Van Halen- A Different Kind Of Truth Review

The problem most veteran rock bands run into when they release new music is invariably the ghost of their glorious pasts looms over them. That old, classic music has emotional attachments that is hard for the new material, no matter how good, to compete with. How can a brand new tune compete with a song that glows with the warm sentimental sheen of 20-30 years of memories? It’s a real tightrope; a band runs the risk of sounding derivative of itself if they try too hard to repeat a past formula but they also risk alienating the ever faithful classic fan base if they stray too far from said formula.

So how did Van Halen do with the first full album of new material in 14 years (not to mention the first VH album with David Lee Roth back on vocals since 1984)? In short, every veteran act that is releasing new music this year had better start training because they have an incredibly high bar to get over. KISS, Sabbath, Rush, Marillion, Cult, Metallica…... this is your blueprint. Van Halen have managed the impossible by releasing an album that takes everything you loved about classic VH and bringing it into the 21st century while retaining it’s original luster. All while NOT sounding dated. They even added a couple new wrinkles here and there. It’s retro and modern at the same time.

A big reason for this is undoubtedly due to the fact that the majority of the album are reworkings of old demos from the ‘70’s. They’ve unfairly caught a lot of undue criticism for this. Initially, honestly, I too was a little skeptical. I was fearful of a “lazy” album; an album full of hastily recorded retreads that had the potential to sound tired and uninspired. It could’ve been the proverbial “let’s make a quick buck on our name” album. The relief I felt upon finally hearing the finished 2012 versions of those old tunes was quickly upgraded to jubilation. I knew it’d be good….I just wasn’t expecting it to be THIS good. There is nothing tired or lazy about this album. This is a band who still has the mojo. Tight, focused and ENERGETIC; the energy coming from this disc would be hard for guys half-their ages to keep up with. This isn’t some classic rock act simply going through the motions. This is vitality and a still flourishing creativity. The fact that a lot of tunes are old demos means nothing. That’s what demos are for: to bookmark ideas that haven’t reached fruition to save for later. It’s standard practice for all types of musicians, artists, authors, scientists, producers, philosophers, directors, etc. to revisit old ideas. People hung up on if it’s an affront to their misguided interpretation of “artistic integrity” or not are missing the point completely. An exciting disc made up of older ideas is just that: an exciting album. Screw everything else. And that’s what this album is: exciting. If you want a boring recording made up of all new ideas, there’s always Chickenfoot. I’ll be sitting here getting my ass kicked by this disc while you’re over there feeling full of integrity and bored out of your skull.


Individually, each guy shines on this album. It’s an achievement from both a band perspective and for each member. This is Wolfgang’s recording debut and for me he’s the MVP of the album. They really traded up with Wolfie. There has never been bass playing of this caliber on a VH album. Very Sheehan-esqe. I was expecting the usual plodding root 8th notes (not ragging former bassist Michael Anthony but let’s be honest, the bass playing wasn’t what you listened to a VH album for), but Wolfie steps up and is Eddie’s equal. For once, the rhythm section underneath the leads are as interesting as the soloing that’s going on above it. Really makes you listen to the album in a different way. I found myself seeking out Wolf’s parts. And Eddie must feel the same, as the bass is very prominent in the mix. It shares equal sonic space..you can tell he’s very proud of his boy! And it’s no surprise Wolfie is good; he was groomed for the band by his dad and Uncle Alex. Alex and Wolfie have gelled completely and the bottom end of Van Halen has never been more solid. It’s a BAND, in every sense of the word.


As for Eddie, I offer these two words: EDDIE’S BACK! He is totally unhinged and going for the jugular. The unbridled tapping, horse whinny harmonics and beautiful recklessness that define his playing are all present and accounted for. None of it sounds forced..he’s ENJOYING himself again. It’s loose and playful. And the Brown Sound has returned! His sound is a lot less dense and processed than it has been since Balance. A lot of that also has to do with the fact that there are a lot less guitar tracks layered on this one. It’s much like the early albums, where when Eddie plays a fill or solo and there’s no rhythm guitar underneath. The entire band breathes. A guitar, a bass and drums and BOOM! A lot of open air moving in between everything. Nothing is crushed underneath layers of production.

