Official "A Different Kind of Truth" Album Review Thread

[chefcraig]

Alright gang, I'm going in. Had a crapload of stuff to deal with at work, this after the sojourn undertaken to get the copies I wanted that started around 6:15 or so this very morning (you guessed it, I was up around 5 AM) involving driving all over town (4 WALMARTS, friends and neighbors!) that roughly ended with my return home at 9:15 AM. Yep, three hours, kids. And I shall wear that as a badge of honor.

And yes, I got the fucking shirt, and wore it to work, proudly. (Starchy son of a bitch, I highly recommend a rinse and dry before wearing.)

So I am about to venture into this pile of new VH music/video, and as I hold the album/DVD in one hand and a 1/4 spent bottle of vodka in the other, I'll remember those inspirational words from the brilliant actor Leslie Nielsen:

Opinions later, but for now...

As Tiny Tim said around Christmastime: "God bless us, everyone."

ROTH ON, My brothers and sisters. May the wind be at your back, and fortune within your grasp.

chef

[Panamark]

This is cool, I got the physical "Deluxe Edition" today,
same day as you guys, its in my hands !! Had the album
electronically for a few days.

Van Halen have done well so far from this little Black Duck.


- Tattoo from Itunes
- Standard album from Itunes
- Deluxe Physical Edition from Sanity records.

Now, where to find a vinyl copy out in the bush ?
Anyone ever had vinyl "freighted" (that sounds
a little scary....)

Did it arrive in good condition ?

[moose]

So is the one on As Is !! Ed gets that one rolling man !! A little more volume in the headphones please !!

You ain't fucking kidding
"As Is"........ dynamite tune
Mammoth album.....from start to finish

[Unchainme]

HOLY SHIT.

ESPN JUST AIRED A PROMO FOR THE ALBUM

shit is getting real!

[K-tuna]

Like any reviews, I say " fuck 'em, .....you pay your money , you can like and dislike what you want."

So take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

I came to this site because I was really psyched when it was confirmed VH was working on a new album WITH DLR, no less. I wanted any info i could get my grubby hands on.

When the word leaked that Van Halen would be playing a small club show shortly before the release of their new single, I was psyched....it was coming true.

I also knew that with the return of a band as huge as VH that it would lead to the inevitable snarky media critics. I knew there would be the insinuations of " its for the big money,...they can't play like they used to, they're a nostalgia act, etc..." . Its too easy..... you can see that stuff a mile away.

Anyway, with that trepidation, I was cautiously optimistic, ...how would they sound with Dave again....is a small venue like Cafe Wha a crazy move ..or genius. We know how that came out..it was a powerful night. A intense night of their return to form. With that night, they played only one new song....Shes the Woman. Not tattoo like we were teased that would be the new single. But it was Great because it was a treasure of the Zero demo that VH fans were hoping they'd mine. it established to fans that Wolfie was quite good and Ed was healthy and back on his game.

Then "Tattoo" hit.

I was ...honestly underwhelmed. Didn't dig the lyrics. Didn't like the Robert Palmer-esque background synths. Didn't like Eds rather restrained playing. I felt let down because it was ferocious like STW at cafe wha. I read a lot of reviews here of Tattoo that felt like people were FORCING themselves to like it. Dave is the rightful singer of VH and they wouldn't take no for an answer.

I can't do that. I WON"T do that. I thought Tattoo was a let down and if i tried to lie, then i'd felt i would be making VH into what those reviews and critics would say they were--- a nostalgia act.


VH deserves better...Van Halen fans deserve better.


I started to worry....but then....Then came the other previews....and slowly , unlike our POS POTUS," hope was makin' a comeback."

Today , Im blasting the Best VH record since Fair Warning......

Almost every song is a winner ( sorry Tattoo) and each has some nugget of neat new aspect of the VH sound. Listen to ' Trouble with Never" or that cool bass interlude on " Beats working " where Wolfie shines on bass and works with dad to create a cool groove that is also memorably melodic...Thats what i love about Ed...he doesn't just shred, he's aware of melody and light and shade.

' Blood and Fire " is anthemic but because of the Ripley riff,...is also happy and melodic a way similar to Eric Johnsons "cliffs of dover"...You just feel good listening to it. She's the woman is still amazing ...just now, its 2012 amazing. "Big River" is one of my personal faves...Dave sounds terrific on this.

"Stay Frosty" ...at first i was iffy about this. I didn't want to hear a retread of " ice cream man " . Man im glad i was wrong ...the production on this song...wow...when it hits ...it hits HARD! Eds sound on this is HUGE. Its like Ed went in with the producer and said..." hey , y'know this part after the intro...I want it to sound heavier than that 'Sad but True' song by metallica...but HEAVIER and louder and still have my tone" Gotta love those lyrics.

"Bullethead" is a great rocker with punk like urgency. just a full throttle tune.

" china town " while i dig it , i kinda giggle at the chorus because I think Dave sounds like oddly like Ozzy here. Listen to the way he sings the line " ..chiiiina toowwwwwnnn..."

