey!" background vocals are a little dumb, are they not? "Jamie's Crying" and "Runnin' With The Devil" are not too bad either. Unfortunately, once you switch to side B, stinkers abound. I'm not even bothering quoting names of the latter, they don't deserve it, honestly. So Side A could have been a great one, at least, had it not been for that stupid and awkward cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me". It's a song I normally love, and the mere fact that some ill-informed, misguided reviewer on this app thought (or pretended) that the song was a Van Halen original makes me want to puke. In a sense, that cover version also tells you that the band was aware that the quality of their own songwriting was not up *always* to the task of equalling their crazy ambition, at least at the time. In that regard, *1984*, the other landmark album from Van Halen, which followed this debut, is both an improvement and an exacerbation of Van Halen's faults oddly enough. Because the songs of this other record are both funnier AND even more ridiculous, both catchier AND more obnoxious, both more sophisticate AND, in the end, ultimately... dumber. You get the idea here, I'm sure. But that's a story for another time, kiddies, at least if Dimery and co. dared including that other Van Halen LP in their list. So in other words, and to put it in a nutshell, *Van Halen* will be the best band for you if you love cheese. And given the number of positive reactions in the reviews here, it's crazy how many people just *love* cheese. I myself usually love it, you know. By "cheese", I mean the real deal here, the food. But I'm French, so that probably doesn't count. :) "Oh, he's a French guy, that explains everything," I hear some of you thinking out loud. Well, if you think my review is a little too *arrogant*, just remember this. Eddie Van Halen started it. You have to be very arrogant to record something like "Eruption". Or maybe, as I've already suggested, you have to be very sincere. And naive. I'm not comparing myself to a properly divine musician such as Eddie VH, obviously. But if there's one tiny little thing I may share with him, it's that what I've just said in this review comes from a very sincere place, as arrogant as it may sound to some. And all I ask, is that you guys can give me the benefit of the doubt, just as I did for Van Halen here. There is indeed something a little *ridiculous* about this LP (another very ambiguous word these days, huh?). And pretending that elephant is not in the room will never be the best way to "defend" it. I dunno, maybe you need to embrace the sheer foolishness of this record to fully enjoy it. You tell me. But as hard as I try to let go, it's not exactly working for me. Maybe I'll buy a Van Halen greatest hits album one day, if it's not pestered by the presence of too many duds, and that's gonna be the extent of my involvement with this band. No big deal. And more power to you if you *can* let go, folks! Now, next, please.
Some bangers giving the core of this, and the rest are decent as well
Arguably the best guitar-rock-sounding album Fav Track: Ain't Talking 'bout Love
Eruption More than just eruption
Very good
One of the best albums Van Halen ever put out. Running With the Devil remains one of the best jams ever.
Classic!
Van Halen has definitely earned a certain status among the rock genre, the kind where one does not have to like them in order to acknowledge their contributions to music and rock in particular. Van Halen managed a push from the late 70s that ended up becoming a defining sound for stadium rock for over a decade. This self-titled debut is probably as good as it gets for any band in any genre, to hold up for as long as it does through so many evolutions of trends and approaches to rock. Guitar work here makes it so difficult to believe that they would get even better at it years and years into their careers. This is a great rock album, decent writing, great composition, and with a happy/playful disposition that encourages the listener to have some fun. Work on the car, go work out, throw a pool party, etc.
I've always disliked Van Halen without really giving them a shot. Listened to this album front to back and loved it.
I can’t even imagine being in the studio when Eddie laid into Eruption. I think I would have needed to change my pants. 4.5/5
Meh men gøy med gitarsoli
I've only ever heard the hits of Van Halen in my 66 years. This is the 1st time that I've listened to a full album. There were songs I liked and didn't like. All in all it was pretty good.
Fun but ultimately empty
Fun and knowingly catchy.
Own on Vinyl
The lyrical component can be improved, but 5 for the revolutionary guitar by Eddie
Almost don't really care about the lyrics in this album, I'm all in for the face-melting cheese-shredding guitar work. Also, I had no idea that "You Really Got Me" was a Van Halen song and Eruption was an absolutely incredible instrumental with electrifying guitar work by Eddie! A high energy head-banging album that makes you want to go back in for more. Best: Eruption; You Really Got Me Worst: Jamie's Cryin'
Great. All the songs are good and most are classics.
Its aite
5/5. Not every song is perfect but the best ones really do stand out. An awesome collection of rock songs that are rarely skippable.
This is ok. Eddie Van Halen is for sure a great guitarist, but I don’t really love the *sound* of his guitar playing. It just sounds very inorganic - so much reverb and flash just for the sake of flash. Some of the songs are very catchy, others are pretty generic. Not a big fan of David Lee Roth’s singing either. 3 stars.
Still sounds great.
Hair metal has never been my thing and perhaps I unfairly lumped Van Halen in with the worst of that This is some virtuoso playing, but also some decent songs. Didn't love it but did enjoy it a lot
Excellent debut. Show the range they have in their talents.
