Reviews (page 3 of 15)
first time really hearing Van Halen,beyond my expectation but not really amazing yet breathtaking overall 7/10
Great album! Especially for a first album!
The fact that this is debut album is mind-blowing. No skips.
One of the greatest debut albums of all time! Is every song a hit, no but a phenomenal album nonetheless.
less hits than 1984 but still a fun cohesive album, saved 1/11
Muy bueno, la verdad para ser el primer album de van Halen, una guitarra muy dinámica
Music you listen to when you shoot cheap whiskey and chase it with light beer
Una máquina de groove y virtuosismo. Increíble don Eddie.
Not too long and still had some memorable songs. Just how an album should be. Was Van Halen better than yesterday’s album, The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe? Yes.
prima rock
VAAAAAANNN HAAAALEEEEN
(4/5) Rock classic by a legendary band. It's good and I love the hits, but they always struck me as a bunch of hyperactive kids running around yelling "Watch this!". It's fine and it might even be fun (or funny) at times, but I don't have the patience for it *ALL* the time. That level of energy is unsustainable for me. I haven't snorted enough (or any) cocaine to keep up with that pace. It's over as quickly as it started, which makes this a quick 'shot' of rock.
Phenomenal debut from a truly legendary band. Running With the Devil is among the greatest rock anthems of all time, and Eruption solidified Eddie's place as one of the greatest guitarists of all time right out of the gate. Filled with banger after banger, with a couple of outstanding covers thrown in for good measure, this album (and the other on this list) has always been a 5/5 in my book.
131. TITLE - ARTIST (YEAR) Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 3 = 4.6 rounded up to a 5 "Turn your radios on/ I'll appear right there, yes, I will/ Turn me up real loud/ I'm in your ears" Now we come to another of those albums ( they have been few and far between) that I heard tracks from ALL THE TIME. 1984 ( the album and the year) had come and gone by the time I realized who these guys were, but I had heard songs from both of these on the radio and in movies, and took me a bit to put two and two together that the synthy "Jump" guys were *GASP* the same miscreants who did "Runnin with the Devil"! As much as I liked those big singles I never dived into their discography until well after college and found quite a lot of great shit to admire. Though mainly on this, and 1984. Aside from the occasional track or two, every other single album I tried left me cold except these two. These two were more magic for some reason. I would argue they both keep rising in my estimation with every listen, but like with all music I tend to buy into the theory that what you loved when you were 12-18 or so will always remain your favorites. There are outliers, but as much as I do enjoy them, I'm not sure they will ever reach that top tier. I might have had to have been born a good 12-15 earlier for that to have happened. THE TRACKS Side one "Runnin' with the Devil" - What an opening. I can imagine how electric this must have felt at the time for the jean jacketed, longhair crowd in 1978. Having gone back and listened to a ton of metal and hard rock from the time, it's still striking how clean and unadulterated this sounds both production wise, and in the playing. I think people maybe my age and a little older don't quite understand or even buy that Eddie Van Halen was as big of an innovator he was. We'll get to more of that on the next track, but worth noting we've already just had an appetizer. More than most he also understands when enough is enough. As talented as the dude was, he was tasteful and knew when to turn it up and when to turn it down. Roth gets knocked all the time ( or used to anyway ) for being a crap singer, but I don't know what those people are on about. Could he sing opera? Probably not? He's fine, and he's got (had?) more personality in his pinky finger than even some of the most notable front men. Alex Van Halen on drums and Michael Anthony on bass ( and great backing vocals) deserve a call out as well. This is a full functioning unit, despite the superstar main attraction. Also worth mentioning here - what fucking BALLS these guys had to put that slide whistle in there. Who's idea was that? Brilliant. "Eruption" - More calling card than song, this was Eddie's "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" moment and maybe a bit of a fuck you to any doubters or naysayers, and definitely something of a wakeup call to both any complacent old timers who may not have yet realized their prime was past, and younger players who needed something to aspire to. And did they. Guessing Guitar Center employees must have had a busy season after this thing came out. "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks cover) - The previous track as explosive as it pulled double duty as the intro to this very good cover of the kinks classic. When I was a kid, I had no idea this was a cover. I can't say they make it completely theirs, but it's a great showcase track, and proves that their whole thing is a real vibe that's transferable and mutable enough to take a stone cold classic and make it sound as if it MIGHT have been a Van Halen original. Michael Anthony's bass and Roth's guttural hiccupping are the real stars hear though. Not my favorite track, but still very, very good shit. "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" - My personal favorite track off this album. That riff lives in my head more so than most of their other stuff ( "Panama" aside) This is as close to the band comes to that 70s New York Dolls glam sound in my opinion, despite this being labelled "ground zero" for 80s glam. The sleazy side comes across in the lyrics here, and Roth's ability to keep things subtle when needed is on great display. So much stuff to love about this track - Alex's frenetic cymbal work, the slightly sinister vibe and lyrical content, the ever forward momentum, the open ended and high up tiny little guitar solo that contrasts with the section just after when the rubber band is stretched way down in the other direction for the bridge before SNAPPING back into the song proper. Even the drum/ chant cooridination at the end is awesome. Top notch. "I'm the One" - And absolutely no rest spot need as we get to float on a blistering high octane blues boogie shuffle for a very quick 3:47 to end side one. Roth's vocal gymnastics here are so well timed and add just the flavor to keep this from seeming like the shred-heavy showoff track it is. Them we get hit with the full on harmonized barbershop quartet scatting form the boys, which logic and sense dictates should stop the track dead in its tracks and kill the momentum, but only serves to build tension. Like what the actual fuck. This might have blown just as many minds as Eruption at the time. The brazenness of that little section, and played off straight despite the implication of a wink - pure gold. Side two "Jamie's Cryin'" - Pretty sure I was way more familiar with Ton Loc's "Wild Thing" than I ever was with this ( if I had even heard it) so that when it did finally dawn on me that the drum fill from this song had been heavily sampled by Mr. Loc, a bit of a disconnect happened in my brain akin to what I imagine those people who obsess over whatever Mandela Effect they claim to have experienced must have felt when that idea punctured their brain. Had it always been this way? Why of course, but it still doesn't keep that itch from climbing up my brain stem and distracting me a bit as I listen to this. More great signature backing harmonies, and a nice example of the band's approach to lyrical content. They fall in that sweet middle round for me where they make just enough sense to not be distracting, and don't have to veer off into nonsense or surreality. The Keep It Simple, Stupid approach to song lyrics that really serves the main attraction, which is the balls to the wall fully in concert four-headed monster that is this band is. Good as this is though, it's got some TOUGH competition and gets nudged down a bit by the best of this, as we're grading on a curve for this one. "Atomic Punk" - As fun as this one is, it feels a bit more like a goof than some of the other stuff. To get very literal about it, we get what I imagine to be as either some crazy dude or possibly a mutant super hero bragging about his turf? Whatever the case, it's no sillier than Sabbath's "Iron man" I guess, if a little more low rent. Good times. "Feel Your Love Tonight" - It's funny how tame this sounds now, but it's chock full of the innuendo and thin metaphors that would go on to dominate the 80s hair metal stuff that is a pale imitation of this. I wouldn't call it quaint, but it's definitely on the side of some similarly sophomoric stuff from ZZ Top or any number of acts from time. Ah, the good old days... "Little Dreamer" - Speaking of the bearded ones, this track has more than a little blues rock ZZ Top DNA in it. This downbeat number is full of "they'll get what's coming to them" energy. The lyrics are treated with a bit more seriousness here, and yet there's not any kind of real dissonance in the band's vibes. They can easily switch between goofy and more staid material without losing a step. The range on display is