Reviews (page 8 of 15)
A fun time throughout, almost a 5 for me
In middle school I remember trying to find music that sounded like real Rock Music. As in music created by “rock stars”. The music my parents listened to (Beatles, Neil Young, etc) didn’t sound like that. Then I found Van Halen (and Motley Crue and KISS and the hair metal scene). I had finally found it.
treća stvar - obrada kinksa! inače okej, valjda je ovo metalcima super, meni nije ništa posebno
It was good! Not what I expected.
classic
nice album!
Yeah, this still bangs
This is Van Halen's Second best album after Diver Down and has Ice Cream Man which is enough to give it five stars.
Love it!
A whole lot of vocal masturbation going on by David Lee Roth, and maybe some actual masturbation from the sounds of it. I would be tempted to say the same about Eddie Van Halen's guitar work, but it's more like a kid doing tricks he wants to show off. They're both GOOD at what they do, but it just isn't that cohesive for me and rarely comes off as music I want to listen to.
Quando abri o site e li "Van Halen" eu ja revirei os olhos. Me deu flashbacks da enxaqueca que AC/DC havia me causado um tempo atras. Sim, o disco Highway to Hell me causou dor fisica! Naquele momento, ja jurei detestar Hard Rock, ou como eu carinhosamente o apelidei, Rock Bunda Mas la fui eu, despretensiosamente, ouvir Van Halen, ja preparando pra fincar 1 estrela aqui e seguir a vida. Mas não. Não foi isso que aconteceu. Esse disco não perde tempo. Os riffs são eletrizantes e os vocais são antêmicos. A diferenca ta no som. Os tons da guitarra são crocantes, sólidos, e a voz do vocalista não é torturante! No final das contas, o album acabou me agradando bastante. Uma boa surpresa pra iniciar a semana. 4/5
Regarding how much I liked it 3/5
A true rock classic. This album was way ahead of its time and still holds up 47 years later. This is one I could listen to on repeat.
Great album
Wild thang …..
Lots of hits on this album. Doesn’t sound like a 1970s album. Michael Anthony is an underrated bass player.
Ev närmre 3.5
Just a classic metal album. NEED A BEER
NEED A BEER
A absolute ripper of a debut album. They came out the gate with tons of rock’n’roll swagger, an outrageous and lecherous lead singer in David Lee Roth, and a generational guitar talent in Eddie Van Halen. It’s an addictive onslaught. I love their cover of “You Really Got Me” and “Ain’t Talkin Bout Love” is maybe my favorite Van Halen song. I loved this album at 14, and I still really enjoy it forty years later. Knocked down from a 5 because of a couple of weaker songs.
A solid feel good album with great guitar, drums, perfect match with the voice. Heck of a debut.
Adored this, not sure why I’ve never listened to them before!
Decent listen.
Kinda does exactly what you’d expect a Van Halen album to do. A bit of fun. But nothing more memorable than that.
Probably the best debut album ever (looking at you Lynard Skynard)
wish i could rate something three and a half stars?? or like 3.75? good vibes for sure, i liked it a lot more than i typically do for something of this genre good tone of the geetars also tickles the brain just so
N sou fã de Power metal, mas gostei bastante do álbum
Kicked ass while working on my car
All bangers. Eddie Van Halen + David Lee Roth classic combo. Put butt rock on the map!
There’s a reason the first four tracks are super well known, they are an excellent way to start the album. The guitar on Eruption and continuing into You Really Got Me is excellent. Love the frenetic energy, particularly the kick drum, on I’m The One. The guitar and drum sections sound very familial, but that speaks to the impact of this record on future musicians.
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Still a bit bored by the end though.
Killer album. Legendary guitarist. Cocaine fueled madman singing. Some great tunes on here. All the hits are my favorites, along with Eruption. This is a perfect wave goodbye to the 70's and a friendly how-ya'-doin to the 80's. I'm giving this a 5.
Well, I lost my whole review I had typed out...I'll give this one a high three, rounded-down. It doesn't personally speak to me despite the crazy talent and execution. The band sounds insane, and, in a different way, so does Diamond Dave's endless vocal vamping, but it continues to provide amusement all the same. Near hearing real real old school influences here like blues and barbershop.
Soo many killer songs on this. Such great creativity and energy also
Guitar rock isn't really my jam, but this album pretty much rules. Plus...The Kinks. And that intro to "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"…
Still great. I listened to this when it came out. It was great then and still is
Complete
This reminded me a bit of Bob Jovi, though not quite as good. They did get good use out of the guitar playing, and were good at “tactically” deploying the guitar where it would be most effective. Favorite Track: Eruption
Maybe I suck, but I can barely tolerate the guitar solos -- not because they're bad but because it's just something I don't like.
i love it when the artists' first albums are just hits after hits after hits
-All of the electric guitar parts are played well by EVH -Album wasn't insanely influential in the same way as others from then -A lot of the music feels very similar -Best Songs: Runnin' With The Devil, Eruption, On Fire -Worst Songs: I'm the One, Atomic Punk, Ice Cream Man -Overall Rating: 8.3/10
Respect the guitar. Some hits on here.
Just not my style of music.
Hate Hair bands. Each person by themselves are very talented, so you would expect the music to be great, but it never is.
Hair band rock. It goes hard, but is it really that hard. Better than KISS or ACDC, but so many repetitive songs. Musicianship is impressive, but not enough to make me want to listen to the album often.
Van Halen’s Van Halen. Not much more to say other than this album fucks. Stands for every reason hard rock is amazing. Tasty solos, breakdown points, lyrics from the gutter. So great - 9/10
reminds of an amusement park and songs you’d listen to on a rollercoaster. or one of those roller coaster montages.
Eddie Van Halen is a good guitar player. Eruption fucks. The songs are fun and happy, though I would like them to be heavier and less poppy. Fun listen though.
top songs: you really got me, eruption, little dreamer, ain't talking about love peak guitar playing
I think that Van Halen forgot the writing good songs part of making a good album
it's van halen. turn the brain off and rock out. hell yeah
One of my favorites!!