I love this album, it was on constant rotation when I entered 10th grade. The opener, Running with the Devil, then the Epic! Eruption that put Van Halen on the map, to the fun pop You Really Got Me. Let us not forget that there are 2 Van Halen's on the roster here, tho Eddie gets the love, his brother, Alex on the drums, clanging and bashing us into Rock n Roll fame. The self-titled album (to me) is 100% perfect from start to finish. Ice Cream Man is one of my groove songs, I feel like a pimp when it comes on. With all that being said in combination with nostalgia and love this album is 5/5
Top 3: 1) Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love 2) Little Dreamer 3) Ice Cream Man Bottom 3: 1) Atomic Punk 2) You Really Got Me 3) Jamie's Cryin'
It’s alright I guess
Easily my favorite Van Halen record. Any rock fan should enjoy this to some degree. I'm not the biggest Van Halen fan, but I do think their debut is an essential rock album. Listen to it loud!
Astounding debut and it set a high bar for everything the released after (which they had not trouble topping). Hard rock with a very healthy dose of glam and showmanship
"Eruption" is absolutely disgusting. Top 3 guitar solos of all time, no contest. I love the sound of the guitar. It's a very crunchy, ghastly (in a good way) sound. Van Halen should have gone the Buckethead route and made a fully instrumental album, because the weakest part of this are the kitschy lyrics and vocals. I want to hear that awesome guitar but there's this guy who keeps screaming about all the women he's fucked. So in conclusion: If this didn't have any lyrics it could be one of the best instrumental albums of all time. With lyrics, it's just a pretty good "dad rock" album.
I didn't listen to this album
Highlight: Runnin' With The Devil
Ihan yllättävän kiva poppislevy. Kitaraa ei säästellä
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love ja Kinks-koveri ovat "ihan hauskoja". Ja hei, saattaisin soittaa joskus tulevaisuudessa lapselleni Eruptionin ihan vain näyttääkseni, että heh, tällainenkin tehtiin ennen kuin isä oli syntynyt. Siitä toinen piste.
It's not the kind of music I would normally choose to listen to. I get the sense with rock musicians though that often louder = better, as in a foreign country where a non-native speaker tries to make himself understood by speaking louder. I thought of few of these songs were just a little over the top in that way. There were some very good tunes on here though, and I could recognize the quality of the musicianship. The guitar work was pretty impressive and even dazzling sometimes. I had mixed feelings on this one. Overall, I'd say that I liked the album, but I think it could have been a lot better.
I didn't anticipate Van Halen would be so /playful/; definitely going to get a relisten sometime.
rip eddie
So I gotta say, I much much much preferred this record to 1984. In fact, without even looking at the date this came out I was thinking this came AFTER that record just considering how much more "refined" it sounds. It really sounds like they were much more original here. I mean 1984 had "Jump" which I would say is a daring step out of the classic sound of 80s rock but the rest of that album seemed a little too safe to me. "Van Halen" on the other hand just has so many tracks that I truly felt were hits. In addition to the obvious ones ("Runnin' With the Devil", "Eruption", "You Really Got Me", "Jamie's Cryin'") we also have tracks like "I'm the One" where we get some very percussive bass highlights and some adventurous shoobie doo wops. Toward the end we have "Ice Cream Man" which blends David Lee Roth playing a little blues with a little shred (had a lot of fun with this one). I honestly really liked this album! I like David Lee Roth's voice. I always laugh a little inside whenever he does his "AahhhHHhHH!" shrieks. EVH was obviously in a league of his own with the shred. "Eruption" is just an epic showcasing of his raw talent. The dude just understood how to rock. Like Gretzky with the puck, it seemed like Eddie always knew where the riff was going next. Absolutely virtuosic performances throughout "Van Halen" and for that, I'm thinking I'll (surprisingly to me) throw a 4 at this one.
Wow. More Van Halen, huh? Off to a good start with "Runnin' with the Devil.” Much fun and probably a better song than anything on 1984 not called “Jump.” The sound here is still decidedly guitar-focused hard rock, but there’s much more in common with early 70s bands like Thin Lizzy, Dire Straits, T. Rex, even Led Zeppelin to a degree. There’s more nuance and focus on songwriting compared to the maximalism of 1984. And just more fun! Like the little mid-song, barbershop number they break into in the midst of the otherwise hard-rocking “I’m the One.” Not to mention that joyously fun little blues number, “Ice Cream Man.” So good. I was dismayed when I saw this record populate after T. Rex last night, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a good time with it. Even if the guitar tones are a bit polished for my tastes and the hoo-rah-YEAH! moments are bit stomach-churning. Still more highs than lows, so 3 stars…by the skin of its teeth.