quite impressive. "Ice Cream Man" - Another cover, this time of a more obscure blues number from 1968 by John Brim. When a debut album leans on cover songs, it can be taken as a sign of a lack of confidence or a literal lack material. In this case I'm not sure it's either. These guys were more than confident enough to make the bold move of covering the classic Kinks track, and I think with this they really do make it their own. The blustery swing that they add, Eddie's cleanly metallic soloing, the band's sense of humor, and Roth's easy, ringmaster persona are all on prominent display here. And who says these guys helped to sweep over the blues and remove it from popular rock? This was in no way authentic, but it does not seem like any sort of dismissal or anything. Just something else in the bag of tricks. "On Fire" - And we end on a banger. Simple as anything on here, but effective and even a bit menacing in a way that nothing else on here manages. This is the track I can imagine getting all the church ladies to clutch their purses and swoon with distress. And that's despite a lack of even a hint of demonic atmosphere or sexual innuendo. HIGHLIGHTS - "Runnin' with the Devil" - "Eruption"/ "You Really Got Me" - "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" - "I'm the One" - "Little Dreamer" - "On Fire" MIDLIGHTS - "Jamie's Cryin'" - "Atomic Punk" "Feel Your Love Tonight" - "Ice Cream Man" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS I am once again amazed at how fully formed these guys were on this. Up there in the canon of great debuts for sure. And once again I have to drive home how much of a complete unit they are here. The album cover itself speaks volumes to this appeal, with each of the guys equally framed in one corner of the postage stamp. Sure, Roth and Eddie are up top, but... They are on fire here, and when even your lesser material is THAT GOOD, people will sit up and take notice. And they did. This is rightly considered gamechanger I think, and is in no way overrated. As a matter of fact, I'd argue that in recent years maybe it's fallen slightly behind the older estimation of being a bit more of a creative achievement than 1984, as I've noticed by kids ( ranging from elementary to high school age) all have heard and love several tracks off 1984, but are barely familiar with this one. As old boomer critics die off, that estimation is likely to remain stagnant until maybe hard rock makes anther cyclical comeback. When we get to it, I'll have a lot of praise for 1984 as well, but I'm predicting this one will edge it out for me, if only just. This was a delight to revisit. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Not a chance FURTHER LISTENING - Rocks by Aerosmith - Bad Reputation by Thin Lizzy - Powerage by AC/DC - Ace Frehley by Ace Frehley - Degüello by ZZ Top - Pyromania by Def Leppard
Van Halen! Whoo! Freaking pitch perfect album for a Friday on a holiday weekend! Eddie Van Halen is often cited as the greatest guitar player of his generation. He’s got a good argument. Listen to “Eruption” and make your opposing case if you want. Here on the debut Eddie is bringing his A game. This is just straight solid rock and roll. Eddie has a frontman well suited to the task of surrounding his virtuosity with such personality. David Lee Roth brings just the right amount of sleazy charm to each track to keep the audience entertained during the breaks between solos. Solid punchy rock music. I’m here for it!
Mjög fín hlustun. Rennur vel í gegn en ekkert sem stendur uppúr fyrir utan upphafslagið.
iha ok ei mun juttu
This rocked! Just a fun party album. Its a shame these guys couldnt just get along because it sounds like when they were it was a good time.
I expected something more
Wauw sorry maar hier is gewoon niets intrigerend bij. Er is niks echt memorabel bij en alles smelt gewoon een beetje samen in een soep van gitaarengeweld.
10/10
Bowling alley music. I always forget that Van Halen is good. I think it's because I find David Lee Roth so off-putting. He's got the pipes. He also sounds like he's got some kind of vd. But the Van Halen brothers? Yeah, they rock. The album has lots of technical skill and musicianship but no substance. Which is fine, if you like that sort of thing. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. Today, I don't.
Putting aside how often I heard these songs growing up on the radio … just a plain awesomely fun album. Influenced so many to come / so many great songs throughout. 5
5/5
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would, enjoying the fact that it wasn't as heavy-sounding as I originally expected. I think this was a really nice length album, with each sound being around the 3-minute mark, and the album as a whole being just over half an hour. I didn't realise there was a version of 'You Really Got Me' by Van Halen, and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't too different from the version I was used to hearing, but I did enjoy it. I surprisingly loved most of the album, with I would say maybe only one or two tracks not interesting me all that much. In all, I thought this album was great, from the instruments to the vocals to the songwriting. Favourites: Feel Your Love Tonight You Really Got Me Jamie's Crying
Just the right side of 80s kitsch for me
shred my ears
Never really clicked with hair metal, but I was able to appreciate the musicianship here -- it's not just fast and screechy and decadent. My favorite track is the first 90 second of "Ice Cream Man," wch is the least typical of the album, so...
I quietly love Van Halen, mostly for nostalgia reasons. An older kid we used to hang out with would drive us around blaring Van Halen, and its charms are irresistible in that setting. Listening today, I felt like that kid again for a moment, and I loved it. I may prefer the Sammy Hagar over-earnest era to the David Lee Roth everything's-a-joke era, but Eddie's guitar and Alex's perfect-for-the-genre drums are the draw here. Eddie's solos never reach that "expressing something from deep within" like I hear from Hendrix, Prince, and Eddie Hazel, but they are face-meltingly fun. Van Halen albums ranked worst to best: 11. Van Halen 3 10. Diver Down 9. Fair Warning 8. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge 7. Women and Children First 6. Van Halen 2 5. Balance (this album isn't that great, but it meant a lot to me in 1995; I contain multitudes, apparently) 4. OU812 3. Van Halen 2. 1984 1. 5150
Listened
Alr one of my fav albums?
Solid first album from a fantastic group. Eddie's guitar licks were amazing, Dave's yelling, and the harmonies from the rest of the band. Favorite tracks were Running with the Devil, Jamie's Cry and Eruption.
Very strong debut
Glam-Metal, it's a genre I have historically never really gotten on with. I can appreciate the Eddy Van Halen guitar, I think, I guess? But the overall presentation of this album I couldn't get in to. I have tried listening to the guitar in many different ways, standing upside down, with and without air guitar. But it just didn't quite hit as hard as the Iron Maiden album that we listened to previously. 1 star for Eddy being Dutch.
I'm surprised by the covers.
Big hard rock riffs, great tone, a handful of classic songs. The wonderfully masturbatory guitar solo Eruption. Surprised that this was late 70s, it sounds like a very 80s rock song…so the influence on the future sound is clear. It’s energetic and fun without falling into the cliched aspects and overly-sexed macho personas that came to dominate the genre. This project has led me to respect Van Halen more than I once did, and they stand apart from a lot of bands in the same sphere. It’s still not something I’m going to seek out with any regularly, but I also wouldn’t avoid it as I once may have.
I liked a few of their songs, very popular
Good rock album. I’ve heard better overall in this genre, but the guitar playing is exceptional and Dave Lee Roth is a powerful vocalist.
Nothing special, but a good average rock album that I enjoyed that I would not rush to listen to again.
Rock. Liked some songs
A lot of songs I was familiar with were from this album that I did not realise .
Didn't listen!
Super fun
i came like four times while listening to this
So many classics, and the B-sides hold up well, too.
It was only last week I got VHII where I said VHI is my fav in the review, and it is, but it's not my only fav. Anyway, this a great one, well deserved place in the list.
2.75
Had a bit of a hard time getting into this album since I don't listen to a lot of 70s mainstream rock. Just alright, 5.5/10
Just fuckin shredding guitar for 35 minutes, no notes
Einiges so lala, aber ein paar banger sind dabei -zB ‚I’m the one‘
Listening session: june 22th/23th, while getting ready for dinner in Sicily and while flying back Listened to before: heard two songs before Thoughts: so it turns out I find earlier Van Halen more enjoyable than an 80s album I’ve gotten on here. Still not something I would often put on myself though Favourite tracks: You Really Got Me, Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love & I’m the One
He was an amazing guitarist. I love his playing. Didn't think much of the songs the band wrote and played. On this album, I loved You Really Got Me and Ice Cream Man. He covered those brilliantly. Their original tunes, not so much.
