Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

glassprison wrote:

Quote :

Decided to spin this one again and I still think it’s a kick ass album. Listening now I can agree that EVH probably played bass on the album but wouldn’t surprise me if WVH did. How has this album aged for HOM?

I just revisited it a week or so ago. I liked it much more than I thought I was going to. I couldn't even make it through front to back the last time I tried to listen to it. I still think "Tattoo" was a bad lead single and opening track.

Overall I think the guitar work is absolutely stellar, but Dave's voice gets really annoying when he goes up into the higher/shouting register. I like when he stays restrained, like on "As Is."

I think I said this a while ago here but his spoken word is what really annoys me. It's bad beat poeticism and is used way too much.

That said, I love this album! VH is always being played once a day around here so I still hear it often. Beats Workin' is classic!

That’s cool to hear what you guys think. I actually like DLR’s vox throughout. The spoken word is actually something I really like on this album. Just something different.

I still have never heard this besides a song or 2 but I will get it one of these days.

I loved it when it came out and I still love it. I just read the song titles and the choruses come to mind. DLR never really could sing, so the spoken word thing is always been "his" thing. Ha ha. It's such a "windows down, crank it, summertime" album to me. And that's the way VH should be, in my opine.

It's been awhile since I've spun the album all the way through, but songs pop up on shuffle in my car and I still find them to be quite enjoyable. If they decide to get together again and record another album, I'd be interested.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

It's been awhile since I've spun the album all the way through, but songs pop up on shuffle in my car and I still find them to be quite enjoyable. If they decide to get together again and record another album, I'd be interested.

I just read your Chickenfoot post and now this and it messed with my mind a little bit. Haha!

akeldama wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

It's been awhile since I've spun the album all the way through, but songs pop up on shuffle in my car and I still find them to be quite enjoyable. If they decide to get together again and record another album, I'd be interested.

I just read your Chickenfoot post and now this and it messed with my mind a little bit. Haha!

Well, why post anymore than what's already been said. My opinion's the same for either band.

I liked it, but haven't listened to it in at least a year. Glad I went to see them on support of this tour though. It was the only time I've ever seen them, and most likely the last. I was going to buy that live album, but heard it was terrible because of Dave's voice. Kinda strange if true, because he sounded fine when I saw them. He definitely list a step or three since the old days, but he was still pretty good.

Anyway, I might give it a listen tonight, think it's over due.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

I liked it, but haven't listened to it in at least a year. Glad I went to see them on support of this tour though. It was the only time I've ever seen them, and most likely the last. I was going to buy that live album, but heard it was terrible because of Dave's voice. Kinda strange if true, because he sounded fine when I saw them. He definitely list a step or three since the old days, but he was still pretty good.

Anyway, I might give it a listen tonight, think it's over due.

No no no no, dude. That live album is GOLD. One of my favorite live packages ever, I kid you not. Yeah, Dave minimizes his vocal efforts for most of the show--but what he does in place is rather cool. The spoken word works better live than it does on DKoT, where I find it to be excessive. Trust me, the live album is pretty fun stuff, and there's a lot of great showing off happening.

Off-topic, but does anyone else here not like the album title? I guess in my mind they should of stuck with the "emergency" titles (Women and Children First!!! Fair Warning!!! Diver Down!!! 5150 I guess!!!) of their old stuff. Something like "Hurricane on the Horizon," except I'm not very good at titles and that one kind of sucks.

corplhicks wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

I liked it, but haven't listened to it in at least a year. Glad I went to see them on support of this tour though. It was the only time I've ever seen them, and most likely the last. I was going to buy that live album, but heard it was terrible because of Dave's voice. Kinda strange if true, because he sounded fine when I saw them. He definitely list a step or three since the old days, but he was still pretty good.

Anyway, I might give it a listen tonight, think it's over due.

No no no no, dude. That live album is GOLD. One of my favorite live packages ever, I kid you not. Yeah, Dave minimizes his vocal efforts for most of the show--but what he does in place is rather cool. The spoken word works better live than it does on DKoT, where I find it to be excessive. Trust me, the live album is pretty fun stuff, and there's a lot of great showing off happening.

Off-topic, but does anyone else here not like the album title? I guess in my mind they should of stuck with the "emergency" titles (Women and Children First!!! Fair Warning!!! Diver Down!!! 5150 I guess!!!) of their old stuff. Something like "Hurricane on the Horizon," except I'm not very good at titles and that one kind of sucks.