This album also marks the return of the one and only David Lee Roth. Goddamn I didn’t realize how much I missed this guy until I heard this album. You had some good stuff Sammy, but Roth is THE singer for the band. His vocals aren’t quite as dynamic as the classic days (what aging singer's vocals ever are??) but the difference is minor. He still sounds fantastic and still has the old DLR swagger. His lyrics are gold ...the wit and wordplay is still ever present and has been sharpened with a heavy dose of worldy wisdom. This is Dave the Sage..High Priest of the Frosty Order. Loads of quotable material here:

“Housewife to Momshell..”
“I want to be your knight in shining pick up truck..”
“Heroes aren’t born, they’re cornered…”
“If everything is coming your way, you’re facing the wrong lane..”
“Love ‘em all, I says, let Cupid sort ‘em out…”
“Last time you turned your radio on, did it return the favor?”
“Don’t want ‘em to get your goat? Then don’t show ‘em where it’s hid..”
“Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel..”

...just to show a few.

I’ve seen some on-line reviews that call the lyrics dumb. Ironic considering the lyrics on this album are far from the typical cock-rock odes to debauchery that made up the majority of the classic VH material. These are some of the best lyrics on any VH album ever. But the Internet has shown that a disturbing amount of people are devoid of the essential tools of sarcasm and context. Frankly, alot of it flies over people's heads. They completely miss the twinkle in the eye with which the lyrics were written. Kind of like Muhammad Ali with his rhymes. How can anybody take it so seriously? These are the kind of folks who take Looney Tunes literally and can’t fathom how Bugs Bunny carries that giant hammer in his pants all the time. Wait, where are the pants……?

Now for the important stuff...the tunes:

TATTOO- This tune made people nervous when it was released as the first single. They were expecting more of a barnstorming song to be the single and panicked, thinking this was indicative of the direction of the entire album (silly to do with any single, really). Now that we can rest assured that there are plenty of head slicing shredders on this album, we can take a look at this song in it’s proper context. It really is a left turn from the rest of the album. A grooving, mid-tempo radio friendly tune. Hooky vocals, classic Eddie solo..nothing too caustic or cage rattling. Interesting way to open the disc. It’s really misdirecting….it’s the jab that causes you to cover your face while the body blow you didn’t see coming right behind it knocks the wind out of you. I like the song a lot. A fun, sing along tune that primes you for the rest of the album. And knowing that such a killer album awaits after this song leaves you free to enjoy it without feeling bad about yourself.

SHE’S THE WOMAN- The pace picks up here. A swinging, hard driving back beat, with a ZZ Top-ish shuffle on top. If the middle section sounds a bit familiar it’s because the original version of this tune is where the bridge from “Mean Streets” was taken from. The structure of the bridge in this version stays pretty similar but is updated for 2012. Could definitely hear this on I or II.

YOU AND YOUR BLUES- The riff/vibe harkens back to the F.U.C.K. days. Another mid-tempo groover. The lyrics have an interesting twist: Dave quotes the titles of classic rock and blues songs. One of Dave’s stand-out vocal performances here..he let’s his voice go in the chorus, preaching his testimony of finally being free of that woman and her blues that have been dragging him down. Overall, this is my least favorite tune on the album but that does NOT mean it's a bad song; it's only in comparison to the other songs on here. This is one of those albums where even the least song is really, really, REALLY good.

CHINATOWN- This is where the album really jumps off for me. From here on out, they put their foot on your throat and refuse to let you up. Van Halen meets Motorhead on this tune..just relentless from start to finish. I think this is what people were wanting and expecting from the first single. This is classic that classic Van Halen juggernaut in spades. Begins with a furious tapping run by Eddie and then shifts directly into top gear with crisp, machine gun double bass drums and Eddie/Wolfie grinding out spitfire flurries of notes in unison. Brutal. The ending has some sick interplay between Ed and Wolfie before wrapping up. My personal favorite. Some people won't like it due to the sheer speed-metal velocity, but it's right up my alley.

BLOOD AND FIRE- Another favorite. Very much in the Diver Down/1984 vein. Eddie plays with a pretty clean tone here. Solid rocker that I imagine will make it into the live show. ..the chorus is easy to latch onto and the lyric “Look at the all of the people here tonight” just begs for audience interaction. One of my favorite solos on this disc.

BULLETHEAD- Quick, driving, punky number ala “Atomic Punk” that also would be at home on I or II. Energy is high here. Lots of grit and venom.

AS IS- One of the crown jewels. The 30 second clip Van Halen released as a teaser faded out just after the heavy, quirky intro riff and really left you wondering where the song was going. It quickly transforms into another double time locomotive. Suddenly, after the solo, it breaks down into a short, twisting, sludgy riff reminiscent of the intro that feels like you’ve taken a U-turn too fast and are trying to hang on, then gives way to a country clean picked riff that leads right back into the frantic pace of the main body of the song. That quick sojourn into the sludgy riff after the solo is a phenomenon I call “Ninja Riffs”. And they are all over this album. They are badassed riffs that come from out of nowhere, cut your head off and then disappear never to be heard again after a couple bars. That’s one thing about this album..nothing overstays it’s welcome. They hit you, BAM! and then are on to the next thing. Another favorite..a Top 3 for me.

