xxx
2012-02-21 06:02:04 UTC
and now that i've processed the first VH in 14 yrs and first van roth
in nearly 30 yrs even more, i'm liking even more. it's still missing
mike's harmonies and at times still sounds like an 'eat em and smile'
quality roth solo album with eddie playing guitar.
tattoo-
old demo from the 70s (used to be "down in flames") but sounds like it
came from the '96 sessions with the 2 songs ("me wise magic" and
"can't get this stuff no more") they did w/roth for the greatest hits
album. darker vibe but the underlying keyboards kind of dull the edge,
especially during the chorus. ditch the keys, especially during the
chorus and i'd like it even more. this is the only song that doesn't
sound like original roth era van halen, imo.
she's the woman-
another 70s demo. sounds like it could've been on VH2 or women and
children first...also sounds like it could've been on roth's 'eat em
and smile'- sounds kind of like "shyboy" or "elephant gun" off that
album. i always thought "elephant gun" totally sounded like a VH2/
woman and children first era song. i'm not crazy about the hook, tho-
"she's the woman" sounds outdated, like something you'd hear from the
70s...which is when it was written. they should've updated the hook,
at the very least.
you and your blues-
probably the best song on the album, imo. definitely one of my faves.
the harmonies during the chorus remind me of "just like paradise" off
roth's 'skyscraper' album. roth belts this one out real nice. pretty
catchy and has a good groove.
chinatown-
i wasn't too crazy about this one at first but it's grown on me more.
another one that sounds like it came off VH2 or woman and children
first. and again, this also reminds me of "shyboy" or "elephant gun"
off roth's 'eat em and smile'. the guitar, especially the intro and
outro sound more like steve vai than eddie VH, if you can believe
that. blasphemy!
blood and fire-
the first few times i hear this, i was thinking it reminded me of
"women in love" or "beautiful girls" off VH2. but the more i listened,
it definitely reminds me of "little guitars" or maybe "secrets" off
'diver down'. this one definitely sounds like a DD era song. very good
tune.
bullethead-
another 70s demo they dusted off. and my least fave off the new album.
the music is actually pretty decent but the hook/chorus really sucks.
the hook is usually the dealbreaker, for me. music definitely sounds
like it could've come off VH2 or women and children first- similar
vein as a few songs off those 2 albums. fix the hook and it'd make a
world of difference.
as is-
the opening drum part reminds me of "dirty water dog" off VH3 w/
cherone. the rest of the song still has that VH2/women and children
first vibe, along with roth's 'eat em and smile'. some of it reminds
me of "yankee rose", maybe. also, it sounds more like dave's singing,
"as if" instead of "as is". i like the song quite a bit but the one
bad part is the solo- it's shockingly pedestrian, vanilla, boring...i
can't believe ed didn't come up with anything better. his ex-old lady,
valerie, could've played something less boring. jeez. it's a total
paint by numbers solo. i expect much better from eddie. other than
that, the song's pretty damn good.
honey baby sweetie doll-
honey sweetie baby doll (switching baby and sweetie) would seem to fit
together better but dave still makes it work. still has a VH2/women
and children first vibe...maybe even 'fair warning'. part of the riff
reminds me a little of "outta love" meets "loss of control". good
stuff.
the trouble with never-
really dig the dirty guitar groove. the chorus gets a little more
melodic-y than i would prefer for this particular song but it's not
too bad. mike's harmonies might've helped this one put, inparticular.
i like the spoken word bridge and dave's reference to "dance the night
away". really like this one a lot, overall.
outta space-
one of the hardest/heaviest ones on the new one. feels a little more
VH1-ish...reminds me of something like "atomic punk". mike's harmonies
might've helped this one, too. i like it a lot, tho.
stay frosty-
classic, CLASSIC van halen. TOTALLY reminds me of 2012 version of "ice
cream man". it's fun, quirky, tongue in cheek and totally rockin'.
some really clever lyrics by dave. LOVE this one. this and "you and
your blues" are my faves off this one. they probably should've made
this one the closer like "ice cream man" on VH1, imo.
big river-
one of the old 70s demos. used to be called "big trouble". sounds like
another one that could've been on one of their first 3 albums. i like
it.
beat's workin'-
another of the 70s demos. had another title, tho (originally "put out
the lights"). good groove. probably sounds most like a VH1 song...a
bit like "feel your love tonight". i like it a lot.