Not always what you want, but if this is what you want, nobody does it better. Ain't Talkin Bout Love still goes so hard.
Surprisingly not dookie
I feel the need to tell my story about this album. See, I bought "Van Halen 1" it was the best damn record I ever owned. I picked it up from a TG&Y in 1978. That two hand tapping guitar technique it really got me off. I mean full Eruption, YEAH!, I ain't talkin' bout love, I'm on fire! Afterwards, I bought "Woman and Children First", "Fair Warning", and "Van Halen II" and danced the night away. "1984" was my favorite record. I listened so much I wore it down, I was so sad that I thought, I might as well jump. Up on that bridge in quiet reflection I thought to myself, "Tomorrow may come, Tomorrow may never come". Then the strangest thing happened, I could hear my long dead sister Jamie crying, and I knew she was running with the devil, I shouted "oh lord!", and left that bridge. Just one short year later and they go and change singers. Is this what you wanted? Sammy Hagar? I mean, SAMMY HAGAR?? Is THIS what we wanted, man? No! I'll never buy their lousy records again. Long story short, Van Halen is over-rated. ~ 2 Stars
Well that's just a great album. Listened to it three times straight through while layed over at ORD. The infectious riffs and hot licks cannot be denied. Guaranteed to satisfy.
This is waaaaay too front heavy but even with that being the case, the a-side is fantastic and the second side is competent... 3*
Hard rock en glam metal albums, keep them coming! Ik blijf stug en stoïcijns 1 sterren geven hoor. 'Running With The Devil' is natuurlijk best geinig en catchy, maar het opvolgende halfuur (de rest van het album) was ronduit stupide. Die blues intro van 'Ice Cream Man' deed even wat verrassends, maar ook die song transformeerde langzaam in een hair-rock anthem. Het is allemaal zo ontzettend voorspelbaar wat deze bands doen. En dat blijft me verbazen, dus wat dat betreft hebben ze wel een verrassingsfactor. 5/10
Jeetje wat een taaie sessie. Opluchting van het ontbreken van Jump op dit album overheerst. 3/10 Highlights You Really Got Me
Revolutionary
Eruption…if all the rest were stinkers, the album still would have at least 3 stars!
So another van halen album generated precisely a week after I got 1984? Fine. It’s a 4. And yes, Eruption, along with stairway to heaven and comfortably numb, MUST be in the great Rock’n’Roll songbook for their solos. 4/5
love
Side 1 is one of the strongest of any album listened twice to confirm this indeed rocks
Definitely one of the best debut albums of all time - great vocals, bass and drums, amazing songs but true virtuosic guitar playing - rock guitar was never the same after this record
Decent fun, but other rock albums I get more out of
Ridiculous
Surprised by the number of songs that I knew on this album. Fun guitar solos throughout. Drums support nicely.
Rating: 3 Notable songs: Eruption, Running with the Devil, Ain't talkin about love Quite a short album at 35 minutes. Decent but definitely fades out past the first 4 songs
good one
Van BORING
Classic 80’s fun rock …. Nothing to ponder, just put the top down, blast it loud and head out on a ride to nowhere
Couple of clunkers but not enough to drop it too low.
Van Halen's debut album. That seems about enough.
Lots of fun. Let's go drinking
Eddie Van Halen is an incredible guitarist, but I don't masturbate to six strings so this album was just okay. If you love cock on the table guitar solos though, this is probably 5 stars.
it's perfect from beginning to end. Dave's soaring screams and outstanding lyrics. Mike's thumping bass and beach boy harmonies, Alex's restless drumming and Eddie's guitar assault. This is the one that declared disco dead and changed the game. =VH= Forever
Eddie's guitar solos are juste something else. A great representation of real hard rock. -1 for "Ice Cream Man" though so 8/10. fav songs : Atomic Punk & On Fire
I didn't think that I'd like this as much as I did. Hmm, maybe I missed listening to Van Halen when I was younger or maybe my tastes have evolved. Maybe both.
Growing up I had dismissed Van Halen as hair metal spandex clad horn dogs. This album was surprisingly listenable and fun. Timeless rock, shredding guitars, in your face vocals and a variety of songs. I guess I liked it. huh.
Energy, variety, good solid rock.
Solid. Love the energy.
its 80s rock from the 70s, that's got to count for something fun album
Pretty good album, full of radio hits. I didn't hate it, but it's never going to be my go-to. Still holds up better than most radio stuff I thought.
Good stuff all the hits. I love the kinks
Damn, that Guitar-Solo in Eruption. Really cool. Ain't talkin bout love is also really cool.
An amazing force this is. Incredible sound and the quality of production. A must!
Just not a van Halen guy ar all. I'll start with the good. Like 80% of this record was hits. They made bank I bet. And the guitar tone really is one of a kind. I do like that. But that's where my list of pros ends. The vocals suck so very much. I hate them 100%. Eruption isn't a song. It's just a solo. What is this doo wop thing they got going on a surprising number of times in 30 minutes. Also there is another pro. It's merciful lengthwise. It's just not my thing. If you love van Halen then hell yes brother sister man friend. I'm happy for you. Just don't play that shit anywhere near me.
It’s nice to listen to this album knowing what kind of history this band had in front of them. The album rocks, and is true Van Halen. Great record.
oh har har. the joke's on me. I get it. I bitched on the Basement Jaxx review that I wanted real music and not electronic jingles- and you said, "I know what technically fits the bill! here's every drunken frat boy in the 1980s favorite album to dream of glory to." this music is awful. shrieky vocals, empty lyrics, ostentatioius guitar solos devoid of purpose or soul and plodding lifeless drums. stupid cock-rock for stadiums full of stupid people. the boys are all technically competent, and you can, in moments, hear the better band that they could have been- there's a bit of punk energy that eeks out in a few moments that if the album wasn't overproduced to hell and the boys weren't set on chasing mainstream glory, could have made a better album. they certainly are capapble of writing catchy songs- if only they hadn't used their talents to evil ends. bring back the robots I guess; there's no hope for humanity.
i like van halen yay this is top tier dad music
Fun, great guitar, and not gross (lyrically) unlike many classic rock musicians of the time.