Review: There is a lot to say about this album. There were some highs but some other worldly lows. It felt like the guitar was so good at some points and other times it felt like they were blindfolded just clawing at the guitar. I do not understand how people think Eruption is good. Its just a crock pot of random guitar solos with no purpose. The biggest downfall of this album was the lack of emotion and purpose. It felt like things were being done just for things to be done. There were however some amazing songs. Feel Your Love Tonight being the best by far. It just amazes me how someone can make such good songs and also just straight up noise pollution and then throw them on the same album.
I hadn’t heard of or really listened to Van Halen before this album. However, I am pleasantly surprised, I enjoyed the album as a whole and definitely would like to listen again and delve into Van Halen at some point.
Woah. A very enjoyable listen and will be listening again !!
So I think my review of 1984 is gonna be apt here too. This is definitely 80s butt rock and I just can't pretend like I don't enjoy it some. I feel like I would have lost my mind in a big ass arena shouting "RUNNAN WITH THE DEVOOOOOLLLLL!!!". I would have had my tongue out, head shaking and banging all night if Eddie started soloing live like on Eruption. Would have jumped up and swung from the rafters if an entire stadium of people started singing I'm the One's "shooooowww youuur love". Here, sitting at work and born too late for live Van Halen, and also 30, it's alright. I definitely get the appeal, just mindless entertainment in the form of a big wall of butt rock sound, which is perfectly fine now and then. We all need and deserve more substance than this throughout our entire lives, but I still stand by art not needing to be anything specific and it being okay for stuff to occupy a space regardless of what it is, really. This occupies the big, dumb, and blunt space, and it's no less valid a form of expression for it.
Really fun! Great hits and the deep cuts were bangers too!
I was surprised by how much I liked this album. Some really great tracks and a nice cohesive sound throughout the album.
Good album with lots of really good tracks on it. Not my favorite Van Halen album but its still solid.
Ni slabo
I have a visceral reaction to preening hair metal from this era - I feel exactly the same way about Aerosmith. Anyway, this was painfully bad.
A nearly perfect album. I think if this list was just 100 albums, this Van Halen would need to be included. I got Blondie's Parallel Lines yesterday and somehow got an even better album today. There isn't a terrible song on here and I recognize that David Lee Roth isn't for everyone, and no, he is not a great singer either. The songs here perfectly balance Eddie Van Halen's guitar pyrotechnics with ensuring the songs don't overstay their welcome. I had forgotten how bare some of these songs were and how Michael Anthony's bass can easily be heard. Mostly, I had forgotten how the mix makes Eddie Van Halen's guitar essentially the co-lead vocalist. Most songs feature it so prominently you need to focus a bit to hear the lyrics, as the guitar sound can take over your attention. Wonderful album and it's nice to listen to the music before they became a bit of a punchline with the drama and other crap that took away from the music they made.
Van Halen was a super fun listen. I've only been familiar with one song of this album and that is You Really Got Me Now as that does play on the classic rock radio station i used to listen to but i still thought i wasn't gonna recognize any of these songs since i never recognized the album art. That being said this album was a really fun ride. The songs all had this super energetic, funky, almost swing like feel to them. Eddie Van Halen himself also provides some great guitar riffs and David Roth's vocals combined with those melodies make this an extremely great listen. I would have had an issue with the recording quality since i listened to it on YouTube and listened to some of the music video versions, but that's not how its supposed to sound on the regular album so i won't fault it for that. All and all, It's an amazing album. Best Song: Little Dreamer Worst Song: Eruption
Not my vibe but a few tracks I enjoyed!
Great song I love the lyrics and how the song sounds like and feels like even though. The beat was one of my favorite things about the song that we listened to. But the guitar was one of my best yet least things because it was sorta confusing with the beat but I still understood. Mostly all of the song eve though the album cover is really cool in my opinion. I think the album cover really matches the song. I would recommend this to my friends and possibly my teachers.
The songs were good and If you like rock then I reccomend
I like it so much! Ahhh I like him yayayayayayay!
Very good, I am relatively a fan of heavy metal, and the guitar was executed perfectly on this album.
I really liked this album, I pretty much grew up with this type of music and I really recommend, GUITAR WAS AMAZING
One of the best albums I've heard so far this experience. Loved the high voltage rock and roll.
hmm not really my usual vibe but not bad to havw playing in the background during work
And with this album 80s hair metal is born and the shockwaves continue to be gyrated and the Aqua Net keeps spraying.
These guys are supremely talented, but I’ve always thought they fell short in their songwriting. Eddie is a game changer.
Guitar work is mental but the entire album is what I imagine goes through the old guy at the bar that claims he's slept with a 1000 women. "Hey baby I live life on the edge now sleep with me oh yeah honey" I like that they took so much joy in making their guitars sound like cars.
I have had 1984 already and I thought it was awful. Van Halen are a band that is made up noticeably talented musicians playing music I don't really like at all. This was nowhere near as bad as 1984 though, but not my thing. The standout song was the cover song. 3 stars
🤘✌️ you can’t define rock and roll without Van Halen
I recognize why so many people have fun with this album but I just have exceedingly little patience for this kind of cock rock at this stage in my life. Maybe I'm just a grump I don't know. So much pointless shredding, so many annoying 'vocal stylings' (why do they sound like they're getting burned by hot pokers every other verse? why in God's name do they start doing doo-wop singing in the middle of I'm the One? why did they ruin You Really Got Me with those stupid orgasm vocals?) but I do admit I was nodding along to some of the songs in the first half. Not really heavy enough for me to get really into it though. I realize this is kind of an album that you have to turn your brain off for but it's just too stupid for me and not fun enough to make up for that. There are hard rock bands out there who just do this shtick way better and are also not responsible for the plague of hair metal bands in the 80s. Ultimately it sounds like the favorite album of guys whose sex life peaked during the Reagan administration.
Best Album ever.
it's no "1984", but it is good. david lee roth is the only lead singer of van halen as far as i'm concerned. "ain't talkin' bout love", "jamie's cryin'", "runnin' with the devil"... these guys loved droppin' the "g". 'reat tunes.
geht so, dad rock/supernatural vibes
Love it. Inwas surprised this album is from 1978, this was a familiar record in many ways (Eruption, Running with the devil, Ain’t talking bout love), but listening to the full album really put it in more context and I kind of get why it was a forerunner of what 80s hard rock and glam, metal, heavy sound would be like.
This felt like a spoof for what I would think hard rock would sounds like. Actually quite enjoyed it and didn’t know they wrote you really got me.
Holy guitar on Eruption. Incredible. Super tight right from the start of the album.
Quite inconsistent but the attitude and playing takes it a long way and the good songs are very good.
🔥🎸🇩🇪
Demasiado bueno Van Halen te vas al choto de nashe
Just a bunch of wacky guys having some fun is the best version of VH, Roth can wail but his singing does not measure up to Eddie's shredding
I can see why this probably felt like such a breath of fresh air in the late 1970's. It largely ditches the sounds that hard rock had been developing for something a bit different, something that gestures towards the future. (I'm not a fan of that 80's sound, but Van Halen makes it feel like its going to be an exciting decade.) Perhaps the only analogue that comes to mind are some moments from Queen. Eddie Van Halen is a really flashy player, but can also write a pretty good riff. David Lee Roth isn't a spectacular singer, but he's good enough and his charisma comes across. The rhythm section is good as well. It's also a band that sounds like they are having a lot of fun. The Kinks cover is even growing on me. The only thing I would have left out was Eruption, but that's under two minutes long. Van Halen spent a lot of time as a big touring act without a contract I believe and that ability to engage an audience is fairly evident here. I like this record.
