OU812
by Van Halen

Among bands that revolutionized rock and roll, (e.g. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, Nirvana,) Van Halen often gets short shrift. That said, "OU812" (1988, US #1) - although released under the name "Van Halen" - is not the same band that revolutionized rock in 1978.

With original vocalist David Lee Roth as guitarist Eddie Van Halen's primary co-songwriter (1974-1985) Van Halen combined genres as diverse as Motown and metal, blues and barbershop quartet, for a sound as homegrown and unique as the sound on "OU812" is pre-fab.

"5150" (1986, US #1) demonstrated the songwriting capabilities of Van Halen's new songwriting pair: guitarist Eddie Van Halen and AOR veteran, vocalist Sammy Hagar. Although the synth-laden "5150" has not aged well - Van Halen's increased use of synths was reportedly a major reason for David Lee Roth's exit - it features many moments of songwriting inspiration which, doubtlessly, Roth would've never allowed on a Van Halen record, (e.g. "Dreams.")

"OU812" establishes the Van Hagar formula, which would define (and limit) later non-Roth albums like "F.U.C.K." (1991, US #1;) "Balance" (1995, US #1;) and "Van Halen III" (1998, US #4.) This formula included power ballads (e.g. the lush, saccharine "When It's Love," and the late period Hall & Oates-esque "Feels So Good;") unfocused imitations of Van Halen's earlier rockers, (e.g. the half-baked "A.F.U. (Naturally Wired," and hollow "Source of Infection,") and several successful experiments (e.g. the hard new wave of "Mine All Mine" and countrified "Finish What Ya Started.")

"OU812" is not an album without merits - however, it suffers by comparison with Van Halen's previous (all essential) albums.

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/22/2012 16:10 | #37298 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Long gone are the days of their debut. Long gone is Roth's bravado which gave a flare to "1984". In its place is a mold set by 5150 (sammy hagar's entry point) of a few solid radio hits with a remainder of guitar-rock/pop pap wankery. It might be fun to visit and necessary for hagar's rock'n'roll lifestyle, but why should i care about "cabo wabo" anyway?

From junodog4 TOP 100 COMMENTER 05/19/2012 21:01 | #42720 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Finish What You Started is a nice twist in the usual from these guys. The rest of the album is Van Halen formula.

From Graeme2 TOP 100 COMMENTER 06/27/2014 21:30 | #115490 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Got this on vinyl for Christmas when it came out. Must be a great album as can't remember any song off it at all. Probably never listened to it hardly as I got it takes a nation of millions on cassette the same time. Used to love why can't this be love though off the other album.

From Nightprowler 01/07/2016 20:42 | #156080 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

In 1988 I was 18. This album was a bomb for me. No. Not a bomb but a B O M B ! ! ! I wil never forget it. It's make me happy today too. It's a graet album!