I like it :) It is indeed peak "dad music", but that shouldn't hold it back. Technical guitar fun :)
I saw somebody say Eruption should have been the opener and I AGREE SO MUCH. Would have been soooo good. I really love albums with instrumental openers... Slayer's Repentless, Testament's The Formation of Damnation, The Cure's Seventeen Seconds... and the instrumental opener on 1984 by Van Halen is probably my favourite track on that album The guitar tone here is also SO GOOD. Like OMGGGG the You Really Got Me intro RAHHHHH. So crunchy but also... it sounds wet?? If that makes sense??? I like that combo a lot
I wish my dad had played me this when I was a kid
Not my type of music
Thought it would be harder. But actually very blues forward. Helpful to situate in rock genealogy
In my opinion, the first four Van Halen albums are their best. It is loud, down, and dirty rock and roll. The music was driven by Eddie's guitar playing, which, like Hendrix from the generation before, we had never heard the like. Many others have copied his style, but he was truly one of a kind. This is not my favorite of the first four albums, but those four make up what I call the essential Van Halen, as their music became more commercial as time passed. I was lucky enough to see them back in 1984, as well as the last time around when they reunited with Dave just before Eddie's passing. This one was easy to grade.
More fun and bizarre than I was expecting. Doo-wop breakdowns followed by "Panama" kept me on my toes.
A band I tried to avoid in my teens. I was correct.
Atomic Punk FTW
But you were young and bold and baby….
3.5 Stars
Van Halen is great example of a group that is technically proficient, but so so boring. It is montage music. On its own it offers nothing. Put it as the backing track to a cool work out montage? Then it'll be pretty neat.
FIVE!!!
Ok riffs but corny harmonies
Rock movido, muchos solos
Not a huge VH fan but some important classics here
This sort of music has been referenced so many times in popular culture that it has calcified into something that's very difficult to take seriously as a millenial coming to it in 2024. It's the music that needs to be playing when the newly arrived Terminator walks into a bar filled with tough guys, its the motif for the muscle-car driving douchebag that's nailing the protagonist's crush, it's what the washed up deadbeat dad on One Tree Hill (or something, whatever) has on the record player while he's bottoming out with a bottle of Jack Daniels.
All style little substance. An incredibly talented bunch to be sure. Breaking new ground in guitar wizardry and stadium rock production. But this whole album didn’t really resonate for me. I appreciate the lean runtime, but even at that, the high octane energy of those guitars and Lee-Roth’s yelping ‘aww yeyahhhs’ feels totally overwhelming by the end. Two stars ⭐️⭐️
Ok u can play guitar
Not my jam
Wish I could give this 3.5 stars. Definitely a controversial take but I dont think this is everything I expected it to be.
I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. When it got picked, I thought I’d rate it a 2 maybe 3 stars at best. But, for a debut album, it was a really nice foreshadowing of what was to come. Clocking in at an economical time less than 36 mins, we experience the genius that is Eddie on guitar, and coupled with David Lee Roth’s playboy antics and howls, there isn’t a wasted minute here. Consider me “re fanned”.
dave, eddie, michael, alex. collectively they are known as van halen and they took the world by storm in their debut album. eddie van halen was a once in a generation talent and david lee roth was a charismatic frontman. this album is rock solid from top to bottom. haven’t listened to this album in many years, but it still kicks ass. the only *minor* issue i have with it is the track order… it really seems like a missed opportunity that the album didn’t begin with “eruption” then “you really got me”. now THAT would have been the ultimate introduction into what probably felt like at the time to be someone from another planet. van halen had massive success album after album, but this was where it all started, and they couldn’t have asked for a better debut. highlights: “eruption” “ain’t talkin’ ‘bout love” “atomic punk” “ice cream man”
Eddie Van Halen is a god and this is his origin story. Incredibly revolutionary band and the older I get the more I appreciate super solid music that is 100% about having fun.
classic
Ya... There's a reason people think Eddie is a guitar god.
I can imagine myself, with an unironic mullet, wearing an unironic jean jacket, rocking out to this back in the 70's
Ahead of its time. If you told me it came out 5 years later than it did, I wouldn’t even question it. Impeccable guitar playing and bravado vocals.
Thoughts before listening: I used to think I hated Van Halen. I mean I knew EVH was an amazing guitarist, but their music is cheesy and David Lee Roth is more showman than incredible singer. However, I have explored their albums past the hits, and found there to be more depth than I originally thought. I'm glad to get a chance to listen to this today. Review: This is better than I thought it was going to be, and the best songs are the album cuts. Sure the hits are iconic, but for my money, "Atomic Punk" and "I'm the One" are the best songs here. EVH"s guitar playing is on point throughout the album and DLR hasn't gone full blown cheeseball yet (although "Ice Cream Man" is a sign of things to come). I've always associated VH with the worst side of cheesy 80s metal, and while they certainly were a major influence on bands like Poison, this debut album proves that there was more to them than the party anthems that would soon follow. 4-stars
Fun, never been huge on arena rock but it still felt impossible not to enjoy myself. Rating: 3.5
A very good listen! I admittedly didn't know Van Halen as well as I thought. They aren't as hard as the "hard rock" name would suggest but they have their moments. It sounds like they're having fun and that appeals to me. The doo-wop breakdown is top tier. I can see why they're so successful and why this album is on this list. That said, it gets a little same sound at a point. The guitar sound is unique and played well enough to excuse it though.
