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"Less essential than its predecessor, this second Van Halen must however appear in the discotheque of any US Hard Rock fan."
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4/5
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It is an understatement to say that Van Halen's first album was a huge hit. The quartet barely had time to recover from their tour when Warner pushed them to return to the studio to create a follow-up to "Van Halen I". Under pressure, the group will dig into the scraps of its already legendary album, as well as in old tapes.
If the whole remains of a lower level than its predecessor, we still have to deal with a very good Californian Hard Rock, even if the formula used is exactly the same as for "Van Halen I". Among the rare surprises, we will note the irresistible "Bottoms Up!", Big-Rock full of good mood and with a boogie riff worthy of ZZ Top, as well as a "D.O.A." with a big riff at the same time heavy, dark and sexy. Here are the two indisputable peaks of this album.
The other tracks are directly in the vein of the previous opus. The refreshing "Dance The Night Away" flirts with pop-rock with its Beach Boys-like chorus, while "Beautiful Girls" closes the album on similar bases. With "You're No Good", Van Halen does the cover song again. If the quality is present, the mid-tempo side of this title prevents however to enter quickly in this version. Finally, with "Spanish Fly", Eddie offers us a breathtaking instrumental of speed and technique.
The rest is of good quality but not unforgettable, whether it is the energetic "Somebody Get Me A Doctor", the wild and crazy "Outta Love Again" or a "Light Up The Sky" yet with an excellent drum solo. However, this slight disappointment must be put into perspective by the fact that the first album is still fresh in our memories, and it's a safe bet that these tracks would have fared much better if they hadn't had to suffer from the comparison.
"Van Halen II" confirms the quartet as a new reference of Rock in general and US Hard-Rock in particular. Van Halen succeeded in imposing its style and in touching a large audience since its first work, and this new album comes to prove that it still has some reserve. Less essential than its predecessor, this new opus must however appear in the discotheque of all the amateurs of the genre. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. You're No Good - 3:18
02. Dance The Night Away - 3:09
03. Somebody Get Me A Doctor - 2:54
04. Bottoms Up! - 3:06
05. Outta Love Again - 2:53
06. Light Up The Sky - 3:13
07. Spanish Fly - 1:02
08. D.O.A. - 4:12
09. Women In Love... - 4:09
10. Beautiful Girls - 3:56
LINEUP:
Alex Van Halen: Batterie
David Lee Roth: Chant
Edward Van Halen: Guitares / Claviers
Michael Anthony: Basse
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
4/5 (4 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.9/5 (7 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH VAN HALEN
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT VAN HALEN
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