This is an outstanding debut album from a band who would go on to dominate the rock world for decades. I mean can you imagine hearing the guitar solo in the opening track “Running with the Devil” when the album was released in 1978? There is a reason why Eddie is frequently noted that Eddie helped redefine what a guitar could sound like. The music on the album is technically impressive. This record showcases the swagger and over-the-top, primal rhythms that are unique to this band. Others would try to copy it later, but nobody does it like the OG. Nearly every single song on this record would ultimately be considered a classic. Van Halen is credited with reviving interest in hard rock, and it is difficult to imagine how rock would have developed without their influence. As such, this album is absolutely one that everyone should hear at least once before they die. Like it or not, it is an important part of music history.
It's so bad but it's so good. Very front loaded, but then again, this isn't meant to be some connoisseur fine dining soundtrack, just classic glam rock. Faves: Runnin' with the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain't Talkin' Bout Love, Jamie's Cryin',
Crazy cool guitar and very much what i think of when i think of trad rock, not rlly my cup of tea atm, maybe if it caught me at a diff time, really liked ice cream man it felt the least like the other songs rlly caught me
A simply sensational debut. This is fun, fast, rock. (I thought for a bit that I liked Van Hagar over Van Halen--I was wrong). Top tracks: "Jamie's Cryin'," "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love," "Runnin' with the Devil,""Eruption," "You Really Got Me"
Classic. Fun as hell.
--Runnin' with the Devil...outside the cool bass opening, I always found this a little boring --Eruption...Eddie's a great player. maybe too good --You Really Got Me...fun cover --Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love...feels like filler. at least there's a sitar --I'm the One...an earlier version of "Hot for Teacher". Eddie's cooking here --Jamie's Cryin'...I guess this qualifies as a Van Halen ballad. never liked it, still don't --Atomic Punk...something odd about the recording of this. DLR sounds like he's standing too far away from the mic. some nice bass work --Feel Your Love Tonight...sexual assault and then some kiss-and-tell! Oh, Dave, you rogue. chord progressions/tempos that would eventually become "Panama" --Little Dreamer...not a great song but the band sounds good --Ice Cream Man...DLR on the acoustic. it's good! --On Fire...apt title
Fine! Didn't hate it as much as I thought i was going to. I feel like I could Charleston to ice cream man... bonus points for that. 6/10
I think the most important thing about this album is that it was made in 1978, not 1986. If this were just eruption it would be like a bomb, but instead it's surrounded by a coupla bangers. Even at a trim 35 minute run-time it gets a little long in the tooth (as these excellent but limited-sounding rock band albums do) but you can jump in, listen to three or four songs and have a good time. There's just something that kicks ass about it, but you can only take so much ass-kicking. The front half is better than the back half, but again, 1978. Woo.
Explosive first track, following up with an instrumental shred is a bold choice. Doesn’t come back strong with a cover of a popular song. Album runs out of steam almost immediately, feel you love tonight brings the momentum back but not in par with runnin’
i've heard You Really Got Me on the radio a bunch, but nothing else off this album Runnin' With the Devil - 5/5 Eruption - 5/5 You Really Got Me - 4/5 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - 5/5 I'm the One - 4/5 Jamie's Cryin' - 3/5 Atomic Punk - 3/5 Feel Your Love Tonight - 3/5 Little Dreamer - 4/5 Ice Cream Man - 3/5 On Fire - 3/5 Average score: 3.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a really fun album, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it!
This album was so much fun! I was a bit young to ever really know a lot of Van Halen besides the Hagar era, so I enjoyed hearing this debut. It was a super easy listen, ya know, didn't have to think to hard about any of the songs and just let them happen. My favorite song was "I'm the One" because of the energy!
This album is great. Consider that this is their debut and they have already formed this excellent a sound. Dave as the charismatic front man, Eddie shredding, Michael banging away on the base, the two of them together providing quality background vocals, and Alex driving songs from the back on the drums. Selling 10m+ records from your debut speaks for itself. Personally, my favorite on this record is Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love, which is just an awesome track. Might be my favorite Van Halen track ever, certainly my favorite with DLR at the front. The opening riff on this is amazing, one of the best lead ins of all time. But there is plenty more to love on this record. Their version of You Really Got Me is excellent, potentially even better than the original. Janie’s Crying, Ice Cream Man, Running With The Devil, Dance The Night Away, Fell Your Love Tonight, and Little Dreamer are all great tracks. Even the few others I haven’t listed are all quality songs. Oh, and Eruption? 1:30 of Eddie popularizing two hand tapping? Incredible. Just amazing what they did with this debut record. 5 stars.
An album that defined the development of rock music for a decade to come
Runnin with the devil definitely my fav.
One of the all time greats!
One of the goats
179. not bad
This project is testing me this week giving me Aerosmith on Tuesday and immediately following it with Van Halen the next. Although maybe that was a blessing in that I could feel and appreciate more readily the differences. Both bands and albums are similar - horned up dudes lusting after ladies over IMO semi-lazy rock music. But Van Halen is something more FUN in their approach to it. And for this reason, 3/5.
Meh. Never been a David Lee Roth fan. First song is good, the rest was tedious.
Love it
I really like this album i will listen to it more classic rock love it 8.8/10
Holy shit, what an album.
This is much, much better than 1984. Before even listening to this, I could tell that from the first half of the tracklist being nothing but hits. Jamie's Cryin' isn't quite as good as the other hits, but still. Was thinking this could be a situation of the second half just completely falling off, but with the exception of Ice Cream Man, it's just as good as the first half. On Fire is fantastic. So yeah. Great hard rock album.
Rv
kinda fun i guess but a bit soulless? too American and too Man
The original van band
why did they do a doo-whop thing in the middle of all that
Read the allmusic review…”it has no fathers”. Mind blowing guitar sound
This is just mediocre butt rock. Actually, Mediocre is putting it nicely, I didn’t enjoy very much of this at all. It was too much of a “look at how well I can play this guitar” as much as it was genuinely compelling music.
4.25-4.5 ⭐️
This album can’t make it to five stars; there is just not enough variety musically and emotionally. It does deserve its reputation as a genre shifting all-time great debut album. Van Halen built on the big riffs of Led Zeppelin, the showmanship of Mick Jagger, and even the Beach Boys vocal style. Like many artists, they altered these influences to such a degree that Van Halen became something new. Eddie Van Halen brought new techniques and sounds on the guitar that had the same impact as Jimi Hendrix. Does that mean I love Eddie? Not really, since his style on this record had zero nuance. One just goes wow as he blows one giant bubble after another. Ultimately it leads to the path of many stunt guitarists who can amaze with their speed and manipulation of effects, but lack the restraint and tone to provide pain, storytelling or even sweaty sexuality. However, on this record the bubbling blowing is groundbreaking and works well with the songs. Similarly, the signs of David Lee Roth’s male Rockette show can be seen, but at this point his massive personality gets harnessed enough to provide amusement. The lyrics and attitudes of the songs reek with simplistic libido, but in a fun way. While there is sexism, there is little chauvinism as no anger is directed at women. Roth even seems to have some sympathy for women’s plight as he mentions Jamie wanting more than “one night stands.” Lyrical analysis is beside the point with Van Halen as the delivery is all that matters. Like Black Sabbath’s first few records, this album starts out with five or six absolute bangers. It comes up a little short with some of the material on the second half of the record as “Little Dreamer” and “Ice Cream Man” fail to inspire. Those songs cannot take away from the innovative classics and stomping, less known ones like “I’m the One” and “Atomic Punk”, which nearly match the better known tunes. We know what’s coming with their influence on Hair Metal, Van Hagar and Roth’s “Just a Gigolo.” None of that matters as this album ranks close to Led Zeppelin’s and The Doors first records, and even the more respected and lauded punks of Van Halen’s era.
