Van Halen, A Different Kind Of Truth

Van Halen is back! I said, VAN HALEN IS BACK! Anyone? Diamond Dave, everybody! Air-splits! Guitar solos! Shirts! Wait, no shirts!

Anyone?

Van Halen settled the debates over who should sing lead by just waiting until everyone stopped talking about it completely. And then they picked David Lee Roth, which would be news, if they hadn’t already picked David Lee Roth every five years or so for the past twenty. I’ve been a fan of Van Halen, here and there, in nearly every incarnation. I can’t say much about the Gary Cherone years, I barely recall it, but if Hot For Teacher or Finish What You Started comes on*, then who am I do deny their pleasures? Those are great songs.

*Where would I be that Hot For Teacher or Finish What You Started would just suddenly come on? Are those even played in strip clubs anymore? Maybe I should buy them.

Van Halen is most effective, I find, when they’re being a bit sleazy. Eddie Van Halen is one of the few guitarists who can play a solo and you think, “Well that was dirty. I hope no one was offended.” Those solos are present throughout A Different Kind Of Truth. Likewise, David Lee Roth talk-sings like a perverted Music Man, come to town to lead all the moms to his hotel room.

Nearly all of Roth’s vocals are doubled on the verses, with him singing on one track, then growling the same lyrics in his lowest bass. A lot of A Different Kind Of Truth is based on old demos, but I assume the playing and singing are new. Tattoo is aimed at the “momshells” in the audience, some of whom are definitely going to be lifting their shirts at concerts. Roth actually still has his voice, if you were wondering. His speaking voice is mainly rasp, but his belt is pure and full. He sounds great, and more like Paul Stanley than I ever realized. Of course that could be the influence of songs with titles like Outta Space, Beats Workin’ and She’s The Woman. Van Halen wants you to come out to their shows, but they also want you to stop and shoot pool after work, maybe fuck whats-his-name’s wife, show her what she’s missing. Maybe hook up with that hot bartender next? The one with the dreamcatcher necklace? I heard she hates Sammy Hagar.

Stay Frosty, which is partly acoustic, but has huge punctuations of guitars and drums, finds Roth searching for spiritual satisfaction to go along with his more obvious longings. It’s a bluesy story song, full of puns and surprising tempo changes. This is the song I would have loved the most as a kid, because it’s fast and slow, features one of Van Halen’s patented drill-like solos, and has goofy lyrics (“You wanna be a monk, you gotta cook a lot of rice.”). The best song on A Different Kind Of Truth, (and to be sure, there are good songs here. I kid because I love.) is You And Your Blues, a full-bodied 1980s rocker, where the guitar solos don’t stop just because someone is singing, forcing Roth to go big on the chorus (with Eddie Van Halen backups. You think they stand back-to-back? Please say yes.), singing about being tired of his woman’s depression and anxiety. It’s not the most compassionate stance, but I’m guessing if you’re in Van Halen, it’s a shock when you’re finally ready to party and everyone else hasn’t arrived yet.

Grade: B