Well I mean, I didn't hate it, but it's just not something I love. I'm not against anything in this album, there's nothing lazy or unoriginal or lacking in spirit. I just think I might be alive at the wrong time to enjoy this album, because it just rolls off me like nothing happened. Lots of heavy guitars tend to do that to me, and this album has a texture whose sameness I can't really appreciate. Just don't think it's for me! Nothing wrong with it, though. I’m open to several more listens. 2/5
Just a big over the top album. About as cheesy as it gets in the best way. Pretty fun, but this is nothing I could ever consider with any seriousness.
Epic
Extremely impressive skill displayed in this album. A collection of van halen hits, especially "eruption". 4/5
The fact this is just the first Van Halen album is mindblowing. The guitar in every song is amazing. I didn't expect it to be this good for a debut album, but I'm impressed. Fave track(s): Eruption/You Really Got Me, I'm The One
La verdad me sorprendió, claramente había escuchado algunas, pero me terminó gustando bastante el álbum, la voz la rompe pero todo en conjunto te mantiene entretenido sin hacerse denso o repetitivo durante todo el tracklist
eu gosto da guitarra do eddie van halen, mas de resto a banda não é nada de mais, é tudo em volta da guitarra. eu acho engraçado como as pessoas apontam os solos do eddie como o ponto forte dele, mas ele é otimo no ritmo tambem, eu acho que o forte dele é como ele mantem um ritmo dançante mesmo enfiando licks doidos no meio, isso é o foda dele.
What you’d expect from a rock album really. Not got much more to add
i never realy like metal, but i guess it was ok. i liked most of the songs. 7/10
This album is a lesson in rockin' hard and strumming quick. I knew almost all of these tracks and really enjoyed the full playthrough Unbelievable guitar solo on Eruption
Fav Tracks: Runnin with the devil, Eruption/You really got me
This album already started out strong, but got even better as it went along. I had it in my mind that this would be a cheesy rock album, as many '70s to '80s records are, but that was not the case at all. It's classic rock that goes hard, sounds "elegant" (if that makes any sense at all), and holds up to this day. Standouts are Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, and Little Dreamer.
Hell yeah! Amo este estilo, me desespero de glam, solo quiero tener el pelo batido y maquillarme como si no hubiera un mañana.
Not really my style, but it's EVH. That guy could play!
This one was a lot better than I thought it would be and I really enjoyed it. The songs were pretty well written and it was pretty good fun. Of course as a guitar player I had heard some of this before (especially eruption) but the whole album is pretty good. Not too sure what happened between this and "Jump" but it's a travesty. Personal Enjoyment - 8.5 Songwriting - 8.5 Lyrics - 6 Originality - 9 Production Value - 10 Artwork - 9 Overall - 8.2
Perfection
No notes
Hard rock. Un virtuoso Eddie. Vinilo.
Guitar Master! That is what set Van Halen's performances apart. It always sounds amazing and demands you to pay attention. Lyrics and vocals never pulled me in the way the guitar solos did. For sure he was one of the best.
Efficace, entraînant, les sons de guitare distinctifs et les petits accents blues, je m'amuse vraiment
Was this entire album made into singles? Feel like I would give this a 7 but with only 5 stars it’s a 3.
Awesome debut album. Looking at it from a 1978 perspective it put the rock back into rock and roll.
Honestly going into this I was expecting something far lamer, but honestly it caught me off guard with just how hard the band could get with some of these tracks (I LOVE how crunchy the guitar is). Really put into perspective why this style of rock became popular, and how shitty its imitators actually were! I'd definitely say that the album loses some steam in the second half, but I appreciate how lean the it is which alleviates the effect a lot. All killer no filler, which is quite frankly the platonic ideal for a hard rock album. Highlights are Runnin' With The Devil, Eruption, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love and Jamie's Cryin'.
Better record then I thought. Ain‘t talking bout love is still a huge hit.
Great album. Not my first time listening to it. This isn’t something I’d listen to on a regular basis but you can’t deny how fun it is.
Classic all-time album.
Pretty rip-ass dad rock album, though unfortunately non of the singles really stuck for me. Standout of the album today was Eruption, I like the boldness of just making a whole track be a bitching guitar solo. Good album, but falls into a background music space for me.
Gotta be one of the best debut albums ever.
it's so weird that "hair metal" was a genre. why did all of the bands have long hair and play the same music i don't get it
Really good. To be alive when this came out would have been sick
Fun album but very samey. Later tracks not very interesting but the first half is good. Nice guitar tone
80s hair metal from 1978. A fun listen and exactly what you'd expect - slick production, big choruses and super fast guitar solos. A few familiar tracks up top. Surprising to read that 'Eruption' isn't the space alien bit from Back to the Future (that's an Eddie Van Halen solo effort). Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Runnin' with the Devil Date listened: 04/03/23
When Eddie Van Halen died, I can't tell you how many times I played those first four albums. They all are real game-changers in my mind as to what rock albums can be. One thing that really surprises me is how short each of them are. Barely over 35 minutes. When you add up the times, the recording time for Roth and Hagar is roughly about the same, even though Roth has more albums. Weird. Anyway, that first album. I was too young to realize what was going on at the time. I can't imagine being a guitar player and hearing it for the first time. Every single song would have made me throw my guitar in the trash. The biggest thing is just the ease of the playing. It sounds like he's barely doing anything to get that kind of sound (I mean except for "Eruption."). So many people probably thought "You Really Got Me" was Van Halen's song, which is a shame, because both versions are great for such different reasons. "Atomic Punk" is another one of those songs that's so underrated. It could easily have been done by a thrash band and sounded great. Van Halen is definitely a band I regret never seeing live. But that first album I don't think I could have imagined them pulling off that sound, blowing people's minds like that. A classic must-have album.
