Van Halen – Van Halen II

Looking forward to the One Step release of this album. Curious to hear how this album can sound better than the original.

to keep it short this is fantastic just stellar sound quality and the music on this album is just as strong as the first album

Coming a year after their stunning and tremendously entertaining first album, Van Halen’s sophomore release needed to accomplish the impossible: live up to the flawlessness of the debut while simultaneously breaking new ground in the patented Van Halen sound. It’s no surprise, then, that the unimaginatively titled “II” can feel like a letdown despite its own considerable strengths. On the upside are the essential and brilliant single “Dance the Night Away,” which borrows almost nothing from the first album but still sounds like a Van Halen mission statement, the percolating and upbeat “Beautiful Girls,” and the chunky-riff driven rocker “D.O.A..” On the downside are the plodding and abrasive cover of “You’re No Good” with which the album opens, a clutch of tunes that are good but noticeably short of great, and awkward pacing in each side's track sequence. Nevertheless, Van Halen’s second best is still mostly appealing and engaging, the production and musicianship remain more than solid, and among the originals there are no genuine duds.