EVH can certainly play guitar and he never misses an opportunity to demonstrate. A skilled musician but fairly forgettable album I’m afraid
I mean it’s not dissimilar to other similar albums from the time which are alright listens (if on the right mood) but aren’t ever going to win any awards for innovation. Although maybe this was innovative and everyone else copied. Down the middle again then.
The kings of cock rock are back, and this time that have done the decent thing and only made us listen to half an hour of this averageness! So many better rock bands of that era to choose from.
I like my hair metal fully ridiculous. This is not as ridiculous as their 1984 album which we’ve already had in here. Clearly they had yet to fully develop their egos, drug/alcohol/womanising addictions and couldn’t yet afford a full blown production team. Nice to meet you though baby hair rock.
Хороший альбом. "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" шедевр на все времена
Great album, obviously a fantastic first half. Defined hard rock for the rest of the century. Great debut and just crazy to listen to.
Partially listened before Fav tracks: Runnin With the Devil, You Really Got Me, Feel Your Love Tonight
Jetzt weiß ich, woher die Chipmunks ihre Version von You Really Got Me haben.
When I reviewed 1984, I said it was probably the highest rating I’d ever give to what I called “big penis rock.” Now, honestly I’m going to retract that. While I’m still not a massive fan of the style, the energy on this album is palpable and you do get a sense that they were uncovering something new by making hard rock so glitzy and shiny and over-the-top. So, sure. I’ll give this one a higher rating and a must-listen designation (#125 for me).
I like it but small doses only
Milquetoast 80s rock. Enjoyed the guitars generally but the songs were pretty flat and souless. Couldn't find too much to like or dislike in here, it's fine.
Short and concise album. Have heard many of the songs before and liked second part a bit more as I hadn’t heard songs. Classic hard rock sound and great guitar riffs. Solid album
- nicht so schlecht, wie erwartet, aber nichts, was ich unbedingt wieder hören würde (denke ich) - insgesamt war es aber relativ stimmig (Irgendwo zwischen 2 und 3)
again another classic. One of my dad's favorite band's too so I'll have to give it to him! And I got it on the day of his birthday, coincidence? I think not. Well, not his birthday in the US but his birthday in New Zealand because that's where my parents currently are.
Nice instrumentals 2/5
☀︎j’aime pas Eruption ☀︎c’est pas si pire ☀︎ je me suis rendue compte qu’il faut carrément que je change mon « mindset » pour pouvoir apprécier ça, genre il faut que je m’imagine être à un certain moment, à une certaine époque. un peu comme ce que je faisais pour Fear Of A Black Planet ☀︎bref c’est pas si pire que ça comme album. 3.5☆, arrondi à la baisse :(
Not to my tastes
3.75
A pretty good album! Talented guitar playing and catchy enough songs (though a few were forgettable). 3/5
Today I became a Van Halen fan. I had heard some of their songs before, but this album rocked!! Wouldn't say I am typically one for hard rock/metal. This project seems to challenge that belief. Awesome guitar riffs, great hooks, and a brash (but tightly assembled) sound that jumps out at you!
Big 80s rock. I don’t think I can name a Van Halen song that did not appear on this album. This is what I think of.
It’s silly and not something I would typically listen to because I don’t often find myself at the Hard Rock Cafe. I can respect the deranged energy and the lively guitar riffs, however. Standout tracks are: “You Really Got Me” and “Jamie’s Cryin”
Q if you would have asked my 17 yr old self in 1978 when this came out what I thought of this - I would have given it 5 stars. But now 47 yrs later Roth’s schtick is a little grating at times so it gets knocked down 2 stars. Eddie playing though raised it back up another star!
Really good album, it would probably be a 5 but I don’t like their cover of You Really Got Me
Oh, well that’s a surprise it seems I actually still like Van Helen. Thing is I’d built up my own stereotype of what I remember them sounding like, which I didn’t give much credence to. But the 2 albums I have re listened to on here, are well just good rock and roll. Dave Lee who I just think of as clowning actually fits this well, went to the edge .. the musicians are always on point and serve the song at all times while being, well eddieVH. Great hard rock album, 4.5 Star
Classic hair metal album. There was so much of the same music coming out at the time of this album so it was definitely difficult to design any record with heavy metal riffs, catchy phrase lyrics AND be unique at the same time. VH set themselves apart with their vocal sound and, of course, the face melting guitar solos. This album crushes it for me all day. Whether I'm on my way to work or slicing another Titleist from the tee box, I'm belting RWTD.
I found the long guitar solos boring. Outside of that the music is not super interesting. I think I just don't like the 70s.
Not my favourite genre but it's a good album.
All timer and Janice likes it
Was decent and the singles are good. Still not really my vibe but I can appreciate it.
Not a big cock rock fan, but liked the blues influence. Maybe being a little harsh because I've gotten a few 70s-80s metal bands in a row. Drums here are insane. Pretty wild for a debut album.
SO SICK
A classic sound, growly and indignant! Pisses me off that Jump! is Van Halen's most popular track, everything here is more creative and punchy.
Favorite is Little Dreamer, very classic
Killer album! No doubting its importance for us and for Van Halen! Pure classic.
Prochronism describes a moment when something from the future is placed in the past. And right up there alongside a baroque blockchains or rococo smartphones is Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption” – a guitar solo that would have sounded pretty out of joint on any playlist of 1978’s most popular tracks (think Chic’s “Le Freak” into ABBA’s “Take a chance on me”). No doubt, EVH was a genius. (Perhaps, at times, too great a genius for his band’s own good – why, Mr Lee Roth, must you feel the need to compete?) It’s a struggle to find praise high enough for the guitar playing on display here, or to adequately capture the impact of Eddie’s innovations without lurching into sickly hyperbole – so instead I’ll do what we all wish David Lee Roth would do at times, and shut the fuck up.
This is a really great way to debut your kickass metal band to the world.