Good solid guitar rock album with nice bass playing too. Surprisingly melodic. Sounds very eighties.
i love this album. amazing to think that it is almost 50. i still don't really like the kinks cover (the original is perfect, tyvm), so it loses out on perfection. i do listen to it every now and then
Damn near perfect rock album
Everyone’s got a guy who will say something like, “Ya know, the thing about Eddie was…” I don’t have any specific attachment to Van Halen, though I am a Guitar Guy enough that I should be primed to look past the stuff I don’t like here, and just Enjoy Eddie. But for whatever reason, I am just not big on Eddie! I recognize him as being very skilled and what he’s doing as being very difficult, but I never actually enjoy listening to him. It is what it is.
Это хорошо
Me gustó más de lo que pensaba.
Some of the best guitar work ever done
Pretty alright
Cool
Wechselhaft mit aufkommenden Gitarrenwolken
erste hälfte mega, danach wirds ein bisschen zäh
I appreciate how much this album rips, despite the fact that I think the song writing is mid.
Groovy hard rock with insane guitar playing. Absolute classic album which cannot be recommended enough. Revolutionary guitar solos and powerful vocals. From barbershop quartet harmonies to tapping guitar solos, Van Halen’s debut is one of the best hard rock albums of all time. 5/5 easily and if you don’t like the album listen to it again cause you are delusional!!!!
I mean it's fine. Not my kind of music
Nice :)
Well this should be fun… And it was! Damn. If they didn’t mostly sing about sex this might go to 5. I mean when they broke out in full do whop in the middle of I’m the One I almost lost my shit! Wow. I so underestimated Van Halen. Don’t know if they were even on my radar growing up… 4 Boolean: yes, this is why I am doing this exercise, you know, before I die, and no longer can.
i didn't want to listen to this. but in the spirit of "the project".... more bid, dumb, fun rock. i don't hate it. childhood memories, etc.
Killer. Great songs.
Bom álbum de estreia! Muitos riffs interessantes e inovadores
A classic for rock fans
1984 or Self Titled?? That is the question. The answer depends largely on the person, and may even change depending on the day. Both are great, I personally gave 1984 a 4 earlier on in this project, and now I get to review Self Titled. This is the second, and final Van Halen album I'll get to listen to for this project, and while I disagree with the author's inclusions to the book fairly consistently (literally yesterday), they did right by including both Self Titled and 1984, no doubt. While this album art may not be as iconic as the smoking cherub, it’s still a killer debut cover, prominently featuring the band members in an interesting and cool way. Opening with the 4 best songs on the album is pretty funny though, and it seems like a fairly deliberate decision, as all 4 of them are EASILY the best on the album, besides song 6, "Jamie's Cryin'", which is also a classic. I think the main difference between Self Titled and 1984 is that this is more purely Metal focused, while 1984 is more Pop Rocky. While I still absolutely love 1984, I mentioned in my review that none of the songs really blew me away. They all really make you want to dance for sure, and they're all great, but more in the way that you expect to hear them at like a sports game or something. I wouldn't always seek out something like "Jump" or "Panama" unless I was watching the NFL on Fox or something like that. You know what I'm saying?? I think that makes sense. Meanwhile, playing something like "Eruption" and just rocking the hell out is something I could do all the time, and always enjoy it. Each and every one of the first 4 songs on the album do actually blow me away for different, but similar ways. They feature an amazing singer, who consistently makes me laugh with the constant "OOOHHH YEEEAAAHHHH's", and an unbelievably heavy guitar/bass/drum combo that still hold up today. They're all going into the frequent rotation, but my favorite of the bunch ultimately came down to "You Really Got Me" vs "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love". The former, I would argue, is even better than the original version of the song, and the riff is so meaty that it was hard not picking it as my number one. Ultimately, I went with "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love". Reason being is that it too has a meaty riff, but I also consistently found myself singing it today, even when it wasn't currently playing. That sold it for me. I love mostly every song on this album, but after the first 4 and 6, it's very VERY fillery. I don't know if that should make me rate it as a 4 or not, but I can definitively tell you that personally, yeah, I like it more than 1984, which I rated as a 4, so I do believe a 5 may be warranted here. I'm always sad when I get done with all the albums by artists I like. With almost 800 days left to go, that's another Heavy Metal all-star done and dusted. Don't know how many albums I'll enjoy as much as this one, but I'm very glad it was included. Today was a good day, and this was a fantastic album. Even with the filler, the guitar riffs are worth listening to, as well as Eddie just wailing on every song.
If you can listen to it loud, this is a 5.
I grew up listening to a A LOT of classic rock... My dad's fault. I learned to appreciate most of it. But, as my dad already knows, I'll be giving this album a 1. Despite it being loaded with "hits," I just can't stand David Lee Roth's voice and the whole Van Halen vibe has always felt off to me.
you know, these guys arent for me. but this album is much better than i thought it would be and the singles hold up against the rest of the album. its cohesive and silly, its brash and fast. its actually a solid album. again, not for me, but they have a hones first album. im surprised. tickle me pink. van halen, who fucking knew.
Pretty damn good
I did enjoy this quite a bit. It's noisy, it's obnoxious, but it's fun. Runnin' with the Devil, You Really Got Me, Ain't Talking About Love, and Jamie's Cryin' were my favorites. The others were alright but I hated Ice Cream Man, apparently it's a cover of a blues song but the lyrics did not do it for me, they were incredibly weird. Great music to listen to while riding a motorcycle in the summer.
Гитары это что-то нереальное
Was this the birth of hair metal?
I never really liked Van Halen, because in the 80's they were overplayed
Van Halen debuts with an album that's basically the musical equivalent of running into your ex at a party.. you know it's gonna be awkward, but dammit if you're not gonna enjoy every second of it. This shit slaps. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Runnin' with the Devil - Eruption - You Really Got Me - Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love - Jamie's Cryin' - Feel Your Love Tonight - Ice Cream Man
Teenage thrashing
Some familiar sounds in there. Surprised how easy it was to listen.
Not Van Halen’s best, but as Chris said ‘much more musical than I expected’. That track with the guitar solo is fantastic.
Fun! But not my cup of tea. Either way I have to appreciate the craftsmanship and skill, so I can’t give it less than a 4.
Only know A few by Van Halen released around the same time as “Jump”. I thought the vocal was similar to Bruce Dickinson in places which wasn’t a bad thing. Always a fan of talented guitarists. I was pleased to hear the source of Apollo 440s “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Dub”, so I had to play that immediately after too
this was a vibe, not my fav but nothing bad!
Listened to this walking through town in a heatwave and enjoyed it, but don’t need to revisit.
Quite fun.
Too unpretentious to demand respect but deserves more of it than most we give out
Enjoyed it. It’s a bit shit but in a good way
El protagonismo de Eddie es de llamar la atención, pero aún así se soporta bastante bien, la primera parte al menos. Creo que haber recorrido la adolescencia en los 80 me permite soportar este género con cierta facilidad.
I like this, it's fun and rock'n'roll! It's not too much and not too little. Would probably be good in a vintage car w/ the windows rolled down. I recognize "You Really Got Me."
unexpectedly really really liked it 8.5/10
4/5
That was an exciting ride
Yeah, it’s ok.
I am not exactly the biggest fan of this genre of music so i found it hard to enjoy (i only listened to the first song). There really was no element of the song- running with the devil- that i enjoyed, not even the drums (which is usually the reason many songs are so vibey) not to mention the name of the song doesn't even sit right with me. For this reason i am giving this album (all based on the first song which genuinely speaking is kind of like a sneak peak into what the whole album has to offer) a 0.5/10. The .5 is because i- actually i don't know i just don't want to give it a 0.
I knew so many more songs than I thought! I really liked this album and I played it twice through!
pompous hair pop
HONESTLY. This is misogynistic dross. I truly couldn't wait for it to end
Fun
I mean… classic rock perfection. On this go around it clicked for me how poppy these songs are. I also love how this album sounds and where the harmonies sit in the mix. 4.55
I mean just pure fun. Awesome classic rock and roll. I can’t listen to this without thinking about that amazing video of Eddie Van Halen playing eruption live. So so awesome.