I'm going to have to spend more time understanding the transition from 70's hard rock and heavy metal to 80's hair and arena rock. Because as much as I'm blown away by the sound of this album, I don't think I understand the full gravity of how it changed rock. Still, this is the birth of Eddie Van Halen (album-wise) and he is ridiculous on every song. And it's not always the tapping that is incredible (Eruption anyone?), even his chords are so powerful (it makes You Really Got Me their own song). And really he combines both into pretty much every song (Ice Cream Man if you need an example). Then there's his unique experimentation and sounds on songs like Atomic Punk. But you also have to give credit to David Lee Roth - his frontman performance is just dripping with cool and machismo. His screechy oohs and aahs (good examples - Runnin with the Devil, You Really Got Me, Jamie's Cryin) just fit; they give James Brown a run for his money. And that's not saying anything for his tongue-in-cheek lyrics and performance on Ice Cream Man (complete with some nice acoustic guitar work). An underrated part of this album is the vocal harmonies between the band - I'm the One and Feel Your Love Tonight are great examples. These guys just bring it on every song and because of it there are so many classics. And I just can't say enough about Eddie - his guitar playing is off the charts. He must've inspired thousands to pick up a guitar - and just as many to throw in the towel.
What a way to make a first impression. Eddie Van Halen just says screw the way guitar used to be played. This is how you’re all going to do it now. There is some amazing guitar playing on this album. The album itself is just okay though. The songs all do sound very similar in style except the beginning of “Ice Cream Man” which stands out as something different. I enjoyed the “Running with the Devil” to “Ain’t Talkin ‘bout Love” but the after that it got kind of boring. Maybe Van Halen just isn’t my thing
Would listen again if the mood struck. Not sure what that mood would be.
The singles are the singles for a reason lol. Wasn't a huge fan of the deep cuts. The singles are okay.
Big 8o’s
Today's album is another gem from the heavy metal genre. Van Halen were huge in the 80's, and Eddie Van Halen revolutionized the "finger tapping" guitar technique, which, when mastered, allowed the player to absolutely shred! He features this technique in the song Eruption. David Lee Roth was a hell of a frontman with a stellar "glam/hair metal" voice and appearance. Every song on this record is a banger! It was so hard to pick a favorite, because they all rock in their own way. Ice Cream Man shows a deep understanding of blues, showing the diversity of the band. Overall, a phenomenal album, and one that definitely deserves to be on this list!! I've listened to this album many times before, and I will definitely listen again!! Favourite songs: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Runnin' With The Devil, You Really Got Me, Eruption, Atomic Punk, I'm The One, Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, Ice Cream Man Least favourite songs: If forced to pick.... Little Dreamer 5/5
I found myself really enjoying this one to be honest and I didn’t think I was so that’s cool. 4/5
The album that saved rock and roll! This was a birthday gift for my 15th birthday and I've been a fan ever since.
I forget how good these guys are.
Great album!! Short and on the heavy side! Really enjoyed it Saved tracks: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, I'm The One, Ice Cream Man, On Fire
I did not realize just how many songs I would know of this album. This has got to be top notch. I mean eruption alone!
Not a single bad song, I expected worse
pretty decent for boomer rock, expected worse but was pleasantly surprised 3.5/5
It's the sound of an era, when rock was lots of big sounds from the axe and smashing of drums... very little else. Van Halen not one of the best acts to execute this formula, but then again, not the worst. As an artist or an album I would never listen to it, but rating what i have listened to on this album, it will scrape a 2... but only barely.
