Van Halen: Van Halen

Van Halen was an iconic California born rock band. Iconic musically, and iconic for bringing hard rock back to the forefront of the music scene. Known for their energetic live performances, Van Halen was able to bring that same energy to their studio records. Their power was driven by the virtuosity of guitarist Eddie Van Halen and topped off by David Lee Roth’s vocals and on stage antics.

Van Halen reached number 19 on the Billboard's Top 200, with their debut single, a cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me", spending three weeks on the Hot 100 chart. Since its release, Van Halen has been regarded as one of rock and roll's greatest debut albums of all time. Ironically, the initial critical reception of the album was fairly negative. Rolling Stone magazine critic Charles M. Young predicting that, "In three years, Van Halen is going to be fat and self-indulgent and disgusting ..." Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said, "For some reason Warners wants us to know that this is the biggest bar band in the San Fernando Valley ... The term becomes honorific when the music belongs in a bar. This music belongs on an aircraft carrier."

You have to wonder how those critics feel today. Van Halen was rightfully inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Their success and their legend was launched by their debut album and continued through the departure of Roth, or at least for one album post tenure. Van Halen was never quite the same after the split. However, we have forever saved on vinyl their greatness while it lasted.

DCC’s release of Van Halen is a formidable audiophile release. Given the band originally recorded the album on two-track master tapes, Steve Hoffman did a great job of preserving on vinyl the musical genius and energy left on those tapes.

The base is solid and impactful, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar screams, but never tops out too high. David Lee Roth’s vocals sit right where they should, in the middle. Never too far forward or too far back. Running' With The Devil launches the record and it never looks back.

TRACK LIST

1 Runnin' With The Devil
2 Eruption
3 You Really Got Me
4 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
5 I'm The One
6 Jamie's Cryin'
7 Atomic Punk
8 Feel Your Love Tonight
9 Little Dreamer
10 Ice Cream Man
11 On Fire

If you are looking for an audiophile release of Van Halen’s debut, you cannot go wrong with the DCC Compact Classics release. If the DCC is a little too costly for you, the next best option is the 2015 remaster by Kevin Gray.💰

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