Van Halen

Van Halen III

Not as Bad as Advertised...

Review Score:

(6/10)
This often maligned album has one reviewer even describing it as "utter crap." Although I agree that Cherone was not the right fit for VH, this album is much better than advertised.

First, EVH must be commended for avoiding a pre-packaged VH sound. Obvious examples of this are evident in the beautiful "Neworld," the use of his "D-tuna" (drops the bottom E string on his guitar to D) on "Fire in the Hole," the sitar? solo "Primary," and even his 12-string work on "Josephina." Even the absolute failure "How Many Say I" has EVH doing something different by singing lead (and hopefully, he will never ever do this again).

Second, Cherone's lyrics do attempt to redefine VH's sound. Eddie was 43 when this album was released - Roth's party antics and Hagar's cliched anthems were, presumably, long past. One expects that EVH didn't want his legacy to be defined by brilliant, but substanceless, songs...Thus, Cherone's ineffective meanderings through political and spiritual arenas become interesting solely in that EVH's guitar work is matched to something more than pure party music.

(for a truly effective "serious" EVH, listen to his partnership with Roger Waters on "Lost Boys Calling" from the Legend of 1900 Soundtrack)

Finally, Van Halen III isn't any worse than most Van Hagar albums. Yes, "One I Want" and "Dirty Water Dog" are awful but III is eminently more listenable than "Balance" and shouldn't be so quickly disregarded (Although the "great" songs on "Balance" are better than the "great" songs on "III"). Instead, enjoy "III" for what it is - a good, but not great, guitar album that is better than most hard rock albums released in the late '90s.

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