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Digitally remastered by Chris Bellman (Bernie Grundman Studios, Los Angeles, California).
Almost evenly split between tracks that feature glammy showman David Lee Roth and those that feature earthy screecher Sammy Hagar, BEST OF VOLUME I seems designed to let this pioneering hard-rock band's fans compare and contrast between its two frontmen. As if to drive the exercise home, BEST OF features three tunes cut in '96--two of them with Roth, who had been estranged from the band since 1985, and one with Hagar ("Humans Being," originally released on the soundtrack to TWISTER).
Otherwise, BEST OF presents the hits in chronological order, beginning with the unadorned, aggressive sound of the early Roth material. Powered by guitarist Eddie Van Halen's hammer-on notes and orchestral pyrotechnics, and lightened up by Roth's used-car-salesman-on-a-bender persona, "Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love" and "Runnin' With The Devil" are as close to pure, perfect hard rock as anyone is ever likely to come. The early '80s found the band incorporating synthesizers (played by Eddie) and a pop sensibility, resulting in megahits like "Jump."
Things changed again when Hagar replaced Roth and took the band further from its roots, toward an expansive new sound with broader new arrangements, heard here in such pop hits as "Dreams" and "Right Now." Refusing to tip the balance toward either David Lee diehards or Sammy-come-latelys, BEST OF contains enough Van Halen milestones to keep anyone satisfied.
EU pressing features a different track listing to the US edition. Almost evenly split between tracks that feature glammy showman David Lee Roth and those that feature earthy screecher Sammy Hagar, BEST OF VOLUME I seems designed to let this pioneering hard-rock band's fans compare and contrast between its two frontmen. As if to drive the exercise home, BEST OF features three tunes cut in '96--two of them with Roth, who had been estranged from the band since 1985, and one with Hagar ("Humans Being", originally released on the soundtrack to TWISTER). Otherwise, BEST OF presents the hits in chronological order, beginning with the unadorned, aggressive soundof the early Roth material. Powered by guitarist Eddie Van Halen's hammer-on notes and orchestral pyrotechnics, and lightened up by Roth's used-car-salesman-on-a-bender persona, "Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love" and "Runnin' With The Devil" are asclose to pure, perfect hard rock as anyone is ever likely to come. The early '80s found the band incorporating synthesizers (played by Eddie) and a pop sensibility, resulting in megahits like "Jump". Things changed again when Hagar replaced Roth and took the band further from its roots, toward an expansive new sound with broader new arrangements, heard here in such pop hits as "Dreams" and "Right Now". Refusing to tip the balance toward either David Lee diehards or Sammy-come-latelys, BEST OF contains enough Van Halen milestones to keep anyone satisfied.
Engineers: Donn Landee, Erwin Musper.
Personnel: David Lee Roth (vocals).
Audio Remasterer: Chris Bellman.
Photographer: Michael Llewellyn.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Eddie Van Halen; Michael Anthony ; Alex Van Halen; Sammy Hagar.
Van Halen: David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen.
Producers: Ted Templeman, Van Halen, Mick Jones, Donn Landee, Andy Johns, Bruce Fairbairn, Glenn Ballard.
Spin (1/97, p.89) - "They all but invented pop metal with `Runnin' With The Devil' and Eddie's merger of Bach and rock, transcended it with `Jump' and `Panama,' Sammy Hagar came and went like the dream year on Dallas..."
Q (12/96, p.161) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...this collection revives some truly vibrant hard rock songs, none, ironically, better than the synth-riffed `Jump.'"
Van Halen - Best Of Volume I Songs
Best Of Volume I Music Review
Average Rating: (4.4 out of 5 stars)    List All 8 Reviews What is this?!
Good compilation for beginners, but where are the hits? youve got JUMP & RUNNIN WITH THE DEVIL, but where's BEST OF BOTH WORLDS & RUNAROUND? Sure they reunited with DLR, but they put too much emphasis on his era rather than the Hagar era. Disappointing.
Submitted by Zach (Lockport IL)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 3 of 3 found this helpful.
incomplete
Missing the hits "Hot for teacher", "Best Of Both Worlds", "You Really Got Me", "Finish What Ya Started", "Black Anmd Blue" plus a few more. it does have a lot of great songs though. Humans Being is the worst dam song ever.
Submitted by HotterThanHellKiss (big deal)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 2 found this helpful.  VAN HALEN IS FINALLY BACK
THIS CD ROCKS... Can't wait til Best Of Volume II goes on sale this summer!!!
It's about time the're back!
Submitted by Bowman (Cambridge, OH, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 2 found this helpful.
best of the best
best songs of the best bands =awesome!!!!
Submitted by aleksiantero (pori satakunta finland)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Great Best of cd
Great cd perfect blend between Roth and Hagar and ends great
now lets see how there upcomming concerts blend
Submitted by a reviewer (Lilburn,GA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No List All Reviews | Have you heard this album? |  |
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