ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 41 VAN HALEN - 5150

[RJhog (Admin)]

1. Good Enough

2. Why Can't This Be Love

3. Get Up

4. Dreams

5. Summer Nights

6. Best Of Both Worlds

7. Love Walks In

8. 5150

9. Inside

 

***click album to listen***

 

It was kind of hard to take when the original Van Halen broke up.  For myself, not being a big Sammy Hagar fan, I wasn't expecting a lot.  And I'm not really sure if I even cared way back then.  But now that I'm older, I do care.  Quite honestly, now I'm glad VH hired Sammy.  That version of the band put out some very good music.  Personally, I don't think any of it was better than 5150.  And since I just put up a flashback to 1986, I figured it was the perfect time to feature the album, which was also released in 1986. 

 

The album is outstanding.  The name comes from the California Welfare and Institutions Code, and it refers to a mentally disturbed person.  The band released 5 singles from the album (Best Of Both Worlds, Dreams, Love Walks In, Summer Nights and Why Can't This Be Love) with Why Can't This Be Love reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Oh, did I mention it was the first VH album to hit number 1?  1984 certainly could have except for a little album known as Thriller (1984 reached number 2).  The album busts out of the gate with my favorite song here, Good Enough.  That being said, I don't think there is a bad song on the album.  It continues with Eddies keyboard use as well as his iconic guitar work.  Sammy's voice is much stronger than Dave's.  The only thing that Sammy doesn't do well is the spoken parts.  Roth was so much better at that kind of thing.  As usual, Michael Anthony's backing vocals are awesome, and they really work well with Hagar.  And the drumming from Alex is stellar, just check out his work on Get Up (which, incidentally, is my least favorite song on the album).

 

The album is still easily available.  You can pick it up for 8 dollars brand new or for as little as 1 dollar used.  That, my friends, is a steal.  If you don't have this, you're probably not much of a Van Halen fan.  But either way, give it a listen.  It sounds very fresh these days.

 

Best Single: Love Walks In

 

Best Album Cut: Good Enough

 

Most Likely To Skip: Get Up

 

 

 

 

[Jon]

Remastered version? You sure?

[RJhog (Admin)]

That's what I thought it said, but I could be mistaken.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Okay, maybe it's not remastered.  I guess I read it wrong.  I'll fix it.

[Jon]

There's rumor about all the Hagar VH cd's getting a remaster, but who knows.

[Scott]

Really strong album!  This is one of those albums that you remember where you were when you first heard, or better yet, you bought the day it came out.  I am in the latter camp!  I bought this and a pack of 90 minute Maxell UDXLII blank cassettes (I know this because thats all I recorded on).  I wanted the very first play of this album to be committed to tape, so thats what I did, took it home and recorded it.  I was working at a bar at the time and it came to work with me too, where everyone couldnt wait to pop it in, so it played and played and played...

 

Hidden Gem Award goes to 5150, great riff!  And I agree with your best album cut being Good Enough, and even though Get Up may be the weakest track, its still a cool song!

 

Nice to hear this again since its been awhile.

[Niels (Mod)]

"Dreams" is definetly my favorite on the album.

Imo, the first signs of weakness in the  VH-camp, and it's not only Hagar's fault. It's all too polished and the majority of the songs are forgettable!! DLR was SOOOOO important to Van Halen, that his first solo-album was at LEAST as interesting as this one, even though that one, was'nt very good either. Van Halen ARE Dave, Eddie, Alex and Michael!!!!

Of course, there's some good playing from Eddie, but nothing really CLASSIC. That apparently stopped with 1984. Just my opinion. Oh, and the next VH-album was REALLY bad. The last one, I ever bought.   

[Jon]

I'm with Niels on this one. When it first came out, I thought it was great. But the more I listened to it, the more I disliked it. I can listen to it nowadays but it is just too polished. It seems to be much more radio ready even than "1984" and it sounds really dated to me. As for the followup....yeah Niels. You got it. But "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" is actually pretty good, recommend you find that puppy cheap.