David Lee Roth Skyscraper CD

Personnel: David Lee Roth (vocals); Steve Vai (acoustic & electric guitars); Brett Tuggle (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Billy Sheehan (electric & fretless basses, background vocals); Gregg Bissonette (drums, percussion, background vocals); Richie Raposa (programming); Magic Moreno, Gary Falcone, Joe Pizzulo, Tom Kelly, Tom Funderburk (background vocals).
Even as Skyscraper shot up the charts behind the momentum of its ultra-saccharine lead-off single "Just Like Paradise," it was abundantly clear to anyone paying attention that the wheels were already falling off the David Lee Roth bandwagon. Simply put, the collaborative spirit that had given their manic debut Eat 'Em and Smile such legitimacy as a band project was collapsing under the unbearable strain of its leader's unstoppable ego. With bass wizard Billy Sheehan already gone to form Mr. Big and guitar hero Steve Vai mostly flying on auto-pilot (if spectacularly so), keyboard player Brett Tuggle seems like the most unwelcome presence on an album that squanders much of its free-wheeling potential by trying too hard to achieve an exaggerated pop sheen. The aforementioned "Just Like Paradise" is the obvious main offender, but promising examples of arena rock like "Stand Up" and "Perfect Timing" also lose much of their bite through excessive studio tampering. Likewise, the largely acoustic "Damn Good" and the overlong "Two Fools a Minute" (an unconvincing ode to Roth's lounge lizard persona) go nowhere fast, and what the band was trying to achieve with the bizarre title track is still anyone's guess. And while rockers like "Knucklebones" and "The Bottom Line" don't really impress or offend, "Hina" and "Hot Dog and a Shake" are the album's only two clear standouts. The first's soothing, interweaving guitar harmonies presaged Vai's Joe Satriani-inspired solo work while the latter finally explodes in the over-the-top fashion of the first album, largely thanks to a Vai solo so fast, so hot not even he could keep up, momentarily losing his fingering in the album's only spontaneous moment. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
On his second full-length solo album, Roth turns down the guitars, adds more melody, and makes a more polished, but less interesting record, highlighted by the soaring pop of "Just Like Paradise." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
For his second full-length solo album, 1988's SKYSCRAPER, David Lee Roth decided to experiment with his expected heavy-rock style. Synthesizers played more of a prominent role than they had in the raging hard rock of EAT 'EM AND SMILE, and Billy Sheehan's bass heroics were toned down a few notches (resulting in his exit from the band just after the record's release). Guitarist Steve Vai co-produced the album with Roth, providing another key factor in the music's new direction. Vai, previously a member of Frank Zappa's band, gave SKYSCRAPER a quirky edge.
On SKYSCRAPER, Roth stresses songwriting over instrumental virtuosity this time around-with often-grand results. The epic, sonically rich title track was comparable to little else at the time (or, for that matter, anything else since), while the single "Just Like Paradise" was the top-ten hit that pushed SKYSCRAPER to platinum status. Other highlights include the new wave dance sounds of "Stand Up," the gorgeous pop rocker "Hina" (which deserved to be a single), the nostalgic acoustic ballad "Damn Good," and the rockers "Knucklebones," "The Bottom Line," and "Hot Dog and a Shake." Unfortunately, SKYSCRAPER and the subsequent tour marked the last collaborations between Vai and Roth.

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