Van Halen II [Remaster] by Van Halen

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by silktempest in Music

Second-best choice

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jan 1, 2007
Pros: The broadening of the band's sonority
Cons: VAN HALEN sounds tamed in spots

Summary: VAN HALEN’s second album sold 3 million copies since its release in March 23rd 1979. It brought the band for the first time to the American Top 20 with Dance The Night Away. A soldout tour followed. Eddie Van Halen made ... read more
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by mmantle

mmantle's Classic Metal Albums, Pt. 2: "Van Halen II"

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jul 22, 2010
Pros: I don't think there's a single track on VHII that Sirius XM Boneyard doesn't play.
Cons: None, it's a classic, deserving of its hype.

Summary: First things first, Van Halen are my favorite metal band. I love Judas Priest and their epic biker anthems, can’t get enough of Iron Maiden tales borrowing from both history and fantasy, love Ozzy’s work with Zakk (especially the first two ... read more
by pyfr

Come hear your heroes, Jim, they're lighting up the speakers- won't recognize them anymore

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Dec 27, 2007
Pros: David, Michael, and Bros. Halen shriek and blast their way through the sophomore slump.
Cons: Like many records from the age of vinyl, it seems awfully short.

Summary: In the universe according to Van Halen, there is no such thing as a sophomore slump. There are bad decisions when it comes to bringing in new lead singers (Gary Cherone�s time on the mic was an especially painful period) and questionable choices ... read more
by wildcatblue7

Van Halen, Take Two: Further Illustration of Mr. Van Halen�s Dominance

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Apr 18, 2006
Pros: Light Up the Sky, Mr. Edward Van Halen
Cons: Braindead basslines, a few duds

Summary: The beautiful thing about debut albums is that one has an entire lifetime (up to that point) to craft them. Look at Boston: their debut was great mostly because Tom Scholz (and later on, Brad Delp) could afford to be a perfectionist about the ... read more
by MattA75

Van Halen Shows You How To Create a Follow Up to a Classic

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jun 27, 2004
Pros: Roth's exuberance, Eddie's noodling, the rhythm section
Cons: much of it blends together

Summary: Just over a year after releasing their by now classic 1978 self-titled debut, Van Halen was right back at it, releasing Van Halen II in 1979, an album that would spawn their first really big hit single, while expanding on the sound that ... read more
by iltas

Van Halen is just 2 Good!!!

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jan 9, 2004
Pros: Well, almost everything except production level.
Cons: Production. I feel that this LP has been rushed a bit.

Summary: Van Halen’s debut in 1978 was nothing short of phenomenal. I would go even further and say it was revolutionary. It was a testament of raw energy to the music world, when the music industry was imploding on itself from the producer driven disco craze ... read more
by HawgWyld

Good sophomore effort, but not as consistent as debut.

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Mar 26, 2001
Pros: Decent follow-up; rhythm section sounds alive; fine party music.
Cons: Too short; songs not as good as on debut.

Summary: This album rather picks up where Van Halen left off in that we've still got Eddie Van Halen's screaming and manic guitar all over the place, David Lee Roth's antics and theatrics and some pretty good stuff to play at a party near you. It's another ... read more
by redsox75

Call up the ambulance, I�m deep in shock

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Aug 22, 2000
Pros: Great guitar work and several great songs
Cons: Screaming Dave can get old fast

Summary: At the time of the release of this record, Van Halen was one of the hottest bands going. Their first record made them stars. Many fans returned to find out if they were real. For the most part here, the group did not disappoint. Let�s take a look at ... read more
by Phibes69

"Van Halen II-Teenage Angst Re-visited"

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jun 11, 2000
Pros: 2nd. Innovative Party Soundtrack, To The Male Experience
Cons: none

Summary: This album brings back memories...I had this great musical experience, on 8-track tape (an old, obsolete form of musical expression, way back). I was in eighth grade and I was listening to "Judas Priest", "Aerosmith", "Ted ... read more
by DirtyDan

The second album

Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
May 24, 2000
Pros: Showcases Drums and Bass more, shows different styles
Cons: Short, not their best work

Summary: This is is second release (as the title implies) from the rock greats Van Halen. It's not their best album by it's certainly not the worst either. You see a different side of these rockers during this release. First off, the entire album ... read more
by Gimmers

Not VH I, but good soph album

Rated a Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Mar 22, 2000
Pros: Outstanding effort for a second album.
Cons: Solid album, but hard to follow debut

Summary: Trying to follow up their self titled debut album, Van Halen did a great (if not different) job with Van Halen II. It's really strange when people talk about how different this album is compared to Van Halen's first outing. Having the ... read more

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