Mike MixdorfAn aging rock group that hasn’t put out an album in 14 years, gone back and forth between three singers, fired their bassist and has a guitarist with a huge ego. But guess what? The new album, “A Different Kind Of Truth,” is really good.
You wouldn’t know it by the first single, “Tattoo.”
Awful. An awful song with awful lyrics. And what’s worse, it gets stuck in your head too. I don’t know why they decided to pick that song to promote the album.
Not to mention, the entire album is a rehash. Many if not most of the songs, including “Tattoo” and “She’s The Woman,” are old demos reworked for the album. Even the album art is unoriginal, a rip-off of an old Commodores album.
Needless to say, I literally had ZERO expectations for this album, especially after hearing “Tattoo.” It’s been 14 years since Van Halen released their last studio album, “Van Halen III” with singer Gary Cherone; 28 years since the last album with David Lee Roth, “1984.”
But man, this album kicks.
The majority of the album (minus “Tattoo” and a few others) is surprisingly uptempo, with Eddie Van Halen wailing away at guitar. But the real stars are the other Van Halens: his brother Alex on drums and his son Wolfgang on bass. The rhythm section just goes to town on this album.
Not forgetting Diamond Dave – he sounds as good as ever. Most people wouldn’t be able to distinguish “1984” Dave from 2012 Dave. If you had someone unfamiliar with Van Halen and played them a song from “Van Halen II” and one from “A Different Kind Of Truth,” they’d think they were off the same album.
It seems like the band is reinvigorated and out to prove something; ironic, since some of these songs are 30 to 35 years old.
The album is so good in fact, I have been debating seeing them live, just so I can see these songs played live.
Spotify link: Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth
Can Of Corn 