Thursday, February 14, 2013

Van Halen - Balance

I've covered my feelings toward Van Halen multiple times. However, if you look at the back cover to the Balance album it perfectly describes how much of a complete egotistical jackass Eddie and Alex are, and if it weren't for Sammy's vocals on this album, it wouldn't be half as good as it is.

The album opens with The Seventh Seal, which is a decent enough tune. It's a bit typical for Van Halen at the time, and reminds me a lot of Poundcake from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

After that comes Cant Stop Loving You. Lyically this is a ballad. "There's a time and place for everything, for everyone / We can push with all our might, but nothing's gonna come / Oh no, nothing's gonna change / And if I asked you not to try / Oh could you let it be / I wanna hold you and say / We can't throw this all away / Tell me you won't go, you won't go / Do you have to hear me say / I can't stop lovin' you / And no matter what you say or do / You know my heart is true, oh / I can't stop lovin' you / You can change your friends, your place in life / You can change your mind / We can change the things we say / And do it anytime / Oh no, but I think you'll find / That when you look inside your heart / Oh baby, I'll be there / Hold on / I'm holding on / Baby, just come on, come on, come on / I just wanna hear you say / I can't stop lovin' you / And no matter what you say or do / You know my heart is true, oh / I can't stop lovin' you / Oh, I'm twisted and tied / And all I can remember / Is how hard we tried / Only to surrender / And when it's over / I know how it's gonna be / And true love will never die / No, not fade away / I can't stop lovin' you / And no matter what you say or do / You know my heart is true, oh / I can't stop lovin' you / And I know what I got to do / Hey ray, what you said is true / I can't stop lovin' you, oh / Oh, I can't stop lovin' you". Musically this song is a straight forward Rock tune, a bit plain for my likings, but a decent enough song.

The first song I ever heard from this album was Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do). I remember the video being rather big at the time, or at least getting a lot of play on Much Music. I also remember thinking the song was good enough to warrant picking up the album. In retrospect it's still a pretty decent song, but only because of the raw passion in Sammy Hagar's vocals.

Normally I wouldn't rip on Bruce Fairbairn's production too much. I typically like what he does, but this album is another story. I think Alex Van Halen's snare is way too loud in the mix, and constantly comes off as nothing other than a dull thud, and aside from the cymbals the rest of the drums almost disappear in the mix. Micheal Anthony's bass has been reduced to little more than a low level pulsing in the background, that often disappears in the mix. Other than that, the rest of the production is okay.

For me the album really starts at song four. Amsterdam is the type of track I totally dig from Van Halen. It's fun, full of Eddie's guitar show boating fills, and you want to sing along with it. The song doesn't demand you sing along, but it naturally encourages such behaviour.

Big Fat Money is a really fun boogie woogie number. It's really quick and Sammy's lyrics come flying out like a high speed rapper. Eddie's guitar sounds a little more on the inventive side, which is really cool. In fact if you listen to the better songs on this album they sound closer to the Van Roth era than the Van Hagar years. Which is something they should have been doing from the beginning.

Strung Out is pretty much useless album filler. It sounds like someone was screwing around in the studio, and butchering a helpless instrument. It has a little artistic merit, but only a little.

Not Enough sees the return of Eddie and the piano. Yes he play the piano, but I don't want to hear it. It's very boring and stock sounding. If I want to listen to a rockstar play the piano I'll throw on some Elton John. In fact I skip this song most of the time, because this is the exact type of song that makes me side with Roth in the old debate, which doesn't apply anymore. Thankfully it's back to a more enjoyable, yet stock for Van Halen, style. Aftershock sounds like pretty much every other straight ahead rocker that the band has ever released. It sounds a lot like a left over from the previous album.

Doin' Time is pretty much a percussion solo. It's okay, but nothing special. The track doesn't do anything to make me think Alex is anything more than a basic drummer.

It's on to the instrumental Baluchitherium, which is decent and enjoyable. It reminda me more of a movie soundtrack piece, almost like a movie score set to a Rock style. This is one of those songs I would use while writing, because it has a good vibe and feel to it.

I like the feel to Take Me Back (Deja Vu). It capturea the essence of the song well, and reminds me a lot of a couple of guys sitting out on the front porch jamming up some old memories. Other than that, I don't have much of an opinion on this one.

The album finishes with Feelin'. I'm happy that even though the song starts slowly, it builds up to a great album closer. The song never turns into a bust it out Rock monster, but it delivers pure passion and power. Also it may contain Eddie's best solo on the album. I mean when he opens up on this one, he really opens up. It's the type of solo that made him famous, but it's Sammy's lyrical delivery that really impresses me. It's almost like he knew this was his last album with the band, and this was his way of saying good bye. "Outta touch most the time / Got a lotta things on my mind / Kickin' down, but where to start / It's the hardest thing, oh Lord / Grow it long, shave it off / Life is hard, never soft / I need a change, I need it quick / Before it makes me sick / That's what's on my mind / (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) / Now pay attention, watch your back / Pay your dues and stay on track / Got no room to second guess / Puts me under stress, oh Lord / (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) / If I were you, if you were me / Wonder who I'd wanna be / With just one wish ya can't refuse / I wouldn't know what to choose / Yeah! Feelin' / No I don't like what I been told / I'm feelin' / Feelin', what no one else will ever know / I'm feelin' / Ohh, now! Black is white and white is black, ah! / Got politicians smokin' crack / And John Paul's all bullet proof / And it puts me through the roof, and yeah! / If I were you, and you were me / I wonder who I'd rather be / And if I had one wish I, uh, I'd take it / Feelin', oh I don't like what I been told / I'm feelin' / And I'm seein' what no one else will ever know / I'm seein' / Come on! / Feelin', hey I don't understand these things / I'm feelin' / Nooo! / Yeah! / Yeah! / Oh, yeah! / Oh, yeah! / Uh! / Outta touch most all the time / Got too many things on my mind / Shuttin' down, I gotta stop this thing / Yeah! Feelin', no I don't like what I been told / I'm feelin' / And I'm bleedin', like no one else will ever know / I'm bleedin' / Whoa! Dealin', I'm dealin' with these things / I'm feelin' / Oh, I'm dreamin', I'm dreamin', I'm dreamin' things that show me / What I'm seein' / Yeah! Seein', I'm seein' things that don't know / What I'm feelin', yeah / Lord, I've been feelin', I'm feelin', I'm feelin' things that / I don't, I don't know, I don't know! / Lord, what I'm seein' / Yeah! / Yeah, yeah yeah / Hey, I don't understand".

By the end of this album I'm happy I bought it, but at the same time I'm a little let down by the basicness of it. The band was clearly falling apart and losing sight of who and what they were, but at the same time they put together an album that was both dark and interesting.

7/10 - content

5/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias

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