Van Halen ll Rewind

**cav** · 03.02.07, 04:42 PM

Popped this one into my disc player today and Lo & Behold ......
I remember why I love VH... VH ll is such a great record !!!!
One of the greatest things about VH ll is that it's so different than VH 1.
VH 1 was a landmark album and a hell of a feat to follow up... vh shows sophmore sense by NOT trying to make VH 1 again... Hence VH ll
It's the definitive "brown sound" album in my book and my personal fav of the band... It's a toss up on the 6 classic VH records as I love them all, but VH ll has just a little something that just gets me.
Bottoms Up , Somebody Get Me a Dr , You're No Good, Spanish Fly, Outta LOve Again, Woman in Love and on and on I just love the guitar sound, vocals etc.
Ed's guitar is very clean on VH ll... the distortion is warm/natural and flipping awesome... I wish that he would go back to this sound as it truly is a pleasure to listen too. His playing is stellar and fresh. I never get tired of this album and Ed's playing on it.

Dave is at the peak of his prowess on this album as well... Great lyrics / vocals etc... Listen with headphones and DLR is giving it all he's got...
DLR makes you want to become a rocker with all the bravado on VH ll

Mike is Mike - Great Backups and I for one have always loved his Bass Playing... He complements the tunes perfectly

Al - Plays with fire and intensity and is spot on

This record is just flat out fun

You cannot listen to it w/o wanting to smile or think about the days of being so young and free... Great Memories
I'm not stating that this is "better" than any other VH album
I am stating that it is my personal favorite and I miss the guys who made it.
Peace - CV

**KRAMER5150** · 03.02.07, 04:49 PM

yea i totally agree,that one is my fav,the moment you hear DOA start, chills

**SuckaInA3Piece** · 03.02.07, 04:54 PM

Great thread! VH 2 is the album that just blew my mind. What a follow up to a classic debut.

**cav** · 03.02.07, 05:04 PM

I have personally purchased it about 8 times
Vinyl, cassettes (at least 5 times) and CD once or twice
Note : never loan vh ll to a friend as it won't come home

The fact that I bought it on vinyl shows my age ....

**wombattt** · 03.02.07, 05:10 PM

First album I ever bought.

Got to have it autographed by all four of 'em at Record Store meet-n-greet back in '79.

Still have the cover

**VAREB** · 03.02.07, 05:13 PM

The deuce is awesome.

Re-discovered it after finding this site and getting back into VH. Outta Love Again and Light up the Sky are two underated but great VH tunes. I now listen to II more than I.

**Menlow** · 03.02.07, 05:47 PM

VHII has always been my personal favorite. Side Two, yes I'm showing my age, always blew me away. Most bands would be lucky to have two songs like DOA and Light Up the Sky over the course of their career, let alone on one side of a record. The harmonies on that album sound great, especially Women In Love. Throw in some great rockers on Side One, cool little pop numbers in DTNA and BG, a cool Ed acoustic piece, and a decent cover and you have one hell of a real good time.

**muffdiver** · 03.02.07, 05:57 PM

I like it....

**Hack** · 03.02.07, 07:29 PM

I've always thought Women In Love was the best example of the infamous "BROWN SOUND." The tapping intro is true genius. When the song kicks in, however, is where I feel the true brown sound. Always have loved this record.

**Double Down** · 03.02.07, 07:33 PM

Hard to argue with the beauty of VH II, it's easily one of the best second albums ever by any band.

I've got it 5th on my depth chart behind:

Fair Warning
VH 1
1984
5150

**vhrocker** · 03.02.07, 09:25 PM

I was listening to Van Halen II goin' to work today. Got me in the right mood. Great CD!!!!

**Double Down** · 03.02.07, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Hack

I've always thought Women In Love was the best example of the infamous "BROWN SOUND." The tapping intro is true genius. When the song kicks in, however, is where I feel the true brown sound. Always have loved this record.

The "best" example? I get where you going with that but nearly every song on VH 1 is more brown than Women In Love.

**bcgvh** · 03.03.07, 12:12 AM

Fair Warning was the best example of the brown sound if you ask me...every song on that album.

**cav** · 03.03.07, 04:14 AM

sometimes when I listen to the early albums, it amazes me how live the
band sounds... Ed has some effects on the guitar, but the sound is still
very pure... If you listen to those 1st six albums via headphones, it's almost like your in the room with the band ( in the sense of a live feel)
To me, that is a HUGE part of what made VH magical..
They had some incredible talent and great songs, but that sound of EVH, DAve , Mikey and Al is lightning in a bottle...
When it comes to effects and production, I feel less is more in the case of VH...

**punk5150** · 03.03.07, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by VH_VAREB

The deuce is awesome.

Re-discovered it after finding this site and getting back into VH. Outta Love Again and Light up the Sky are two underated but great VH tunes. I now listen to II more than I.

Totally agree with you.... Those songs are overlooked and underappreciated.