Great guitar riffs
Unlike a lot of albums that I would have rated a 5 in my youth but now have little use for - This one held up for me
Killer debut album with unmistakable Van Halen sound.
Shred jams.
Yeah the album is short st 35 minutes but it handles business and leaves you wanting more. Never listened to Van Halen and now thats gonna change. Best Song: Feel Your Love Tonight Worst Song: Jamie's Cryin' (Its not bad just last in rabking imo)
This was only about half an hour long, but felt like an eternity. I appreciate Mr Van Halen has shredding chops, but to me this is like hyper realistic illustrations: technically impressive, but utterly soulless and devoid of any interest.
Never listened to VH in albums, but this one is really solid
Unexpected
custom_rating:10
Some of the most incredible and fun guitar work out there. Revolutionary use of a tool put into stone and sound
Absolute Classic. Eddie revolutionised guitar all over again, and we can’t forget the under-appreciated backing vocals of Michael Anthony.
The guitars on this record are insane
4.2
Haven’t listened to this in decades… Lots of great songs. Some filler though.
Straight forward, top-notch Metal and Hard Rock. A little dated, but still cool. Would have loved to train Karate to this in the 80s.
eh. hair metal with one flavor
I’ve been around long enough to know who Van Halen are. I’ve heard my fair share of songs, hell, I’ve heard quite a few of these. What I haven’t done is fairly critique them. 5 songs in and I’m impressed. I never questioned Eddie’s guitar playing or Alex’s drumming. I’m not a fan of Dave’s screaming or whatever you call it. Moans? Whatever. You get it. My only knock is it tapers off with the last 4 songs. The momentum has been lost. Other than that, it’s a very passable album, just not perfect. Choice cut: Eruption
I would pass on Ice Cream Man, but other than that, solid
amazing self entitled
Lol Van Halen fans REALLY like guitar solos! 😂 did VH invent Guitar Hero? More tolerable than Metallica. Step dad garages.
The guitar by Eddie is amazing on this first VH album. While it could have had a little better song lyrics, it still has enough great songs on it to get a 5.
Have to at least respect the skill that they have
I wish I had been around when this first came out and it was new to the world. I still remember the first time I heard "Eruption" and it absolutely blew my mind (it still does every time I hear it). This album opens with four absolute bangers and then carries on from there. Obviously Eddie and David Lee are the flashiest parts of the band, but Anthony's vocals might be the most underrated part of this band, they are superb and on point, remind me of John Frusciante's vocals. Alex is great on drums. "Ice Cream Man" is by far the weakest track on here but everything else is superb. Eddie was one of the best to ever do it, wish I could have seen him live. Also "you know you're semi-good looking" is an absolute bar.
forgot how solid this album is. no, they are not known for deep, thoughtful lyrics at all. what they do showcase on here is the incredible talent of Eddie, showmanship of DLR, and fantastic backing by Michael Anthony & Alex. Ain't Talking bout Love is one of the absolute best tracks
Like sitting at one of those faux-chic Asian wok restaurants and watching the chef perform an entire pyrospectacle, flying vegetables and shrimps getting beheaded mid-air included, just to get you your noodles on your plate. It's flashy, it's entertaining, but like, surely he doesn't *actually* need to be doing all that, right?
hell yeah
Goofy dipshit music.
One of my favorite albums. The brilliant musicality of Edward, perfectly supported by Alex' deft feel, and balanced - like acid on fat - by the utterly unpretentious circus performances of David Lee Roth. (Watch his early 80s interviews on YouTube.) A band that makes no sense on paper - perfect right out of the gate.
Fun times! Starts out nicely with Runnin' With The Devil. You Really Got Me is a classic, great song. I'm The One has some awesome shredding in it. The guitar work throughout the album is excellent. Ice Cream Man is pretty fun too. Only ok songs are Atomic Punk and On Fire. All in all, good album. Best song: You Really Got Me
Growing up in the 80s it was inevitable and impossible to not hear Van Halen as part of daily life. There’s a lot of speculation on who was better: David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar. In truth, both were great in their own way. This album showcases the raw energy and talent of David Lee Roth in his prime. He may not have been the best singer, but he was definitely the better showman. What made this album great at the time was were bands, like Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and even Journey, which were each going on their own path towards darker or more serious, Van Halen produced a juvenile rock that was backed by extreme talent of its four members. Eruptions ear-splitting technique revolutionized guitar, while songs like You Really Got Me Going and Running with the Devil were coercive works of mastery. One of my favorite songs this listen was Ice Cream Man, partially because the double entrendre, and its bluesy-rock roots. This album still translate to fresh rock and energy.
Random thoughts: * I grew up with Van Halen 1984 so it took me a good while to discover this album in the late 90s. I probably got to this album because of the Tone Loc sample. * Anyway, this is some guitar ripping stuff! * Eruption plus You Really Got Me are peak guitar rock! * Overall a solid rock album with a bit of filler at the end.
Timeless classic!! The beginning of a legend!!
Ladies and gentlemen. I give you... Van Halen!
Once in a while an album creates copycats. This is one of those records.
hell yeah brother 👊🇺🇸🔥
Did not like.
What a great freaking album! So many good songs! Classic songs as well! This album showcases so much of Van Halens talents and it just keeps it up the whole time!
oohh oohh ooohh jamies cryin 🗣️ e-gitarren neuron activation
Ist mit zu cheesy/Klischee Rock n roll (auch wenn das wahrscheinlich die og's vom ganzen genre sind)
Lots of bangers. Aint talkin bout love has been stuck in my head all night.
Only listened to half pretty good tho
David Lee Roth screams like a mountain lion mauling an elk.
I don’t think the tone has aged well (or at least it’s not presently in vogue). The lyrics are so bad. Its stars really only come from the technical prowess.
Day 98 - No idea when I got assigned this I hate Van Halen
This was surprisingly good! Wasn’t expecting it! I loved the guitar, the vibes. Couple of songs weren’t my thing. The song ain’t talking bout love was great!!