Dad rock
So so, I prefer the backing vocals to the lead. Bit dated now
Alright, last couple of weeks have been a little hectic so I am very late for my Van Halen review.... This is not their best album, but for a debut album, it rocked my world, Everyone will probably talk about Running with the Devil and the remake of You really got me, but this is an album that is solid from beginning to end. The introduction to Eddie made the half the world want to be guitar player. Of course, Dave's stage presence made the rest of the world want to be the led singer. But what stood out most to me, was Alex's drum playing. Every part of this band is fantastic. Eddie an Michael Anthony as back up singers are very underrated and huge part of the album. Of course Running with Devil, Eruption/You really got me are excellent songs, but some of my favorites come in the 2nd half of the album with I'm the one, Atomic Punk and Feel your love tonight. I actually saw Van Halen at the old Cobo Hall in Detroit back in 1981 or 1982 and have been a fan ever since. Think I have owned most of the albums on disc, but apparently, I never owned this one, according to Luke. But Van Halen has been a staple in my life through Roth and Hagar. Hagar was a better singer and wrote better songs, but the stage presence of Roth is somethin I'll never forget. Great band. Great tunes. A band I'll never grow tired of hearing! Solid 5. Great introduction to the world. BTW, whenever I hear Jamie's crying, I think of my god-daughter, additional bonus. 5
Up there with Boston as one of the best debut in regards to its sound. It’s tight, and flashy. Perfect for arenas and gets down to business right out of the gate. 4
4 Ohhhh Van Halen. Sure, they’re cock rock, but I have to admit they really do have a number of great tunes, and a lot of them are on this album. In fact, I might go as far to say that this is their best album, so it always kinda puzzled me why my dad never owned this one on CD but had everything else, including Van Hagar stuff (I was going to mention here he would probably say like Fair Warning or something is a better album than this one, but after a phone call I changed my mind). But come on, this is everything that makes Van Halen iconic. You can feel David Lee Roth’s energy all over, to the point where you can practically visualize him doing that jump splits thing numerous times throughout listening. To me, that alone cements him as one of the best rock frontmen in history and why Sammy Hagar could never compare. And of course you have to talk about Eddie’s guitar playing - I don’t think many musicians could put out just a guitar solo as a standalone track on an album and have it be as iconic and as successful as Eruption. It complements the album so well it almost feels weird to not have it segue into You Really Got Me, which, as a Kinks fan myself, I have to admit is better than the original. Runnin’ with the Devil is also an all-time great opener, and I can never not visualize the opening shot of Freak and Geeks when listening, when the song cues as it pans to the burnouts smoking under the bleachers. Between the iconic guitar riffs, harmonies, solos, and David’s shrieking, I would probably go as far to say it’s the band’s best song. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love is of course iconic as well, though I always thought the line “You’re semi-good looking” line is kind of funny with how brutally specific it is. Finally, I’ll give a shoutout to Ice Cream Man - though a tad silly, it’s one of the band’s most underrated tunes. Great debut, great album, and great production - the guitar tone on this album is insane. While Van Halen isn’t an artist I typically seek out, when they do find their way to my Spotify, it’s always a good time.
Not a fan of this kind of music. Also, what’s going on with “Ice Cream Man”?
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, felt very understated and devoid Favourite song: didn’t have one
So electric, such fantastic riffs by Van Halen. I'm a little hesitant, but this is getting a 5/5 for now.
Love
classic for a reason
Legendary
Probably innovative at the time, super passe now. At least the 'best guitar solo of all time' is mercifully short. Does it even have a structure? Or is he just doing technically interesting things?
Wield the axe. Smell the spandex.
should have just jumped
Too much cheesy filler but the album cover deserves an award for design and hubris it's amazing
Bästa: Little dreamer Sämsta: Ice cream man
Naah, not for me mate. But understand why people might like it
Never gets old.
Blew me away! So many classic songs for their first album. Every member had their own unique roles and sounded great! Amazing album!
Unexpected middle part!
I already knew some of the songs, I just didn't know it's them hahaha.
Pop pretending to be rock
ooo the first track is a bit rad. ahhh nice. Some famous tracks that I recognize far more than I expected. Okay there is actually some cool stuff here and some decent diversity. It's not exactly my style but doesn't overcrowd too much. its a solid 3.6/5
Add this to the pile of albums I was praying would be on this list. Van Halen was one of my favorite bands when I was in high school. This album being the one I was most obsessed with. 1984 was also amazing, but this is one of the best debut rock albums I can think of. Not only does it establish Van Halen as a household name in rock, but proved the Van Halen boys belonged in the pantheon of the worlds best drummers and guitarists. On top of that, David Lee Roth showed he was just as perfect in his role as lead singer, wailing and crying and just acting like a nut case. To all of our collective benefits. Eruption is one of the greatest guitar solos of all time, to have a whole track dedicated to it. When that song finally came to guitar hero (along with their whole set list on the Van Halen game) I spent many an hour trying to be like Eddie. Throughout this album, you get to experience a new type of rock that fed on distorted guitar riffs and wolf howls. Favorite Tracks: Runnin' With the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain't Talkin' Bout Love, Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, Ice Cream Man.
