A Different Kind Of Truth

First things first - this record deserves to be listened to with big speakers, loud - not through your laptop!

Tattoo - I love it, but it`s the weakest song on the record. Reworks an old demo, "Down in Flames", very modern sounding, great solo, and strong performance lyrically and vocally from Dave.

She's The Woman - Another new "old" song. Transports you straight back to the late 70s, wah-wah intro, badass bass line, great groove, classic Dave, and classic Van Halen.

You and Your Blues - superb intro, Dave really sounding great, singalong bridge and chorus.

China Town - What the what? Van Maiden intro :) Proper ballstothewall Van Halen! Think Romeo Delight, Sinners Swing or DOA. Wow. Eddie is 57 remember. not 17.

Blood and Fire - I love this song so much. It could fit somewhere on side two of 1984. Eddie gives one of those solos that makes you freeze what you`re doing.

Bullethead - quick, punchy hard-rockin` CVH.

As Is - Now, this is how to start a song! A bit of magic from Alex, Eddie grooving like it`s 1984, Dave at a hundred mph - "everybody, let`s stay focussed" - it`s pure Van Halen boogie. Eddie`s solo sounds like Eruption...speeded up.

Honeybabysweetiedoll - Sounds like an obscure DLR song called Flex. Really powerful bass, sounds like nothing they`ve done before, almost like industrial metal.

The Trouble With Never - very DLR, funny lyrics - "When you turn on your stereo, does it return the favour?". Lots of wah-wah, think it got stuck in the "on" position :)

Outta Space - Brilliant fun, it`s an old Eddie riff, powerful from everyone. Great words.

Stay Frosty - Remember Ice Cream Man? Gut feeling is that "Stay Frosty" is the greatest thing I`ve ever heard, it`s got that groove, tempo, solo, lyrics and beat that no other band gives me. The song I`m walking around singing.

Big River - An old demo called "Big Trouble" reappears. Which is fantastic news, because fans have wanted that for about 35 years.

Beats Workin` - Really strong finale. Probably the most dramatic intro to a Van Halen song since...Mean Street? You can easily imagine the 3 Van Halen`s in Eddie`s studio messing about when they came up with this. Sounds like no other band on earth. Things change for mid-song minute, and it gets totally spine chilling. Closes like all records should, with a huge wall of feedback. Like Van Halen closing everything down. Why couldn`t this record carry on for an hour more?

This record warrants (deserves) a lot of listens to catch everything that`s going on. I think they`ve reinvented Rock again. A lot of the songs remind me of the classic records from 1978-84, but firstly they have aged brilliantly so that`s no bad thing, but they have the 21st century stamped all over them. I can`t believe it`s true, but it was worth the wait. They`re back baby.

... but totally worth it. I'm a fan of all the VH work whether it be Roth, Hagar or Cherone as each period had it's great stuff. There'll be reviews out there saying DLR doesn't sound as sharp as he did, but who bought those era records for vocal coaching? He's still the best frontman out there, the chemisty is superb. The energy level is right up there; they sound young, fresh and heavy. Eddie Van Halen on this record is a monster, sounding brilliant. I can't turn this album off, it's the mutt's nuts - buy it.

On another note I got it from Amazon double-quick on standard free delivery - great stuff as had it on pre-order and got it quicker than if i'd have gone to a highstreet store.

It should be said that I like Sammy Hagar, I like Chickenfoot, I like David Lee Roth and I like Van Halen - I'm not in one of the so called 'camps'.

This album itself is phenomenal, a lot of people won't like the fact that a some of the songs are based on early demos but who cares?

'Tattoo' the opening song; which in my opinion is a bit of fun, is nothing like the rest of the album and I can't help thinking it was perhaps the wrong single to release, in order to give listeners an impression of the new album.

Stand out songs - She's the Woman, You and Your Blues, The Trouble With Never and Stay Frosty.

As an aside: Wolf is not Michael Anthony and the best part is that he doesn't try to be Michael Anthony. He has his own particular version of playing and signing which brilliantly mix with Eddie, Al and Dave.

All in all buy the album, play it loud on good speakers and make up your own mind.

VH are back!!!!

Now all they need to do is tour the UK.