Ahh, this brings back memories of sitting in my friend Bubba's rec. room spinning side 1 of this album and being blown away by Eddie Van Halen's scorching and original-sounding guitar sounds along with David Lee Roth's howling/screeching vocals! That's got to be one of the top 4 opening tracks of all time, including the innovative You Really Got Me cover. What a "We have arrived" statement this is.
Eddie Van Halen. I knew more songs on this album than I would have thought.
RocknRollllllllll
Eruption alone could give this a 4 but Van Halen before the synth was a hell of a beast.
Decent guitar solos and cracking debut album. However found 1984 more interesting when we had that and this didn’t blow me away
Lean more towards a 4.5, but since that isn’t possible, 4 it is.
A really solid first album, as classic as classic rock gets. Love the foaminess of the guitars, and most of the tracks have great momentum, as well as just good vocals. The writing isn’t necessarily poetic, but that’s not the point here I don’t think, and I liked it anyway. I did feel that it started off really well and then kinda slowed down after about the halfway point, but that’s forgiveable. Favorite track: Jamie’s Cryin’ Least Facorite Track: Atomic Punk
David Lee Roth is not a singer, thank God for Michael Anthony Nonetheless a classic album with a few iconic tracks and a blistering debut for Eddie
Absolute shredder. The junk. The slammah. One drawback is that every song sounds the same... Or is it a drawback??? PEAK
Good rock band. Good music Miss Eddie, greatest guitarist that ever lived. R.I.P.
Das Album hat mich damals umgehauen. Und war ein Grund dafür ein paar Jahre später in den nächsten Gitarrenshop zu gehen und ne billige Korea-Stromgitarre zu kaufen. An der Kasse fragte ich: Wo ist die Bedienungsanleitung? Man hat mich dann an den Gitarrenlehrer im selben Haus verwiesen. Das erste Stück das ich damals übte was das Solo aus Van Halens Jump. Und das war dann wohl auch der Grund dafür, dass es mit meiner Karriere als Rockstar nichts geworden ist :)
Eddie play guitar good. That's it. That's the album. 'Eruption' is a perfect opener and tone-setter for this type of music, so it makes total sense that it's *checks notes* the second track on the album. Also, I really like the Kinks and really dislike 'You Really Got Me' - super duper.
The fact that Van Halen decided that “Eruption” wouldn’t be the album opener should act as a warning that this might not be among the greatest rock debuts, as it if often called. I’ve read people argue that it would otherwise sell the album as an Eddie-one-man show - but why, oh why, is the rest of the album when just an explosion of Eddie playing great guitar with some guys playing instruments alongside him? I don’t actually hate it, as you would probably think from reading the above - it’s quite good, considering the genre.
1. Deal With The Devil - it's okay. 2. Eruption - it's an almost 2 minute guitar solo. good stuff, very impressive. 3. You Really Got Me - like it. Good cover 4. Ain't Talkin Bout Love - decent 5. I'm the One - the descending part is cool as well as the chugging bass guitar 6. Jamie's Cryin' - it's alright 7. Atomic Punk - I like the title. Song was alright; the high notes were cool. 8. Feel Your Love Tonight - hmm it was okay. Maybe give another listen? 9. Little Dreamer - pretty good 10. Ice Cream Man - another cover. The acoustic first third of the song was a nice change of pace and refreshing to hear so late in a very guitar-driven album. Pretty good 11. On Fire - going out with a bit of a bang. This was decent
Lots of hits here I'd forgotten about. And I know this view is unpopular, but it's David Lee Roth as a frontman who takes late 1970s to mid-1980s Van Halen to 11.
GRAH. OOG BOOG. EERGY WEERGY. GROBBLE.
Almost a 5
"I'm a rocker through and through. Here's a list of my favorite bands: AC/DC, Van Halen not Van Hagar, Skynyrd, Def Leppard..."
Enjoyable listen. Really made me feel like the radio was on in the machine shop at work. Not my preference necessarily, but fun to listen to.
Great energy, great sound, great band. Guitar, bass, drums, and vocals all come together pretty well. I'm a little biased just because I probably enjoy rock the most as a genre but this was a super solid album. I liked the length of it too, I felt the songs were fairly similar and because of that the shorter length prevented the sound from overstaying it's welcome. I hadn't heard some of the songs before and some were good and some were ok. I liked Feel Your Love Tonight the best.
Hello Reveiwthony Halentano here. The internets busiest music nerd. It’s time for a review on the brand new LP from the eclectic rock band Van Halen. Sparing guitar riffs really carried this project. I was a bit annoyed by the repetitive background singing. Would be a treat to see them live. Feeling a strong 6 to light 5 on this one. Transition
Maybe it was the drugs, but dang. More my speed (drug reference? Who knows). I enjoyed this. A bit of fresh air for me. Eruption is my favorite song even though it’s just a massive intro.
rad. some bangers on here, but overall sounds pretty generic. Think their other albums are probably better
Oh you got guitars
Didn't do anything for me.
Bello, ma mi aspettavo di più
🤘Yes! Van Halen’s debut album. This will be an easy one for me to rate. I’m a Van Halen fan and like a majority of their discography including the Van Hagar tenure. Their debut album is absolutely jam packed with great songs. Yes, Eddie shreds on the guitar but it was the backup harmonies on a lot of their songs that put it over the top for me. It adds a layer you don’t expect from a “hard rock band.” Yes, Dave could get a bit campy with his lyrics and act but that’s not really found on this record. Ice Cream Man is the closest to that here but it’s still a jam. I’ve always appreciated Jamie’s Cryin’ and Little Dreamer from this album. Underrated gems in my opinion. There’s only one song on Van Halen that I’m not crazy about and that is the closer, On Fire. I don’t care for the vocals on that one but it won’t hurt my rating. Van Halen by Van Halen gets an enthusiastic 5 from me. 5/5
Their most fluid and consistent record. Highly recommended for the opening track alone.