HONEYBABYSWEETIEDOLL- Another song that left you going “WTF?” when you heard the samples. Again, it faded out just after the weird intro. But the wait was worth it. This is the darkest, heaviest thing on the album…recalls the flavor of Of Women And Chidren First. Very thick sounding. The bass really carries the weight on this and sounds like it’s going thru a MuTron filter. Eddie also plays around with some pitch shifting effects and his tone just nastily stings you. The song ends as bizarrely as it begins. Another favorite. Eddie really twists out some left of center Eastern melodies on the bridge and solo. One of the coolest songs here. Along with "Chinatown"and "As Is", this rounds out my Top 3.

THE TROUBLE WITH NEVER- Wah-soaked Vai/Satriani-like main riff here. Songs stays tight in the pocket until it opens wide on the chorus…big chords, the bass drives it and there’s lots of classic VH “ahhh” and “ohhh” background singing. The solo really blossoms and the combo of Wolf and Alex really shines under the solo. This was the first full tune besides “Tattoo” I heard before the album was released and it was when I first became aware and impressed with how Wolfie had gelled with Alex. The riff after the spoken word breakdown is another Ninja Riff that just guts me. They could’ve created a whole other tune based off of that; it just crushes.

OUTTA SPACE- Another tune culled from the ‘70’s demos, this one coming from the original Gene Simmons produced demo. Riff really reminds me of Maiden’s “Two Minutes to Midnight.” But that’s where the similarity stops. Its another energetic straight ahead punky rocker in the vein of Bullethead. Real classic sounding stuff. Would work great live.

STAY FROSTY- This song was the surprise of the bunch for me. I thought very little of it when I first heard the samples. Seemed like just an Ice Cream Man re-write. I heard more of the song when they used it in an episode of CSI and liked it a bit more. But I didn’t really come to appreciate it until I heard the full album version. Dave is really the star here..he’s dispensing his worldly wisdom in that full Sage mode I mentioned before. The music maintains that Ice Cream Man swing throughout and Eddie lets loose on the last half of the song. A lighthearted, fun tune that does nothing but rock.

BIG RIVER- Wolfie and Alex drive this with a pumping stomp groove that pushes everything along before it while Eddie’s riff rolls along like, well, a big river, on top. Another favorite. The bridge breaks down to another Ninja Riff before Eddie dives into the solo..the album’s best, IMO. It’s his “All Along The Watchtower”. He takes the solo through three distinct moods before returning to the main theme. And again, Wolfie really shines underneath Dad’s solo. Since the Top 3 is full, it's now in the Top 4.

BEATS WORKIN’- Epic opening to the final song on the album. After the intro, they settle into a solid pocket that grinds forward. The chorus recalls “Feel Your Love Tonight”. A short bass interlude after the bridge transitions the song into some primo noodling from Eddie that elevates into the quick but climatic outro.

And just like that, the album is done. Seems like it went by way too fast. This is one where I feel a couple of extra tunes wouldn’t have hurt anything. Most albums I feel could be edited down by a song or two, but this flows so well and is paced so perfectly that when the end comes, you’re just not ready for it to be over. It begs repeat listenings.

Bravo, gentlemen. The powers that be in the band have made no mention of continuing to collaborate beyond this tour but they also haven't said that this is it either. So here's hoping things continue to go well because as long as they have work of this caliber up their sleeves, I'll be first in line at the store on release day.

Roots

This past Wednesday I took my boys, Gage (2 and a half) and Luke (5 months), to visit their great-grandfather Bud (or as Gage likes to say, "Papa Buuuuuuuuuuuuudddd") at his house. It was a fun visit; my aunt Karen was there to help with Luke while Grandpa and I took Gage outside to go see some horses, play basketball and just be outside to enjoy the amazingly warm 65 degree February day.

My grandparents built that house right before I was born. So for me and my cousins Val, Sabrina, Will, Michael and Troy (miss you buddy) that house is the house we associate with them. That's the ONLY house we think of when we hear the term "Grandma and Grandpa's house". It's always been there to welcome and accept us no matter what.

Collectively, my cousins and I, we all couldn't be more different from each other in many respects. Especially me (I'm sure each cousin will say it's them). It's tough to be the coolest one of the bunch...my cross to bear I guess. Anyway I digress. The point is we all have our individual quirks and such, but under the roof at Grandma and Grandpa's it didn't matter. We were all accepted and celebrated for what was uniquely ours as individuals and as members of the family. A very warm, loving and inviting space in which to exist and just be. It's where Grandma and I would plan trips to the moon and where Grandpa taught me my first guitar chord. It was open C.