Nostalgia is one hell of a drug. Van Halen, for some reason, was THE classic rock/hair metal band that Alex and I latched onto in our younger days. As a result, I know so much of their (pre-Hagar) catalog like the back of my hand. I mentioned in our review of 1984 that the self-titled was probably my favorite of their albums. I ended up giving 1984 a 5 star rating anyway, and yeah, this one edges slightly higher for me. So many classic songs on here for me, it's kind of unfair. The whole first side of this album is all hits I love, what a crazy run. You've got an otherworldly guitar solo track with "Eruption," followed immediately by a Kinks cover, who does that? Just big, booming hits. And Side B holds up well too, a couple tracks that don't stick with me but damn, we got "Ice Cream Man" and "Jamie's Cryin", you just can't lose. One thing that's been made really funny for me is the bass, thanks to Tim Heidecker highlighting how one-note some of their basslines are in a hilarious game of "guess the bassline" with Thundercat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXSK5PwGcmw). So, Michael Anthony, you've got some explaining to do, especially on "Runnin' with the Devil." But yeah, I can't deny this album. It's a perfect classic for me, criticisms be damned. Favorite tracks: Runnin with the Devil, Eruption, Ice Cream Man, Jamie's Cryin', Ain't Talkin Bout Love, You Really Got Me, Feel Your Love Tonight, I'm the One. Album art: A four-shot collage of the band members in action, nothing really special. But the layout is slightly more creative than just a band photo, and the logo in the center is really cool. 5/5
Ok, liked the guitars
No comment.
Cali fun times! The template for every 80's poodle rocker
My excitement drips off towards the end, bit a near perfect proto hair metal album.
No need for comment...
Great rock album. Really a classic of its genre.
A classic from my childhood.
Pretty good early hair band stuff
4.5
4 Classic, good listening
The playing on this record is so great and the songs are so catchy. Accapella break in I’m the one in so great. Love the back up vocals in general. One of the most classic intros on to a record Running with the Devil is one of my favorite badass one note bass lines. Such a great band. DLR was such a perfect frontman -unique voice, kind of ridiculous and hilarious personality but his delivery is perfect on this record. I can only imagine how much fun it have been so fun to play in vanhalen in the 70’s and early 80’s. I love virtuosity paired with a sense of humor and fun! Eddie is obviously one of the greatest guitarist but this was really the perfect band for him to shine in.
Hell yeah. Iconic guitar record. Eddie’s shredding is obviously the highlight but he’s also an underrated rhythm player.
This is such a great record. The songs are so fun and obviously the guitar is incredible. This album is the definition of rock n roll.
Nice band of hard rock.
4*
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I’d never heard a full Van Halen album and I liked what I heard
It started to sound like Van Halen then it didn’t. I like when it did sound like Van Halen
Just one of the best debut albums ever!
Honestly this was a pretty whatever album. It wasn't bad by any means but it wasn't notable to me in any way really. Maybe I only feel that way because I've heard running with the devil and eruption so many times but by the end I was just like "yup that's van halen, alright"
Like most hair metal, it's mostly just soft, fluffy rock with a few shreds thrown in for form's sake. But it sure is fun. I wanted to give it a lower score based on the sheer cheese factor but... but it's just fun, isn't it?
Eh. I’ll have to give it a relisten
Great songs in this album. Overall most songs sound very similar to me, though.
Awesome goes without saying
Great! EVH is the master.
kom á óvart. blússkotnara. gítarsólóinn leiðinleg. en þokkalegasti blús frá næpuhvítum honkíum.
Brilliant guitar licks amazing bass, rocking out good feels. All killer no filler :)
Iconic! This album has a lot of classics on it. Definitely cemented Van Galen’s sound. A couple meh tracks on here keep it from being incredible, but Eruption is almost enough to warrant a 5/5 on its own.
An absolute ripper of an LP – convinced Eddie and co. walked into the studio, cranked their amps, and proceeded to ram out all 35 minutes at once. There's not a whole lot in the way of dynamic, rhythmic, or melodic contrast, but that's not the goal here. EVH revolutionized guitar for a reason, and while I suspect many will be turned off by the technical wankery that dominates most of the album, I'm all here for it as a guitar dude. Hearing those two-hand tapping runs all over each track makes me grin ear-to-ear, and the whole LP is worth it just for the gratuitous bombast of 'Eruption.'
YES! Eddie van Halens iconic guitar sound all the way through and it shows his the exceptional skills. Amazing album!
Legendary.
Probably one of the greatest guitar albums of all time, all the elements work really well together. Besides EVH's solos being awesome his rhythm work is also outstanding!
This is not my favourite van halen album, although eruption holds a special place in my heart. The guitars sound so Van Halen it sometimes starts to sound a bit like a parody. I love it
Tight, clean, energetic. Nice album :)
No weak tracks on it. It is a legendary near-flawless ode to rock heaven. "Nobody rules these streets at night but me!" Eddie Van Halen comes in strong on this initial album and showed us who the god of rock was. Technical talents-- near classical music level-- had never been applied to heavy rock before this. We had never heard this level of control and peacocking despite earlier heavy bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Molly Hatchet. Overwhelmingly, the VH sound was positive, but with a ton of hot dogging and sexual innuendo, and probable misogyny. I remember parents hated it and it was controversial. The boomers could not hang with VH. We had this album on vinyl, and I know I had it on tape later. It was an absolute staple. As a boy, 'Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love' was a top favorite, particularly for the "I've been to the edge..." segue. Still love it. Alex Van Halen was also a technical master and this is suddenly evident on 'Show Your Love'. Imagine, the very first album arrives and Alex and Eddie are rocking this hard this consistently on nearly every track. As for the elephant in the room, David Lee Roth is awesome. His funny light-hearted stage strutting in tights will never be forgotten. His voice was powerful and very California and like nothing we had ever heard. He was in it for fun and it showed and it made hard rock fun for us too!
