Van Halen

Van Halen III

An extremely misunderstood album

Review Score:

(6/10)
This a great rock album, and not one of Van Halen's best, but certainly not their worst. I own every Van Halen album: it's obvious to me that VH III was an ambitious effort by a twenty-year old band who, rather than stick to their usual formula, stretched their boundaries on this recording, with some unfortunate misfires.

While their are some great moments on the album, there are also some really weak spots. Without You, One I Want, and Ballot or the Bullet are a few examples of Eddie's great riffing and continued growth as a guitarist. Gary Cherone brings a new level of thinking to song lyrics on many of the tracks - his writing is mature, and far more interesting than Van Halen's "T & A" songs of old. A number of people have dogged him for being "too political"... after all, Van Halen is a party band, right? My guess is that the band as a whole would much rather be remembered for the satire of One I Want than the blatant sexism of Sucker in a Three Piece, off of OU812. Some weaker moments on the album include Dirty Water Dog (great groove, but the guitar effects sound too slick), and the absolutely horrible ballad, How Many Say I. Year to the Day could have had a couple of minutes shaved off, and been just as effective.

If you're looking for a meat-and-potatoes rock album with some unexpected twists (taking the good and bad into account), this is a great listen and a bargain if you can get it for half price! However, if you have preconceived notions of what you expect to hear from the band, VH III is not for you.

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