Top Ten Albums of 2012
7. A Different Kind of Truth- Van Halen
Two of my favorite hard rock bands listed 2012 as the year they would put out an album that returned to their rock and roll roots. Those two bands were Aerosmith and Van Halen, and unlike Aerosmith, Van Halen delivered the goods. Thundering drums, a relentless guitar, and David Lee Roth on vocals is the recipe for a Van Halen album, and that is exactly what we have here.
No Hagar. No Cherone. And no freaking synthesizers. The band even went as far as to re-work some songs they played in their youth. If you search for it, you can find a recording of "She's The Woman" on some B-side rarity recordings that are available via youtube.
I am so happy that Van Halen put out a new album with Roth on vocals, I am going to go easy on them for releasing "Tatoo" as their first single. The song grew on me from "terrible" to "okay," but why announce to the world you are back with a mid-tempo rocker? I didn't understand it then, I don't understand it now, but they unfortunately didn't consult my opinion.
"She's The Woman" would be a hit on any Van Halen record, and it is the crown jewel of the album. Wolfgang gets to cut his chops on a very nice bass line, and this is a song that is best heard when turned up to eleven. Roth sounds great and delivers the quintessential party lyrics that are part of what Van Halen delivers. The lyrics aren't akin to Bob Dylan, but that has never been the strong suit of Van Halen. This is a band that was created to rip your face off. Period.
I've come to the conclusion that Eddie seems to be at the epicenter of much of the drama that has marred Van Halen. But he is also the driving force behind this band and he plays brilliantly on this album. Hard Rock/Heavy Metal bands are often swept away by some as not providing relevant music, but I disagree wholeheartedly. And unlike punk, where the skill set is often low, the musicianship here is among the best in the world.
Listen to the beginning of Chinatown as it morphs into the steady beat driven by Alex Van Halen. Even Hagar's bandmate in Chickenfoot, Chad Smith, had to say "Alex Van Halen playin his ass off on their new record." And you know what? He totally does.
But as usual, Eddie steals the show. Each song has a classic solo in the middle. One of my favorite tracks is "Blood and Fire." It is one of the more commercially appealing songs on the album, but Eddie gives the song teeth. If you want to hear his bluesy side, "Stay Frosty" echoes the ghosts of "Ice Cream Man" past. There isn't a song on the record that doesn't showcase the versatility and skillfulness of Edward Van Halen.
It is great to hear Roth on Vocals again. Charlie Sheen quipped, "Welcome back David Lee Roth, rock has a new Sheriff." Roth doesn't have the same range he once had, and he has never had the range of Sammy Hagar. But music isn't all about notes and words on a page, it is about chemistry and finding what fits, and Roth just works best in this band.
I would like to have seen them bring back Michael Anthony, because his high falsetto vocals are such a big part of the band's sound. However, I also understand the desire to add another Van Halen to the band, especially since it is Eddie's son. Van Halen fans may not all be united in their love for this album, nor are they in full agreement with all of the others. Quite frankly, "Jump" is one of my least favorite Van Halen songs. However, nobody can argue that they didn't put out a trademark Van Halen album. I for one am glad they did.
Brian Richardson
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