Hell yeah! Halen is and has always been DLR, not Hagar. This album kicked ass and was way more fun than I remember. I should be listening to this way more often.
Van Halen is synonymous with the hard rock sound of the 1980s. But their self-titled debut preceded that decade by two years, I have now discovered, and thus listening to and learning about this album has helped me to realize just how instrumental Van Halen was at shaping that aforementioned sound. The hard rock/heavy metal-lite/hair metal of the 80s is a guilty pleasure for many, myself included. But for early DLR Van Halen, it has come to my attention that it should be moved to the pleasure (guilt-free) category.
I imagine a lot of people around the world going, “Holy shit! What is this?!?” when this album came out. Let’s all bow down to Eddie Van Halen and his guitar mastery. Mad respect. Listening to this album, specifically Eruption, a light bulb went off. This is the sound I associate with 80s metal guitar that turns me off. It’s technically phenomal, but at the same time…gratuitous. This is the source. To be clear, Eddie’s sound here is great. He’s carrying this whole album. It’s the lesser imitators that came later and tried to make their own version of this, for a solid 10-15 years, that I don’t like. The let down on this album are the lyrics. They aren’t particularly stimulating and they are too repetitive.
New turntable in older brother's basement bedroom is one's own personal creation myth for this record, which sounded just huge and powerful then. Seemed impressive that the four dudes on the cover could generate such undeniable energy and work so tightly and loudly. It still sounds big and breakthrough-ish today, even though that quality is both a feature and bug. On the one hand, Van Halen was always clear about who it was and showed real commitment to having a big time; they were not only in synch with, but the actual full manifestation of, a shameless sort of late '70s rock and roll ethos that wanted mainly to say fuck you to disco and Laurel Canyon and anything remotely soft, as well as to promote the virtues of rock's screaming and squalling over punk's sneering and slashing. On the other hand, the insistence on that very bigness (e.g., going big/HUGE on every single hook and lick) does prove a bit exhausting in the end (which is why "Ice Cream Man" at first makes for a welcome respite, before succumbing to yet more expansive and lurid shredding, and thus ultimately sounds better than it actually is). The band's mode and antics also forced one to choose, definitively bifurcating VH and new wave fans. Leaving the music aside, one always preferred the company of the latter group, for their understatement and aesthetic considerations, and considered the brashness and volume (not to mention bad haircuts and bad fashion) of the former to be a major strike against embracing VH musically, of declaring oneself a fan. They were never going to be more than a guilty and secret pleasure, a band one loved to profess hating more than one actually did (despite the 8th-grade reckoning of the debut). On the plus side, there's a likable crispness to the sound and of course no doubting Eddie's otherworldly chops (though one finds them unnecessarily showoffy). DLR was the perfect front man for this lot, unapologetically buffoonish though he was (and largely remains), and pretty effective (certainly not great) as a vocalist. Speaking of, one'd forgotten the many vocal harmonies, though they tend toward barbershop-quartet-y in a few places (rather off-brand those flourishes seem). "Jamie's Crying" is the ideal response to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." They took an all-time hook, "You Really Got Me" and blew it out, taking a more-is-more approach that stopped just short of being too much and exceeds the original. The same could be said of "Eruption," fine, but, again masturbatory and showoffy, but thankfully brief. This type of restraint that would've served them well in the future (say by disbanding with some dignity intact rather than reforming with Sammy Hagar, for fuck's sake). "Running with the Devil" is an all-time opener, what with the thumping, booming bass. "Aint Talking About Love," "Feel Your Love" and "Little Dreamer" all have their merits. VH did what they did as well as anyone at the time, but one felt about them in 8th grade as one felt about Kiss in 6th grade and their musical development didn't much keep up with one's own. This list is right to include their debut and one has enjoyed reconsidering them but they were rightly a guilty pleasure then and remain roughly the middle-age equivalent now; one still loves to point out their gaudiness and silliness, and not entirely out of envy for the freedom (and perhaps even courage) they must have felt to be so insistently brash and loud and unapologetic. It's safe to say no one cares anymore which isn't hugely different than where this band ended up.
A cracker! Iconic solos from EVH.