in nearly 30 yrs even more, i'm liking even more. it's still missing
mike's harmonies and at times still sounds like an 'eat em and smile'
quality roth solo album with eddie playing guitar.
tattoo-
old demo from the 70s (used to be "down in flames") but sounds like it
came from the '96 sessions with the 2 songs ("me wise magic" and
"can't get this stuff no more") they did w/roth for the greatest hits
album. darker vibe but the underlying keyboards kind of dull the edge,
especially during the chorus. ditch the keys, especially during the
chorus and i'd like it even more. this is the only song that doesn't
sound like original roth era van halen, imo.
she's the woman-
another 70s demo. sounds like it could've been on VH2 or women and
children first...also sounds like it could've been on roth's 'eat em
and smile'- sounds kind of like "shyboy" or "elephant gun" off that
album. i always thought "elephant gun" totally sounded like a VH2/
woman and children first era song. i'm not crazy about the hook, tho-
"she's the woman" sounds outdated, like something you'd hear from the
70s...which is when it was written. they should've updated the hook,
at the very least.
you and your blues-
probably the best song on the album, imo. definitely one of my faves.
the harmonies during the chorus remind me of "just like paradise" off
roth's 'skyscraper' album. roth belts this one out real nice. pretty
catchy and has a good groove.
chinatown-
i wasn't too crazy about this one at first but it's grown on me more.
another one that sounds like it came off VH2 or woman and children
first. and again, this also reminds me of "shyboy" or "elephant gun"
off roth's 'eat em and smile'. the guitar, especially the intro and
outro sound more like steve vai than eddie VH, if you can believe
that. blasphemy!
blood and fire-
the first few times i hear this, i was thinking it reminded me of
"women in love" or "beautiful girls" off VH2. but the more i listened,
it definitely reminds me of "little guitars" or maybe "secrets" off
'diver down'. this one definitely sounds like a DD era song. very good
tune.
bullethead-
another 70s demo they dusted off. and my least fave off the new album.
the music is actually pretty decent but the hook/chorus really sucks.
the hook is usually the dealbreaker, for me. music definitely sounds
like it could've come off VH2 or women and children first- similar
vein as a few songs off those 2 albums. fix the hook and it'd make a
world of difference.
as is-
the opening drum part reminds me of "dirty water dog" off VH3 w/
cherone. the rest of the song still has that VH2/women and children
first vibe, along with roth's 'eat em and smile'. some of it reminds
me of "yankee rose", maybe. also, it sounds more like dave's singing,
"as if" instead of "as is". i like the song quite a bit but the one
bad part is the solo- it's shockingly pedestrian, vanilla, boring...i
can't believe ed didn't come up with anything better. his ex-old lady,
valerie, could've played something less boring. jeez. it's a total
paint by numbers solo. i expect much better from eddie. other than
that, the song's pretty damn good.
honey baby sweetie doll-
honey sweetie baby doll (switching baby and sweetie) would seem to fit
together better but dave still makes it work. still has a VH2/women
and children first vibe...maybe even 'fair warning'. part of the riff
reminds me a little of "outta love" meets "loss of control". good
stuff.
the trouble with never-
really dig the dirty guitar groove. the chorus gets a little more
melodic-y than i would prefer for this particular song but it's not
too bad. mike's harmonies might've helped this one put, inparticular.
i like the spoken word bridge and dave's reference to "dance the night
away". really like this one a lot, overall.
outta space-
one of the hardest/heaviest ones on the new one. feels a little more
VH1-ish...reminds me of something like "atomic punk". mike's harmonies
might've helped this one, too. i like it a lot, tho.
stay frosty-
classic, CLASSIC van halen. TOTALLY reminds me of 2012 version of "ice
cream man". it's fun, quirky, tongue in cheek and totally rockin'.
some really clever lyrics by dave. LOVE this one. this and "you and
your blues" are my faves off this one. they probably should've made
this one the closer like "ice cream man" on VH1, imo.
big river-
one of the old 70s demos. used to be called "big trouble". sounds like
another one that could've been on one of their first 3 albums. i like
it.
beat's workin'-
another of the 70s demos. had another title, tho (originally "put out
the lights"). good groove. probably sounds most like a VH1 song...a
bit like "feel your love tonight". i like it a lot.