There are a few bands that people my age are practically required to know and Van Halen is one of those bands (The Cars, Journey, Duran Duran are others in that category). I also have much respect for Eddie VH as a musician. My buddy Blake (the biggest VH fan I know) calls this a covers album, but if you like covers, that's not a bad thing.
Press of the time:
- Musician: "a dynamite bar band become larger than life.
- Rolling Stone (★★): "a cogent case for consumer fraud"
- Robert Christgau (B-): "Less impressive, if only because hangloose covers like "Big Bad Bill" and "Happy Trails" are for more attractive bands."
- Billboard: "determined to continue their streak of top five long-players"
- Trouser Press: "Maybe one day these guys will even make a great album"
- RPM: "already become a hot item"
Album chart peaks:
- US Billboard Top 200: #3
- Billboard Rock: #3
- CashBox: #4
- Rolling Stone: #4
Tracks: 12 of 'em in only 32 minutes. I can easily listen to this CD without skipping any tracks. I could do without the final track, the cover of Happy Trails, but whatever. The other 4 covers are top notch. Of the original tunes, I prefer Secrets and Little Guitars.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In high school, my friend Brett had this release on cassette. I borrowed it from him for about 2 years. I'm pretty sure I eventually returned it to him. Possibly.
Both of the parties I attended in 1982 had this record playing. At one party it was just side one repeated over and over and over while at the second party, they had the courtesy to play both sides of the record. The only other record played at both of those parties was The Doors 1967 debut album. Quite a party mix.
ReplyDeleteThe album is brief. But I like it. "Dancing In The Street" was on pretty much every mixtape I made that year.