So many hits on one album, contender for best debut album of all time. Every member of this band is exercising top talent. Can’t think of a thing wrong with it. It’s just so good. 5/5
Calkowite zaskoczenie redempcja Van Helenowa, po ostatnim picku od bandy spodziewalem sie mocnego szrota, a dostalem mocno old skulowe rokowanie z 78, byl to debiutancki material zespolu, ktory od razu otworzyl im droge do zlota i platyn, 11 trakow na 35 minutach daje dosc szybkie ale jednoczesnie harde granie, posrod orginalnych utworow bandy na krazku sa tez dwa covery, bardziej rzucajcym sie w oczy jest you really got me kinksow i drugi ice cream man od pana Johna Brima, sporo jest fragmentow instrumentalnych, gdzie Eddie Helenowy popisuje sie swoimi skillsami gitarowymi czy sitarowymi na aint talkin about love, pomimo tego ze nie wymyslili kola na nowo, to jednak graja z energia potrafiaca porwac sluchacza, wiec swietnie sie bawilem podczas dzisiejszego sluchowiska wczuwajac sie w wyjcowanie rokowane i juz wiem czemu dostali przydomek bandy ktora uratowala muzyke rokowa, a na plejke idzie openingowy running with the devil, atomic punk i little dreamer, czuje boomer czlowiek gdy zadowala sie juz muzyka ktora brzmi jak wszystko co juz slyszal, ale jednak wszystko co sie czlekowi podobalo, w przeciwienstwie do muzyki generowanej praktycznie przez ai jak dzisiaj
Great album, only issue is Eruption grates, 1 min 40 secs of EVHs self indulgence
Songs were a bit too repetitive, but made me nostalgic for lechfest
One or two made it onto my Playlist. Generic 80s sound
Beetje van halen overload. Vond die ander leuker
Twee keer hetzelfde hahah
Nice classic Rock. Some of the Riffs zave been sampled.
Not for me
The album felt close to metal giving american style from the 60s without being from the era. Guitar solos were spectacular and the energy throughout the whole project never decreased.
no. utter shite.
Im going to go to the Hard Rock Cafe, order a steak and drink some Jack Daniels like the coolest man in the world.
2nd December 2022 Listened during the late afternoon while making cauliflower curry. Chilled Friday, dump and rugby Saturday and Stowe on Sunday with mum and dad. Don’t think many people shred like Van Halen, classic 80s bro rock and I’m kinda here for it. 3.5 if I could, not sold on the Kinks cover.
Running With the Devil - Easy 5/5 Eruption - A fun guitar solo 5/5 You Really Got Me - 5/5 Classic Cover Ain't Talkin' Bout Love - 5/5 Nice song I'm The One - 4/5 Not bad Jamie's Cryin' - 5/5 Love the Chorus Atomic Punk - 3/5 Eh not my favorite Feel Your Love Tonight - 4/5 Pretty Good Little Dreamer - 4/5 Not bad Ice Cream Man - 3/5 Decent On Fire - 3/5 Ok Overall, 4/5. Some hits, some decent songs, and some semi-duds.
It’s classic rock at its finest
Guaranteed to satisfy!
Not particularly my favorite genre of music. Pretty straightforward classic rock music. For the most part it just kinda bores me, but the guitar work is the only noteworthy aspect of it. Eruption is actually awesome, and the solos in some of the other songs keep the record from being complete waste. 5/10
Quite good
I never realised that all the Van Halen songs I liked are all from one album. And their debut nonetheless. If your 4 opening songs on your debut album are the classic rocking 'Running With The Devil,' guitar virtuous 'Eruption,' super cover 'You Really Got Me' and one of the best riffs of all time 'Ain't Talking About Love,' than how can this be any less than 4*?
This is probably a watershed album, taking all that came before with 70s metal and glam and combining it with amazing technical skill, yet focusing on a "front man" rather than a singer. Stunned at how many of their classics came from this album, and it's all over in 30 minutes too.
Wonderfully stupid.
Hard rock classic, definitely a beautiful record.
Great debut album. Virtuoso guitar and energy that jumps out at every listen. You can feel the energy of them live. Worth rested listening, they never matched this album tho they would still create great songs. One of the 70s rock albums that would inspire 80’s glam metal sound
Eddie! I knew he was a no good kid.
For a moment I had to check, I thought this was a spoof album by Spinal Tap.
Schlechte drei. Wegen der ersten vier Songs, die zweite Hälfte der Platte finde ich etwas schlechter.
I was too young for this to be my first Van Halen album, but over time it has supplanted my introduction. When I listen to this record and understand it as a product of its time and place I'm impressed with how fresh the music sounds and how dated many of David Lee Roth's themes and lyrics are. With that out of the way, this is a ripper, it slaps, etc. All the performances on this record are tight and energetic. The tone is quintessential Van Halen and therefore much of 80s hard rock. Is it any coincidence that Running with the Devil kicks off this record? —I think not (and it's my daily drop on Oct 31, no less).
Not a Van Halen guy. Nice, quick, 11 track 35 minute album though. A solid debut album if you're into this band's sound, which again I'm not really. Standout Tracks: Runnin' with the Devil, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Atomic Punk, Ice Cream Man