My grandmother passed away in November of '07. The Tuesday before our visit would've been their 59th anniversary. We all miss her terribly, Grandpa probably most of all. I would've given anything for her to be able to see me get married and to meet my two boys. Since her passing, I can count on one hand the amount of times I've been over to the house. It hasn't been on purpose, just the usual busy nature of life. Grandpa also hadn't felt like hosting the usual festvites that were traditonally centered there: Thanksgiving, birthdays and Christmas. Only in '10 was there a family gathering at Grandpa's for Christmas for the first time since her passing. There was one last year as well, but I couldn't attend because I had gotten out of the hospital Christmas Eve (another story for another time) and was too tired to attend. Made me sad to miss it. Some of the best memories of that house are from Christmas time. Not to mention all the birthday parties. Mine and Grandma's were close together, Nov. 26 and Dec. 5 respectively. So while the family was gathered for Thanksgiving, we often combined them into a dual celebration. NOTHING like a full Thanksgiving dinner followed by birthday cake and presents. Not to mention the occassional cake fight that would break out; I'm pretty sure I still have icing somewhere in my left ear.

Alot of time has passed since those days. Us grandchildren have grown up and are all doing our own things. Some of us have gotten married. My goofy ass even went so far as to have kids of my own. And I was here with them now at this house I did so much growing up in. On the way outside, Gage was walking in between Grandpa and I, each of us holding one of his hands. I couldn't get the whole circle of life (and all that crap) thing out of my head....came this close to holding Gage up in the air Lion King style. There was something terribly surreal about watching my own son run and explore the same yard and woods where I spent many a summer and holiday doing the same.

My mind began to wander and eventually it headed straight backwards. Thankfully, Grandpa was around to help keep an eye on the kid because part of me suddenly wasn't there. Half my brian was remembering walking along the fenceline to get around to the pond to go fishing; playing horseshoes with my uncles; the time I threw a boomerang I found in the garage, not expecting it to come back...but it did (I had to duck and it skinned my knuckles as it wizzed over my head); being lifted off the ground by Tippy the dog when I was a toddler; running, wrestling and sometimes fighting with my cousins in that big yard; cooking out on the grill on the porch........I was suddenly trying to keep all the memories that popped up like a flood from squeezing out of my eyes.

I turned away for a minute and walked over to the tree I brought them to plant years ago when I was in the 4th Grade and our teacher Mrs.Porter gave us each a sapling for Arbor Day. I picked up a pine cone from the tree (now a good 150 feet tall) to take home and turned back around to look over the expansive property to see all the ghosts that were flooding my brain again. It hit me at that moment that, someday, another family may be living in this house, playing in this yard. Perhaps they won't like where my tree is planted and cut it down. One day someone may move our memories out so they can move their own in. I can't describe the feeling of how it felt to see the past all at once and wishing you could capture it in one place forever, where nobody could ever touch it and rearrange it. When I was a kid, man, this place was FOREVER. The world out there was going to change but this place never would. It was somehow immune to the changes of time. And it overwhelmed me to realize the fact that that wasn't true. And all I could think, almost bitterly, was "Dammit...it all went by so fast. Too fast." There are times you don't feel like being a grown-up for just a minute, wishing you could step back into something that's not coming back and breath it in one more time. So I stood there, just enjoying being where I was for the moment, hanging on to it. Watching my son trample on the same hill I had. Happy that he is getting to enjoy a bit of what I enjoyed about being here.

We went back inside after a good hour and Gage continued to run and explore inside the house. He had a scab on his head from a few days before where he ran into the island in the middle of the kitchen, discovering he wasn't short enough to clear it anymore. It made me chuckle as he ran past the spot in this kitchen where I did the same thing when I was two.


Later, the kids were packed up and we were heading back down the driveway. I looked over my shoulder back at the house and remembered what a wonderful feeling it was (and still is) to come over the hill of that road and see that house sitting on the hill. Knowing all the love that awaited us (and still awaits us) there. I looked in the rearview at my boys and thought that even though my childhood is over, their's is just beginning. And it's my job to make sure theirs is as filled with the same loving memories as mine was. You know, circle of life (and all that crap).

There will be many more visits to see Grandpa. This visit certainly wasn't the last. He just turned 80 and is in good health; still spry and good-humored. There are still memories to make there. This day was just one of those times in life where you realize how much something means to you..how much something is a part of you. And how nothing lasts forever no matter how much you may wish it would.