So classic. Love how punchy it is.
Rockin' 3.5
oh man party, party. Running with the devil, yeah let me get my Puma's on and let's fucking go. Eruption is male ejaculation in music form. You Really Got Me, yeah yeah no you got me. Enough of that but seriously man they were so fucking good and this is 11 tracks of pure fucking energy 35 tight minutes. If you're down on this album then I don't know if we can be friends. We should also be honest that we were not really going to be friends anyway.
A high 3. I have always loved Runnin with the Devil and DLR’s voice raises Van Haven to a level above similar bands for me.
the ultimate cock rock experience
some tracks were cool, they probably (most likely) are soundtracks in a movie. otherwise it was fine
they're having a great time on this. really get the sense they're doing their favorite thing in the world which helps sell the enjoyment i get out of this more than other classic-ish rock records.
Just feels very meh. The guitar work is very busy but the music doesn’t really hit me.
Holy tuff
I'm not a huge Van Halen fan, but this is a great fucking album.
Enjoyed more than expected. Bet they were amazing live.
This album obviously has an pretty impressive collection of hits. I just don’t love any of them. Van Halen has never really clicked with me and I think there are a few reasons why. I fucking hate those weird screams David Lee Roth does and he does them multiple times every fucking song. He sounds like a horse that’s stepped on a nail. And I’m sorry but I think Eddie Van Halen is perhaps the most overrated guitarist in rock. He always sounds to me like he’s more worried about sounding cool than he is in making melodious music. More notes played quickly just doesn’t do it for me. He sounds like he probably had a huge boner every time he played. Sorry Sam.
The guitar playing is justifiably praised to high heaven but their ability to make some wildly catchy pop songs is the core part of the appeal to me. A song like Eruption can feel like an intricate escalator to nowhere but the more pop type songs combine the best of Boston with the technical proficiency.
One of the best rock albums of all time, it's unique and all the more powerful in that it didn't lead to any seismic shifts in music (maybe because no one can do what Eddie can, the man is on Mt. Rushmore of guitarists).
adorable:)
This was fantastic. Eddie Van Halen truly is a fucking incredible guitarist!
Eddie's face melters and Diamond Dave's showmanship make for quite a satisfying stew of heavy rock. Favorite track: Runnin' With the Devil
why cant van halen copycats sound half as good as van halen? the world may never know. 4.5
Entertaining
I love how Fridays usually bring some of the best albums. This certainly does not disappoint.
Tenia a Van Halen muy subestimado, que gran album
GENRE: Hard Rock FAVs: I'm the One, Atomic Punk, Feel Your Love Tonight, On Fire FIRST LISTEN RATING: 7/10
This album was played throughout my childhood. Evokes lots of feelings. I really enjoy listening to it. Another one of these albums where I have no real way of critically looking at it 'cause it's like deeply-embedded in my lived experience. I would say that compared to most if not all other VH records, this one does stands up the best. It's full of killer tracks with minimal filler. Big energy the whole time.
This is absolutely exceptional out of the gate, and then the back half of the album really falls off for me - with the exception of Ice Cream Man which has always been a favorite.
Eddie shreds! Who else has a whole track consisting of just guitar solo?
++: Eruption, You Really Got Me, I'm the One, Jamie's Cryin', Feel Your Love Tonight, Little Dreamer, Ice Cream Man +: Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love +-: Runnin' with the Devil, Atomic Punk, On Fire 8,2/10
For Eddie’s guitar playing only and the first 4 songs this should be 5 stars how ever the rest of the album not so much…
3.5/5. As someone who grew up in a family that listened to a lot of rock radio, I was familiar with far more of this album than I was expecting to be. it’s honestly a fun time all around and at a tight 35 minutes it doesn’t overstay its welcome. It also obviously goes without saying that Eddie Van Halen is an insane guitarist and his flashy solos on here are good stuff, especially on Eruption. Sure it’s not a deep or life-changing album, but not everything needs to be. And Van Halen’s debut serves well as just a fun rock record.
Incredibly stacked front-end album, an insane debut album Fave track: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Embarrassing stuff to be found everywhere. Top of the list is that fucking awful ‘You Really Got Me’ cover. Trash. 2/5
A load of guff. To have a wank fest solo as the 2nd track sets the tone for me. His singer voice has a nasty sneer to it. A terrible Kinks cover and the ice cream song is cringe. I was going to score it 2 - but have talked myself into a 1.
Van Halen I enjoyed this a little more than 1984, but some of the same things hold true as on that album - namely I don’t find Dave Lee Roth at all interesting as a singer, frontman or lyricist, and despite its technical proficiency Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing leaves me pretty cold. To be fair his playing does feel slightly more restrained than on 1984, and the album is better for it, but it still has a tendency towards empty grandstanding - e.g. the oft-lauded Eruption, which in actuality is a load of old wank. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love is a great riff and good song, I like Running With the Devil and Jamie’s Cryin, Feel Your Lovin’ and On Fire are all fun enough. The rest is pretty forgettable but I must say I really dislike their version of All of the Day - in their hands the rawness of the original is replaced by a rather dull roominess that strips all the greatness out of it. And Ice Cream is truly woeful and not a little embarrassing. So even though I did like it more than 1984 there’s not really enough here to make me want to listen again so I’ll go with a 2 🇳🇱🇳🇱 Playlist submission: Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Good grief - if that opening sound isn't the sound of the Vecna's clock on Stranger Things then I'm Dave Lee Roth's codpiece. Unfortunately, such menacing ambience quickly gives way to soft-rock 80s distortion, and meaningless plod. 'Runnin' with the Devil' should be 'Runnin' in the Treacle' such is its leaden pace. 'Ain't Talkin Bout Love' is one of rock's great riffs, yet not backed up by a great song; and it took 'Apollo 440' to make it zing. What does it leave? Just a feeling of great emptiness. The best bit is when it's anchored back to the original rockers with 'You Really Got Me', which is a fair cover, just drowned in VH's big tone and pinched harmonics. And even then it can't be said to be 'good'. The whole album cocks a snook at the energy of prog rock, punk, metal and altern rock to create a completely new brand of insipid.
Much better than I thought. Was expecting it to be cheesy
It's like if Red Bull was an album. It straight up creates energy!
Finally some good fuckin music
not relly my genre,but has a lot of cool riffs
First four tracks are a phenomenal start, especially for a debut album. Overall very good and groundbreaking. Only thing holding it back for me is that the vocals wear on me by the end of the album.
gitarre pur!
Gerader Rock für damals, mir etwas zu langweilig
good asl
Muutama hyvä biisi niiku aint talkin jout love ja runnin with the devil iha hyvä albumi
A band I’ve always known, but I’d never listened to an album straight through. Glad I did! Van Halen I feels like the platonic form of a classic hard rock album. I totally understand why Eddie’s guitar playing became so legendary, and why bands like these had cult followings… albums like Van Halen’s are huge sensory experiences, and hearing them in concert must’ve been wild. Not the kind of music intended for earbuds.
Didn’t stand out to me. 3/5
Great album!
I dont really enjoy the album and the genre of music but the guitar in it was really good. 5/10.
pretty boring tbh
Enjoyed voice and sound
A debut album that sounds like: a garage on fire, a party at midnight, and a band that knows they’re about to take over the world. My favorite VH album!
Not really my taste. But in the ABBA-verse, this shit rocks. Right? So they get 3 ABBA stars. I've heard worse, I've definitely heard better.
a classic i can't complain
rockin
Groupe connu, album connu et apprécié. Superbes riffs et solos de guitare, morceaux entrainants, que demander de plus ? Je ne l'avais pas écouté depuis longtemps, et je l'apprécie toujours malgré quelques morceaux un peu plus faibles vers la fin (qui lui évitent la note maximale). =>4/5
This album perfectly shows that technical abilities for itself do nothing for me.
nicht meine musik, aber doch ganz nett
Definitely Rock. Some hits I hadn’t heard in a while. The album deserves recognition but it doesn’t really do anything groundbreaking in my mind.