Never liked the title or cover. I agree about the title theme you’re going for. Maybe ‘Mayday! Mayday!!’ ‘Self-Destruct Mode Override’... something... ‘A Mammoth Comeback’... *shrugs*

The album has some good music but it’s obvious DLR was struggling. Half the lyrics are forgettable or lame and the album cover is boring. The biggest mistake of all is not letting Michael Anthony return for his trademark backing vocals. It would’ve helped tremendously because unlike Roth, Mike Anthony still has his full range vocals.

corplhicks wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

I liked it, but haven't listened to it in at least a year. Glad I went to see them on support of this tour though. It was the only time I've ever seen them, and most likely the last. I was going to buy that live album, but heard it was terrible because of Dave's voice. Kinda strange if true, because he sounded fine when I saw them. He definitely list a step or three since the old days, but he was still pretty good.

Anyway, I might give it a listen tonight, think it's over due.

No no no no, dude. That live album is GOLD. One of my favorite live packages ever, I kid you not. Yeah, Dave minimizes his vocal efforts for most of the show--but what he does in place is rather cool. The spoken word works better live than it does on DKoT, where I find it to be excessive. Trust me, the live album is pretty fun stuff, and there's a lot of great showing off happening.

Off-topic, but does anyone else here not like the album title? I guess in my mind they should of stuck with the "emergency" titles (Women and Children First!!! Fair Warning!!! Diver Down!!! 5150 I guess!!!) of their old stuff. Something like "Hurricane on the Horizon," except I'm not very good at titles and that one kind of sucks.

Well, you got my interest. Maybe I'll pick up a copy on one of my future purchases. I do want it, just because I saw the tour live, but I heard a couple clips that changed my mind.

Funny about bringing up the titles. I've listened to them since the 80's, have always had all their classic albums in one format or another throughout the years, and never really caught the theme of the names before until you mentioned them here. Guess in a bit slow when shits staring me right in the face.

akeldama wrote:

Never liked the title or cover. I agree about the title theme you’re going for. Maybe ‘Mayday! Mayday!!’ ‘Self-Destruct Mode Override’... something... ‘A Mammoth Comeback’... *shrugs*

The title never bothered me, but I thought the cover was kinda lame after I saw this...

MetalGuy71 wrote:

akeldama wrote:

Never liked the title or cover. I agree about the title theme you’re going for. Maybe ‘Mayday! Mayday!!’ ‘Self-Destruct Mode Override’... something... ‘A Mammoth Comeback’... *shrugs*

The title never bothered me, but I thought the cover was kinda lame after I saw this...

Ding! Ding!! Ding!!! Ding!!!! DING!!!!! Rod, tell him what he’s won.

corplhicks wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

I liked it, but haven't listened to it in at least a year. Glad I went to see them on support of this tour though. It was the only time I've ever seen them, and most likely the last. I was going to buy that live album, but heard it was terrible because of Dave's voice. Kinda strange if true, because he sounded fine when I saw them. He definitely list a step or three since the old days, but he was still pretty good.

Anyway, I might give it a listen tonight, think it's over due.

No no no no, dude. That live album is GOLD. One of my favorite live packages ever, I kid you not. Yeah, Dave minimizes his vocal efforts for most of the show--but what he does in place is rather cool. The spoken word works better live than it does on DKoT, where I find it to be excessive. Trust me, the live album is pretty fun stuff, and there's a lot of great showing off happening.

Off-topic, but does anyone else here not like the album title? I guess in my mind they should of stuck with the "emergency" titles (Women and Children First!!! Fair Warning!!! Diver Down!!! 5150 I guess!!!) of their old stuff. Something like "Hurricane on the Horizon," except I'm not very good at titles and that one kind of sucks.

I like the album's title as it kinda fits with the times. I never thought twice about their album titles having a theme. The titles never really seemed to match the album art so nothing really clicked with me.

I like the live album. I have a boot from the same tour in America (Pittsburgh, I think) and it sounds pretty darn similar so I don't know why so many people rag on the Tokyo Dome disc?

I actually love that live Van Halen disc. Eddie and Alex Van Halen sound excited and are definitely not phoning in. Wolfgang does not try to do anything fancy and like Michael Anthony plays his bass lines in the pocket, they support the drums and nothing too distracting.

I have seen DLR twice with Van Halen and he struggled on a couple of tunes, but overall he sounded great. I admire that DLR did not go and fix his vocals with overdubs, autotuning or any of that shit, what you hear is what you get.

manny wrote:

I admire that DLR did not go and fix his vocals with overdubs, autotuning or any of that shit, what you hear is what you get.

Yup. I saw them in '07 and he was very much the same. Zero complaints from me.