I can smell this. 4.6.
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would, but some of the original lyrics are... oof. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
magnificent late 70s hard rock Eddie VH was a great guitarist, Diamond Dave a great front man
A band that has weirdly grown on me over the years as I've come to enjoy the unabashed big dumb sound and kitschy debauched style. Incredible guitar tone, epic anthems you can really pump a fist to, arena filling drums, and crazy charismatic vocals. Sometimes it's just time for uncut puro braindead fun. Ice Cream Man is an embarrassment though, wild.
3.5 not bad but I don't know if it's super inventive.
Ice cream man sucked. The rest of the album was pretty great.
I have officially decided that I no longer like mainstream 70's rock music. When I state "I like classic rock," I meant Pink Floyd and Queen, none of this cock-and-bull. "Van Halen" is pretentious, passionless and overblown. Even the guitar was annoying.
I may take this one for granted because I’ve heard it so many times. A great debut.
6/10
This album (like every Van Halen album) has absolutely no substance, other than just screeching and over the top guitar riffs.
Crackin stuff here. Especially love Feel Your Love Tonight (what an amazing riff - why was Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love a single, but not this?), Little Dreamer and Ice Cream Man (yes, it's a cover, but what a cover!).
This album kinda slaps
Very good guitar riffs Catchy album Kinks cover is one of my favourites so far
Cool album! Nice listening. Classic.
GOATED album filled with classics and underrated gems. Filled with character and energy. Music is so important when it comes to self expression and an outlet to show yourself, but it also sometimes can just be dumb fun and be just as good. 9/10
Classic rock at its most classic
Never listened to them before but this was awesome. Eruption especially and it's just a guitar solo
This is a great classic.
I like Van Halen a lot. Incredible. I've read about and obviously heard how amazing of a guitar player he was and how he did so many new and innovative things. I also constantly hear about the 1984 album. I was shocked to get this album instead of 1984, and then to realize that most of the hits that I assumed were on 1984 were actually on this album. Really incredible through and through.
powerful songs and innovative guitars
Some nice songs, but mostly obnoxious
Not great
Suprisingly fun, despite the self indulgent guitar work :) 70+/100
It's like exactly what is expected when we read "Van Halen" on top of the page. Nothing less and nothing more. It means that it indeed sounds a bit outdated, but still incredibly good.
It sounds cheesy now, but when it came out...
Just your basic, solid, hard rocker.
I remember loving this album when it was released. It doesn’t quite hold up, sounds a bit dated. It does have a lot great guitar riffs by Eddie Van Halen. David Lee Roth has a definite swashbuckling attitude to his singing which is still enjoyable. It caught my attention that this album has a bright, crisp, and tight feel to it, much like Boston’s debut album. I wonder if Boston had a conscious influence on Van Halen.
Just up my street, some great guitar solos and good listening
Not as heavy as I thought it would be, some really nice guitar solos and I think synths in there. Some pieces of country music in there which I liked mixed with the rock and roll.
Clowns
This is pretty impressive and a really well-done record. I would go so far as to say 'inventive' as well - my knowledge of the rock landscape in 1978 is limited but it seems like this record and their next one were probably like a bomb of new rock energy and likely felt totally unexpected and new. This also has the feel of a record where the guys in the band just got along and had fun - no idea if that's true haha but def feels that way. Easy 4 approaching a 5.
3,5
I’m not much of a rocker, but I really like the older, David Lee Roth version of VH
Awesome walking around tunes for FtL
The guitar playing is virtuosic and the sound makes you feel like you would have had a really fun, albeit short, life if you were part of that scene. It conjures images of smoke filled clubs with a non-zero amount of cocaine nearby. The sound is loud, intense and unrelenting. The themes are boring, shallow and unimpressive.
It's great, but after a while, it feels like the guitar's doing all the talking and no one else gets a word in.
6/10
Fantastic rock album with a lot of “personality” as another reviewer said. Will be bumping this in my 98 Wrangler with the top down this summer.
Never really liked van halen, he's great at playing guitar but his songs don't really do much for me
Meh. I mean technically proficient. And I actually used to really like Van Halen, at least passively. But now I just find it's a step above def Leppard. Just basic rock music.
Truly innovative. Imagine being a rock guitarist in 1978 and hearing this album for the first time. I imagine it was a bit confusing how he made the guitar sound the way he did. EVH is a top 5 all time guitarist in my opinion, primarily because he did things with the instrument no one had ever recorded before and influenced the next 15 years of rock guitarists. Outside of Hendrix, very few have been so influential. While I’m not the biggest fan of the band overall, this debut is their best in my opinion. I’m The One, Atomic Punk and On Fire are the deep track standouts. For me, a solid 4 ⭐️ as an album
I haven't had listened to this VH's side of music. Interesting. Sounds less mainstream and I liked for that reason. Added to my library
Well well well.the blueprint for hard rock and heavy metal for decades. Talent and personality to spare. The sound of Southern California an updated Beach Boys that would never be duplicated despite many attempts. It sounds like an Iroc with the T roofs off driving in the summer on a Friday night.
When this album was released in 1978, I was a teenager growing up in a country music scene. We didn’t have access to rock radio. What we knew, we learned from someone else’s discovery. It was not cutting edge stuff. Bee Gees were dominating with Saturday Night Fever. Disco was getting started and my most influential music partner, my older sister, was fully enthrall with disco. That meant I was listening to it too. Out of nowhere (to me), my sister purchases this disc. She had heard it from some teens she and her girlfriends were hanging out with in a nearby town. My first reaction was shock. I couldn’t believe she liked it. But as we kept playing it, I couldn’t help but fall in love with its raw sound. Eddie, of course, is the guitar god, but that wasn’t the only thing that made the band. Michael Anthony’s high pitched backing vocals, David’s swagger and the snare sound coming from Alex’s drum kit was unlike anything I had heard to this point. Today, I still appreciate what Eddie brought to the table, but David’s shtick grew old over time. Not in a way that I don’t want to listen to the band, but certainly in a way that I want grab this album and play it. My rating is a nostalgic one. This album was very impactful to me when it was released. It also inspired the rock bands that comprised the later 80s hair band movement. Which is interesting because I never considered VH to be as glam as what followed.