Fairly forgettable cock rock except for a foot stomping, toe tapping cover version of the Kinks 'You Really Got Me'.
I actually enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would, and I think it has something to do with the fact that Roth's vocals are less grating and more chesty than I imagined they would be, and the guitar grooves are positively dirty. I don't feel like myself when I listen to this, but I do enjoy the sort of glam-rock/punk person I become.
Dreadful
Glam metal before it was a thing. The guitarist is good. He knows he's good too. I don't like the singer.
The Wiki article says this album was based on their live show as a young band and that really shines through. I can imagine the energy of this tracklist played live. Every band member is ready to perform. And no one needs me to say that Eddie can play a mean fiddle. The important question after listening: who screams better, David Lee or Frankenstrat? (For all their youthful instrumental genius, their covers are my favorite tracks.)
if I was a white dude in the 70s and 80s, this would be my addiction; also another instance of an album cover that matches very well the sound; Little Dreamer is a sneak banger
Shit hot cock rock with enough metallic licks to build an aircraft carrier. Surprised me, but I love it.
Big guitar go loud
It was an ok album some songs I liked
decent rock album
Hell yeah I just love this Album!
I did go through a phase once when I was probably 22 where I’ve listened to this album for about a month. Still love the guitar tone, but would be probably fine to never hear most of it ever again.
As much as I love classic rock, I have to say I never really understood the hype around Van Halen. They are good, the guitar riff on You Got Me Now was excellent, but everything else on the album is just kind of...generic. They are good, just not a group I would get excited over.
This is a really good album, especially when considering it was VH's debut. Somehow they perfected their sound right out of the gate. It feels like an iconic 80s rock/metal album while being released in 1978. It both followed the blueprint of rock that had come before while also setting the standard for a lot of what would follow. Distinctive vocalist, dominating guitar work, and steady rhythm sections rocking out on 3 to 4 minute songs that were really all about the hooks. The only track that really varies from that is a cover, Ice Cream Man, which starts off with a softer acoustic blues intro. As a whole, the album shows up, rocks your world, and is over in 35 and a half minutes. For all it does well, though, it still has issues. There are some really good songs on here, but others are forgettable. Most of the second half pales in comparison to the first side. The last track, On Fire, didn't really feel like an album closer to me. Also, the formula it followed made it a little dull despite it's liveliness. A few more tone change-ups, like on Ice Cream Man, would've kept me more engaged. I'm sure a lot of the issues can be chalked up to inexperience or lack of material when making the album as a relatively young band. They still made a really fun, enjoyable listen. And it's impossible to deny the impact Van Halen had on the music world. This album doesn't quite reach "great" status for me, but I do think it was very good. Overall: 3.8/5
cool album: - great guitar - i don't like the vocals - ice cream man is a weird song to put here
This came out the year I was born. About 10 years after that, I started taking an interest in music, and I’m not ashamed to say that it was not great music that I was interested in at the time; we all have to start some where. But because this was such a mainstay on rock radio, I heard most of it at a pretty young age. This was one of the records that wrenched my attention away from the Paula Abdul’s and Bobby Brown’s of the day. Something about Eddie’s talent—which I didn’t totally understand or appreciate at the time—and David’s charisma, as well as Michael Anthony’s rock solid bass lines and Alex’s legitimately underappreciated drumming made me feel real things about music (I also owe a debt to Poison and Guns N Roses on that front). This record is a little nostalgic and special for me. Not every Van Halen record has affected me like this one, but this one is a little special for me. I don’t know how I could give this record less than a 5-star just based on the gratitude that I have for Van Halen helping introduce me to music that didn’t suck. I’ll never get there, but I still wish I could play like Eddie Van Halen. 9.2/10
Total classic. Incontrounable!
What’s not to love??
I'm livin’ at a pace that kills
Technical proficiency with no emotion, unless narcissism is an emotion.
ace combat + van halen
I typically hate Van Halen. But its hard to deny all the rock classics packed into one album.
I’m not a big Van Halen guy but this is a super fun collection of massive, catchy, shredding hard rock.
incrivelmente chato é mto divertido ver esses caras (tecnicamente incríveis) sendo completamente SEM SAL no que fazem como o amigo disse, depois de uma certa idade só é chato foda-se eu e meus manos preferimos solos simples mas com feeling
ou, é ruim. hard rock que consiste em um mano esbagaçando a guitarra e o resto da banda balançando o cabelo. infelizmente tenho mais de 12 anos, não gosto mto de solos de guitarra desse tipo nao. não me entendam errado, eles tem talento. só usam pro mal.
I can't help but be disappointed by this. I don't know what all the fuss is about. Considering this is supposed to be a rocking album, it sure does sound weak in the delivery. Compare this to someone like Led Zeppelin and it's night and day. There is weirdly VERY little oomph in this. There's some good guitar playing, obvs, but I'd much rather have less virtuosity and more cohesion.
Well, that’s not awful for a debut I guess, even though I’m absolutely not a fan of the genre overall. So yeah, I got a bit bored in the middle of 35-minute long album and made a pause to listen to the original version of You Really Got Me, the only song I liked so far. And well, I definitely liked The Kinks’ version better. Maybe if there were versions of Runnin’ with the Devil, Jamie’s Crying and Little Dreamer without all that excessively Van Halen stuff that basically makes them, you know, them, I could even see myself enjoying them. Like, I won’t say it’s bad or anything. But for me it’s kind of mid lyrics and mid music which are poorly disguised with skillful guitar riffs and solos and youthful energy.
As someone who missed the release of this album by 12 years it’s relevance has only until now been its pop Culture staying power. However the guitar sound had to have been pretty powerful at the time. A respectable debut album in spite of its very “of the time” lyrics.
bao
Kinda feel like I heard it before, it reminded me a lot of Elvis.
Heavy rock but quite accessible
Going through all these debut albums retrospectively is a bit fun, seeing which bands basically recorded their live set - a lot of them, to be fair - instead of the rare gems where an act was a studio creation first. This is more or less a really well-made studio demo, but Eddie’s playing is so front and centre and singular, it feels like a matter of time before he found an audience and this just so happened to be the form it took. Anyhow, fun set, DLR overstays his welcome by side 2, not entirely sure it’s a must hear.
Classic rock, recognizable songs, great guitar, but kind of just ok overall.
After listening to the album twice it certainly woke me up this Friday morning! ‘Running with the devil’ setting the scene for a frantic opening followed by an ‘eruption’ of a solo which any rock star past or present would be proud of. Following this ‘you really got me’ I’m not sure of this is a Van Halen original as I’ve heard other versions before but it packed a punch 🥊 The rest of the album then flicked through some great tracks mixed in with some good but when ‘ice cream man’ hit I knew I had my favourite track right there! So catchy! The second half of the album reminded me of the Iron Maiden sound but I really enjoyed it and might even now go and listen for a third time. Fave track- ice cream man. Worst track- a push picking one but ‘I’m the one’ takes the fall. 9/10
Van Halen - Van Halen A tour de force of Eddie's unparalleled skills, thrills and tricks. Totall rewrote the book on hard rock and ushered in an era of big hair and spandex! Impossible not to like, but some dodgy lyrics and DLR's not quite great vocal style just takes the shine off for me. Best Track - Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love Worst Track - Feel Your Love Tonight 8/10
I don't love this style of music, but this is about as good as it's going to get, so 3 stars!
I like more then i thought i would. Catchy, feels like a bit of ”Grease” vibe. I like the instruments. Honestly thought this would give me headache but it didnt and instead i liked it. Would probably give this album like 3,5/5. Not anything life changing but I liked it.
