Livin It Up (Dig)

Sammy Hagar | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B000G1ALLQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,582 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Having long ago earned his rock wars stripes as working class foil and foiled Van Halen superstar, Sammy Hagar finally understands who's laughing best. A half-dozen albums into a post-VH second solo career where Hagar has sometimes seemed more like Dorian Grey than Red Rocker Redux, the veteran rocker kicks off his shoes again--along with some longstanding presumptions. Hagar succeeds here by nimbly channeling the Ghost of Jimmy Buffet Whenever--even if the veteran rocker's Gulf of California acoustic blues is about as authentic as Robert Johnson's Delta surfing legend. The opening "Sam I Am" sets the tone, a slice of slide-guitar autobio-blues that borrows from the folks who stole it from the people who nicked it from the southern blues masters; Sammy's "Ice Cream Man," if you can forgive him (and after his greasy cover of Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" you might not). Hagar does a subtler job suggesting the spirit of Brian Wilson via the harmonies of the loping "Living On a Coastline," channels a little faux Tennessee twang into "Halfway to Memphis" before a thoroughly Hagar-ized cover of the Pointers "I'll Take You There" and the surprisingly tender lullaby "Some Day" close the album out on a high note. With tracks like "I Love This Bar" and "One Sip," it's a party-hearty record whose crafty appeal seems to vary in direct proportion to one's number of empty cerveza bottles. This is music with a purpose: to make sunburned drunks dance badly. Sober pale people take heed. -- Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Get into the Cabo Wabo spirit with a brand new solo album of high-powered studio material from legendary hard rock frontman and guitarist extraordinaire Sammy Hagar!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Album 25 and still going strong, July 26, 2006

By 

Daniel Maltzman (Arlington, MA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Livin It Up (Dig) (Audio CD)

It's hard to believe that an entire decade has gone by since Sammy Hagar was fired from Van Halen because, according to Eddie Van Halen, "his work ethic sucked." Well, it appears that ten years after the fact, it is Sammy Hagar that has the last laugh. While Eddie Van Halen has spent these last ten years drinking and chain smoking (despite having a tumor on his tongue) more than anything else, (oh yeah, they released that classic "Van Halen 3") Sammy Hagar has released a total of six albums, in addition to a multitude of other successful business ventures.

Including Montrose, HSAS, Van Halen and live albums, "Livin' it Up" (2006) is Sammy's twenty-fifth album. It's his fourth album with his band "the Wabos" (David Lauser-drums, Vic Johnson-drums, Mona-bass) and his first album of new music in four years.

While Sammy's last few albums "Ten 13" (2000) and "Not 4 Sale" (2002) were more of a return to an 80s AOR style of Sammy's Geffen golden years, "Livin' it Up" is probably most comparable to Sammy's second post-VH album "Red Voodoo" (the Wabos debut) in that both are party/lifestyle albums. There's no 80s style arena rockers here, as "Livin' it Up" treads more on Jimmy Buffet/Van Morrison territory.

Eleven songs total, "Livin' it Up" has a real live, organic feel. It sounds as though the band just went in and recorded an album without a lot of overdubs or technical studio wizardry. In other words, while Sammy and comp. put a lot of time into writing a strong album, it wasn't over-thought or overdone. Going on 60, Sammy's songwriting and knack for good hooks and grooves is as sharp as ever.

"Livin' it Up" is not very challenging album and it doesn't break any new ground. It's just an irrelevant, fun, laid-back collection of songs that Sammy fans are sure to love. "Livin it Up" is THE album to blast from your beach house in Cabo or Jersery this summer.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sammy's Done Better, July 31, 2006

By 

John E. Philibert "azimuth361" (Vilseck, Germany) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Livin It Up (Dig) (Audio CD)

I've been a Hagar fan since his Montrose days. He's done better. I really like that every album is distinct and has a profoundly different sound, a lot like U2. Each album has its standout tunes and it seems that this disk's standout is a cover of a Chesney tune. Sure, it's a great tune, but it's not an original Sammy work. As a longtime Redhead, I regret to say that this album isn't one of Sammy's better works. There's no worry of wearing out this CD the way I've worn out Standing Hampton or even Red Voodoo. This album has two, maybe three good tunes, those being I Love This Bar and One Sip. The rest is passable for die hard fans, but this album is unlikely to win any new ones. I'll stick to Sammy's previous work and his work with VH. This one is most likely going to remain on the shelf most of the time. Sorry, Sammy. Love you like a brother, but you've done better.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I thought I knew bad music - then I heard this album....., July 31, 2006

By 

Scott Fischer (Park Ridge, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Livin It Up (Dig) (Audio CD)

I've been a VH fan for years and years. I've loved Hagar's work with them as well as his solo work. As a matter of fact, I still listen to his self-titled album (aka I Never Said Goodbye) and think it stands the test of time. Let's face it, Sammy was never known as a lyrical giant - but he has hit an all-time low. This album is just plain pathetic! Every tune on it is a blatant advertisement for his resort and/or his tequila. Give me a break! Can't you find something else to sing about??? This album reminds me of Hollywood's take at a Buffet album - and not an early Buffet album but one of his more recent releases. If you're looking for bad lyrics that advertise Sammy Hagar's club and product lines - then this is the album for you!