" Honeybabysweetiedoll" -- I dig the middle eastern scale riff but that chorus is not my fave...but its a decent tune and everyone sounds great.

"outta space"......Not one of my faves, I woulda loved to hear a reworking of " No more waiting/Show No mercy" instead. Its a good tune , but it s just not overly remarkable.

" as is " -- Smokes and is another fast rocker that shows Ed and Al are LOCKED in and Al is still a killer player and i like the breakdown in the middle.


Overall...this IS the VAN HALEN. the album just sounds great.

and one thing,...to all the Slammy fans... i enjoyed some of the songs from his albums with VH ( Runaround, Summer nights, get up, FWYS, Humans Being ) , I have to say something.....

ADKOT just destroys that era! Can you name one album with Slammy that has a consistently quality group of songs as this album? you can't, it just fact , that one album back with Dave has outshined his whole run.


Now if they'd just redo " No more waiting / show no mercy "...............


Thanks VH, for a killer album---8.5/10

[tjvhou812]

Two more things.....to all the sheeple out there worship the fat unmentionable klown....FUCK YOU. Your lord and master could never create any music that even comes close to this level, no matter how many virtuoso musicians he surrounds himself with.

Also.....I predict first week.....200,000 units MINIMUM.......Gold in a month....Platinum in max of 2 months......

And this is a no-brainer:

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH WILL DEBUT AT NUMBER ONE ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 200 ALBUM CHART!

i said that the other day, i think this album in 1 day will out sell the chickenfoot cd, and it will debute at number 1

[tjvhou812]

we came here to celebrate sex drugs and van fucking halen baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dave_is_vh]

Nice. 40% of the albums in the iTunes top 5 best sellers are A Different Kind of Truth.

[fourthcoming]

Diamond Dave's dog barking @ 3:18 of Honeybaby sounds better than anything Spammy ever spewed in his entire career.

I love this cd....can't wait to hear the vinyl.
Personal favorites: AS Is, Honeybaby, Bullethead, Blood and fire......like I said....love the whole damn thing but As Is back to back with Honeybaby are absolutely killer imo. As IS could have fit easily on FW. I can't believe we were deprived of this great band kicking our asses for 28 years.

[ashstralia]

Diamond Dave's dog barking @ 3:18 of Honeybaby sounds better than anything Spammy ever spewed in his entire career.

[K1469]

Pre-ordered from Van Halen store, DELUXE EDITION of course! Got it Monday a day early and Immediately made my 2 sons, 22 and 18 listen to the 1st REAL Van Halen cd made in their lifetime! All I can say is that I personally loved TATTOO and after going through the entire cd I couldnt decide what new song is my favorite! They all have something to love and I would have a hard time listing the best song to the weakest because I dont feel any of them are weak?!!!! I know that a Grammy doesnt mean anything but if this CD doesnt win the Hard Rock Grammy then something is wrong! I hope people buy this cd and see how great it is and Van Halen rule the world one more time. It may not outsell Thriller but it beats the living shit out of it for sure! lol
I am 43 and have been as big a fan as there is of Van Halen and my loyalty to Dave has been ever since. I hope this CD shuts Hagar's mouth and those redhead ass kissing clown lovers mouths once and for all! No love songs or slow songs on this CD! I am so happy for Dave to finally be back with a vengeance and I hope they take over the world!

[Panamark]

One thing is undeniable,
If you made a favourites compilation
from the 6 pack, I can guarantee every
fan will have songs on this album they
will want on that compilation

[Hardrock69]

HOLY SHIT.

ESPN JUST AIRED A PROMO FOR THE ALBUM

shit is getting real!

HOLY FAKK!

That IS real, lol! :D

[Hardrock69]

Diamond Dave's dog barking @ 3:18 of Honeybaby sounds better than anything Spammy ever spewed in his entire career.

Heh....I just heard Dave say "Good dog!". He was complimenting Russell on that very thing!

[Hardrock69]

I could not wait....I mean, it was bad enough I was not at Best Buy when they opened (hey, unemployed so I stay up until 5-6 and sleep until 2, babay!), but once I got out of the store I had to get the CD out and stick it in my CD changer. Got halfway through the CD by the time I got home. It was all I could do to NOT wreck my car when I was following the blacktop with headbanging in progress!

Am listening to it for about the 10th time. Watched the DVD awhile ago. Something really freaked me out. The intro to You and Yer Blues....when Dave looked directly in the camera and said..."I can see you better than you think....the Internet!". Made me wonder how often he is checking us out here, lol.

Assumptions....lmfao.

Oh....and some of you recall the attempted group songwriting effort last year? I am reclaiming my tune. Came up with a title and some lyrics today. I am VERY sure everyone will like it when I get it done. Though it is gonna be awhile before I finish it up.

It was the release of this album and the thought of THE MIGHTY MOTHERFUCKING VAN HALEN coming to Gnashville in 2 months that gave me the inspiration.

Haha...Stay Frosty is in the finest tradition of Leadbelly....Uncle Dave's Acoustic Blooze Storytellin' Time!