Best Van Halen LP?

Best Van Halen LP?

  • Van Halen

    Votes: 2 28.6%
  • Van Halen II

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • Women and Children First

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fair Warning

    Votes: 3 42.9%
  • 1984

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • Diver Down

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    7
For me it’s between Fair Warning and 1984, but I went with 1984 in the end.

Hilarious that you stopped the options after the last original Roth record...
 
Diver Down should be included, as there's a small but vocal number of VH fans who hold it as their fave.

I've been a huge fan for over 31 years now - have listened to all of the albums hundreds of times on drives and such.

VHII has aged the best overall - still packs the fire and punch of the debut, but with a more diverse sonic palette. Alex really comes into his own on drums (Dance the Night Away is recognizable from Alex's intro cymbal and cowbell work alone), and Michael Anthony's basslines are at their most audible. Anthony's backing vocals propel heavy tracks like Somebody Get Me A Doctor, Light Up The Sky, and DOA into the outer reaches of the galaxy.

the funk grooves of "Outta Love Again" always delight, and there's more ethereal moments to be found in Women In Love.

Fair Warning has more bite, the debut has more fancy fretwork, and 1984 has the songs that everyone knows and loves and remembers, but for my ears, II packs the deepest and most lasting punch.
 
Back
Top