I really enjoyed this album. It was Van Halen's debut album and it really sounds like the beginning of the 80s hair metal bands. There are a few covers that are really fun additions to the album. Lots of great guitar and drums.
Great rock album! I heard most for these songs on Classic Rock stations over the years. David Lee Roth was a fun frontman while Eddie Van Halen was the serious and talented guitarist.
So many songs that I absolutely have heard before but didn't realize were van halen Also interesting that my image of them is like WOW HARD ROCK REBELS REBELS but the sounds feels... pop-adjacent to my 2026 ears. Certainly not rebellious or underground or countercultural at all. Were van halen counterculture? Or mainstream? google says *very* mainstream
good metal
Like it 3/5
Appreciate this more than I actually like it.
This album was seismic. Almost 50 years later it would be easy to underestimate just how much Van Halen’s debut changed rock music. Nobody played like this. Montrose’s first album had arguably paved the way but VH took the ball and didn’t just run with it - they strapped it to a rocket engine and blasted it into space. Eddie gets the attention, and his guitar is game changing, the tapping, the fast runs, yes, but listen to his rhythm work, it’s like an orchestra. Alex is an incredible drummer and DLR is a one off, a showman, with a limited but distinctive voice, he fits perfectly, a huge part of the initial impact. But the unsung hero is Michael Anthony, whose fat basslines round out the sound xxxx and whose melodic background singing fills any vocal deficiency from the front man. The production is excellent. The songs are uniformly good - "Runnin' With the Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love". "I'm the One", covers of John Brin's "Ice Cream Man" showing they could put a spin on the blues, and of course the stunning guitar barrage that is "Eruption" leading into a great version of the Kinks' "You Really got Me". Van Halen were cocksure and bombastic; it is unsurprising that, an admittedly shaky, Black Sabbath struggled to compete when they took them on tour. I love this album, and I think the following VHII is even better. Incredibly influential and still holds up. That VH inadvertently led to 1980s hair metal is not their fault.
Funny to think this came out in the middle of the disco fad! Great stuff!
Aika perusbluesrokkia
#342/1001. I was playing this on my phone speakers first of May, driving from forest to home on my eFat bike, crossing the Artic Circle to the South, visiting the empty Santa Claus village with Yuletid carols blasting on the speakers, but none of these could take away the fact that this is a fun album (also that I know it by heart). It paved away to hair metal (which is sort of a curse, but perhaps also one reason I spent a year in LA in the early 90s which was both a blessing and a curse), and of course it gave air guitarist all around the world the best tune ever. I have typically given metal / hard rock albums a low score, but just can't do this in this case. And why should I?
Két menetben hallgattam meg. Az első három szám akkor szólt a fülemben, mikor a Vincééknél tanultunk. Már túl voltunk a csodálatos, pont tökéletesen habos olasz kávénkon, ő kiheveredett a mezei virágokkal tűzdelt fűbe, hogy podcastet hallgasson a második ipari forradalomról (szerintem bealudt, de ő állítja, hogy csak elbóbiskolt rajta). Akkor nevettem is, annyira hirtelen érkeztek hozzám a brutál gitár szólók. A You really got me feldolgozásnál felcsillant a szemem, de azt éreztem, hogy hiányzik belőle valami plusz. Aztán ahogy tovább haladtam, rájöttem, hogy ez a baj. A első hangot már maximumon kezdik, így 36 perc szélsőség az egész. Az Ice cream man-nél már azt sejtem, hogy ezt ők is észlelték, ezért egy kis countryt is belcsepegtettek, de az volt az érézésem, hogy ez csak egy Presley epigoni pillanata lett a bandának. Azzal meg ugye elkéstek, mert 1978-ban már Presley ideje is lejárt. A dob szólók nagyon tetszettek, és persze a Eruption gitár etűd nagyon izgi volt.
It’s a three star record, but Eruption alone gets it an additional star.
An album that lives on the fine line between stupid and clever but manages to come out a winner. The bombast is sufficiently tempered by a tongue in cheek vibe and a pop sensibility to make the music fun. Jamie's Cryin' is a great song. Still working on my Weird Al version called Jamie Wyeth - lyrical submissions welcome.
The day Eddie died, we were driving around listening to the dinosaur station playing VH nonstop, and I was really struck by how idiotic the songs (especially the later ones) are. They even make the covers dumber. What would have happened if Eddie had been in an actually good band? Chuck Klosterman addressed this paradox in Fargo Rock City: "Mr. Van Halen really couldn't develop his classical virtuosity when his frontman was trying to hump the mic stand and scream like Tarzan. But in tangible terms, it made Eddie better. Instead of being an artist trying to make art, he became an artist trying to make noise--and the end result was stunning." Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love is the greatest, and clearly U2 thought so too.
I don't feel...wait, that isn't on this one
Meh. The hits are fine but I'm just not a fan of this kind of guitar-heavy, high pitched rock. 3/5
2/5
cuando escucho eruption me pasan COSAS
The guitar is the Ariane thread of this album. The last songs don't give a proper end to the first one, but overall is still a Banger.
This is indeed the birth of cool
Arguably the most influential rock album of its time. This one inspired the next 2 decades of guitar-heavy rock, and catapulted the band to Rock Gods status.
I find myself with a lot less tolerance for hair metal these days but there’s no denying that this album does have some of their best on it. You can definitely hear a lot of the progression from early to late 70s sensibilities when you compare this to the Queen album earlier in the list. This is another genre that has to feel completely different played live and you can’t recreate that energy. I wish they had been more adventurous with the drums. Also these lyrics are dogshit lmao
Pretty good. Eddie's guitar playing is legendary but the songwriting is not the best. Very sleezy at times. Highlights are Running With the Devil, Eruption, You Really Got Me, Ain't Talkin' About Love, and Atomic Punk.
An album that revolutionised rock music and guitar playing, paving the way for glammed up shredders to lay waste to the 80s. I don’t need to say that Eddie is one of the best guitar players who ever lived—it’s a well-established scientific law at this point.
so 80s that it hurts. Except from the 70s. I was prepared to give this a low grade, but it's merely mediocre.
Great guitar ofc Some classics on there
This is one of the best albums of all time. For me, when there’s any attempt at ranking the greatest guitarists of all time, there’s no argument that Hendrix is number one and EVH is number two. Van Halen is the only player to ever be in the same discussion as Hendrix. What they both had in common is a very unique mix - crazy technical ability, innovation that pushes rock music and rock guitar forward, that expands the realm of possibilities with the instrument while deeply rooted in understanding the origins of rock music, and that’s tied with writing incredible kick ass music that people like. Nobody ever did it to the degrees that they did. This album is great and contains some of the band’s best music. The first side is played with insane over the top energy. The second side takes it down a notch with a beautiful proto hair metal style (also kinda reminds me of Iron Maiden though I couldn’t find a link there) of nice catchy songs. An incredible musical statement in about half an hour.
It was good this Ain't talkin bout love is the highlight, and it's an absolute peach. The downside was the cover of You Really Got Me, but overall it's a goodun
Though I appreciate the guitar work, I just wasn't feeling it.
I understand that this was a trailblazing album that brought metal from the 70s to the 80s. I het that Eddie’s guitar playing is considered game-changing (and all of them are great at their respective instruments). I just wouldn’t put it on it’s so bland compared to today’s music
The fact this album came out in ‘78 compelled me to give it 3 stars but not my scene
I'm the one es bueniisimaaaaa Ice cream man, nada que ver a todo el album, pero buenanga que buen grito en on fire. No soy fan de este rock, pero suena bueniiiisimo, el nivel de complejidad no es de cualquier oreja de peto
Not really much to say. It's van halen
Van Halen is better than Kiss. That I have to get out of the way. Great debut album. Running with the Devil, Eruption, and You Really Got Me as an opener is great. Successful for a reason and nearly perfect for the genre.