Van Halen is just a really cool band. Hard rock sound, killer vocalist that often steals the show and some guy just absolutely tearing up his fret board for like 2 solos on every song. It’s real rock and roll that gets you pumped up and max out your bench press to. Hell yeah! Rock on man! It’s peak hair metal. THIS is the type of stuff that should be played at halftime of the Super Bowl. Bump being rational, give ‘em what they ask for!
It was fine, I guess
Kinda balls. Eddy van Halen is great but the singer is ass.
Good!
Great glam metal with a strong current of blues running through the music. The album is stacked with hits, particularly the first half. Fantastic shredding on the guitar solos too.
I'm so happy to see this album included on this list as I think it's the best Van Halen record. This is slammed with absolutely incredible pieces of music- "Runnin' with the Devil" "Eruption" "You Really Got Me" "Aint Talkin' Bout Love" "Jamie's Cryin'" are all SUCH strong tracks to have on one record. Each one absolutely amazing. I love "Runnin' with the Devil", David Lee Roth has such a laid back delivery during the verses that I think is both brilliant and perplexing as an opener for a hair metal album released in 1978. The guitar solo in this is pretty out-of-left-field when you look at it intervallically, but as all things with Eddie Van Halen, it not only "just works", but it sounds amazing and elevated with it's inclusion. "You Really Got Me" is such a fun addition to the album. They do such a good job at taking the beauty and fun of the original (by the Kinks) and maintaining those elements while also putting their wild spin on it. "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" might be my second favorite Van Halen song. That intro riff is SO special, I go and learn it every few years on guitar just to be able to pull it out of my pocket and hear it whenever I want. This is one of the great moments of the production side of Van Halen- where they have this super unique setup where Eddie's guitar is recorded fully panned to one ear, and then sent into a reverb that then gets sent out 100% into the other ear. So in one ear you get his regular guitar sound, and then in the other ear you get this mimic'd version of his guitar part with a bunch of reverb on it. Sounds ghostly and cool and funky all at once. I recommend hearing this with headphones! My favorite from the bunch is the instrumental "Eruption"; the song that made me look at the guitar not as a hobby or something to do on the weekends, but rather as a form of art that I would obsessively have to practice every single day of my life. This single piece of music was my own personal Moby Dick, or rather my own Mount Everest- this towering, intimidating behemoth in the distance that stared back at me with an intensity that equaled my gaze at it. I first truly "heard" this song when I was 15 or 16 and only a year or two into playing guitar, and boy was I transfixed. The introduction to the alien sounding neck-tapping technique, the wild yet tasteful dive bombs with the whammy bar, the immaculately clean tremolo picked sections, the little blues grace notes in between all of the shredded pinch harmonics... it's all so SICK. I haven't tried to learn how to play more of it in years but I used to be able to play some of the harder sections. I think I need to get this one under my belt before my hands start to get slower with age! To put this track 2nd on an album is also so cool. Clear 5/5 for me. Such a great record!
Somewhere between love / hate with this one. There are super annoying elements like endless guitar solos, lots of heavy metal and hard rock tropes. But few of the bangers are still enjoyable.
I enjoyed it way more than expected. My only reference to Van Halen was the jumping frogs from Sing but other than that, it had a couple of very enjoyable songs. Though it had a few songs that sounded very similar, they are pretty good. My favorite song is Little Dreamer
As 80s rock albums go, this one is pretty damn good
Classic album from a generational band. To be honest, I respect their sound and the mark they left on the rock world. However, this kind of rock has never really been my style and for that reason it’s not getting a 4.
One of the greatest debut albums of all time.
Ask yourself, you wanna see van halen?Ask yourself is Sammy Hagar singing? If David Lee Roth is signing the answer is yes!
Now that's more like my kind of record. Powerful music, catchy songs, a unique, instantly recognizable sound, amazing talent on guitar (Eddie) and drums (Alex van Halen) make for a great record. Van Halen's debut has been with me since its release, and while the songs are a bit uneven, I like to return to it to this day.
Powerful rock. EVH is the ultimate guitar god. DLR’s voice gives the confidence and swagger.
picit egyhangu volt egy ido utan, meg kell egy vibe h ezt hallgassam de amugy fullos
Kedvenc/Favourite: Jamie's Cryin' Nem véletlenül nagy klasszikus, élvezhető, megvan az egyedi hangzása, hallani lehet benne a hozzáértést és a tehetséget is. A rock egyik alapköve, akárhányszor meg lehet hallgatni, de nem veszít a varázsából soha. It's a great classic for a reason, it's enjoyable, it has a unique sound, you can hear the skill and talent in it. It's one of the cornerstones of rock, you can listen to it as many times as you like and it won't ever lose its magic.
3.3 2x catch up 4/18
Probably my favorite New Wave album I’ve listened to all the way through. As one of the creators of the genre, it’s only fitting that they do it the best. Parallel Lines doesn’t have the same punk attitude as their self-titled, but that anti-establishment flair does glimmer from time to time. 4.5/5
Next level guitar, arrogant sleazy vocal delivery. Outstanding production. And then for that 'difficult second album' they go and release Van Halen II which is even better!!
can't take it seriously
80s Rock with a capital R. Excellent guitar work. Debut album. Metal.
Entretenido y rockerón, pero ya lo sentí medio viejito.
Then sortens metal jag har svårast för, men här finns några bangers och stundtals fantastiska gitarrer. Trea plus.