After the game-changing
monster that was their self-titled debut album, Van Halen took a few
years to successfully become a household name with 1984. In
between they released their most-consistent and most-loved albums.
1982's Diver Down is
far and away Van Halen's most diverse album offering. It contains
five cover versions, three instrumentals and four proper, original
Van Halen songs. On paper it kind of sounds like a half-arsed affair,
however the results are excellent. The band sounds phenomenal and
David Lee Roth is well-accounted for. Michael Anthony and Eddie Van
Halen's backing vocals are wonderful and all over the place on Diver
Down.
The
album came to be when, at David Lee Roth's suggestion they cover “Oh Pretty
Woman” and release it as a stand-alone single. They did, and it
became a surprise hit. Subsequently, Warner Brothers pressured them
to record a full-album to capitalize on this and quickly. The album
reached #3 on Billboard's Hot 200 and had six songs to chart in the
Mainstream Rock charts as well.
“Little
Guitars”, “The Full Bug”, “Hang 'Em High” and the
understated single “Secrets” are the best songs on the album.
“Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)” is a nice showcase for Roth
but it's the Van Halen brother's father Jan Van Halen who steals the
show on clarinet. The David Lee Roth-directed music video for “(Oh)
Pretty Woman” managed to be one of the very first banned videos on
MTV. And “Dancing In The Street” became an unlikely staple of
classic rock radio for many years.
I
personally like the album very much and I'd recommend to anyone who
hasn't yet heard this overlooked album in Van Halen's album cannon.
Here's the video review:
No comments:
Post a Comment