Van Halen

The big question is whether even a sound as titanic as Van Halen's can sustain the loss of a
loudmouth voluptuary like David Lee Roth, or will the whole metal ball simply collapse
under the weight of generic gee-tar pyrotechnics? Though often derided as a frontrunner
in the Most Obnoxious Man in Rock sweepstakes, Diamond Dave's giddy way with Uzipaced
wisecracks and an unarguably media-genic presence gave Van Halen an overpo... More >

Wonder how the guitar mavens who thought Eddie equalled Van Halen are going to like his fireworks displays and balls-to-the-wall hooks now that video star David Lee Roth has given way to one of the biggest schmucks in the known biz. No musician with something to say could stomach responding to Sammy Hagar's call, and this album proves it. (Grade: C+)