Customer Reviews

Ou812

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4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

4.5 Stars

1988 saw the release of Van Halen's eighth studio album "OU812." It was the band's second release with lead singer Sammy Hagar. Pronounced "oh you ate one too," the title was a response to David Lee Roth's first post-Van Halen album, "Eat `Em and Smile" (1986).

Compared to the classic first six Van Halen albums (with lead singer David Lee Roth), the early Van Halen albums with singer Sammy Hagar are far more commercial. While Van Halen had been becoming steadily more commercial since "Diver Down," (1982) the early Van Hagar albums are the bands most radio-friendly work. Therefore, while albums like "Van Halen" (1978) and "Woman and Children First" (1980) can be labeled "metal," or "hard-rock," "5150" and "OU812" can best be labeled "adult-contemporary" rock.

Depending on whom you ask, "OU812" is either one of Van Halen's best, or worst albums. To fans that accepted Sammy Hagar, "OU812" is a tight, pop-savvy, stellar collection of songs. To those that remained loyal to Roth and classic Van Halen, however, "OU812" represents Van Halen's full dissent into commercialism.

While I favor classic Van Halen and am a big Dave fan, I am quite fond of this album.

Although many fans would disagree, I feel "OU812" is an improvement over "5150" (1986). When Sammy Hagar first joined Van Halen most of "5150" had already been written. "OU812" is the first album Sammy Hagar wrote and recorded with Van Halen from scratch. Also, by the time the band recorded their second collaboration, they had been playing together for a few years. Therefore, compared to "5150," "OU812" seems to have more of an organic feel. Also, the production and the band, overall, sound better. On "OU812" drummer Alex Van Halen went back to playing on a real kit, as opposed to an electric one, as he had on "5150."

While Sammy Hagar is a great singer, on "5150" he sounds as if he were singing into soup cans. His vocal talents are more apparent on the follow-up, as he belts out the songs and his full capability is realized.

Lastly, while "5150" is a good album, its production was off-center and the CD was bogged down with synthesizers. "OU812" is more of a bare bones recording. While many of the songs do have synthesizers, they aren't overbearing, but rather just touch up the songs like a garnish.

Pop, commercial, radio-friendly, whatever you want to call it, it still goes without saying, of course, that Eddie's playing is phenomenal.

"OU812" opens up strong with the anthem rocker "Mine All Mine." The light underlining synthesizers add a nice touch. This song which concerns drug/alcohol addiction demonstrates Sammy Hagar's knack for writing meaningful lyrics that aren't pretentious.

"When it's Love" is a good, straight-forward love song. While some old-school Van Halen fans may cringe and dismiss it as "corporate," the song works because it is well written and sincere.

"A.F.U. (All Fired Up) (Naturally Wired)" is an infectious, fast paced rocker that keeps up the momentum. While not really an album highlight, it works well.

The mid-tempo, pop-savvy "Cabo Wabo," is one of Van Hagar's finest moments. Its melodic verse and sing-along chorus make for a concert staple and fan favorite.

"Source of Infection", with its rapid drumming and guitar intro, sounds like a return to classic Roth-era Van Halen. While the lyrics are sparse and don't make a lot of sense, this makes for a good semi-instrumental jam.

"Feels So Good," much like "When it's Love" will probably be off-putting to those that prefer a harder-rocking Halen. Still, this synth-led, mid-tempo number is undeniably catchy.

The acoustic "Finish What Ya Started" is another one of the album's highlights and remains one of Halen/Hagar's best collaborations.

The mid-tempo "Black and Blue" is a little sophomoric and shows how Hagar lacks the wit of Roth. Still, the song is effective and it keeps up the album's momentum.

The hard-rocking "Sucker in a 3 piece" is probably the album's most underrated song. It has an absolutely killer solo.

The album closes with a cover of "A Apolitical Blues" (written by Lowell George). Although it may seem odd to end the album with a straight-blues rocker, which is far different stylistically than the rest of the album, it works and doesn't seem to out-of-place. It actually makes for an interesting left turn.

"OU812' is not without its flaws. It's hard to hear Michael Anthony's bass. Also, the album sounds a bit thin at times. The album could do with a remastering and even a remixing.

Almost twenty years old, "OU812" has stood up pretty well against the test-of-time. The album works as well as it does because, despite its flaws, it's a tight, strong collection of songs. There isn't really any filler, everything works. Although Van Hagar would eventually tune out the synthesizers and rock-harder with subsequent releases, "OU812" is probably Van Hagar's best written album.

Once again, the electronic drums mar some of Van Halen's most loose, fun songs. However, I can't let this minor criticism get in the way of the songs themselves. This album contained another huge power ballad, "When It's Love", and the bluesy romper "Finish What Ya Started", along with the vaguely spiritual lyrics of the opener "Mine All Mine" and the raunchy 7-minute rocker "Cabo Wabo". A particular favorite of mine is the [physical]-fueled "Black and Blue": love that riff! Although over-looked these days in favor of other Van Halen album, this is a must-have for all Van Halen and especially Sammy Hagar-era fans.

It's nice to get an old CD that is new and not been used. I use to go to second hand music stores to find the old stuff but now I can get it here. And the music is great, I love all of Van Halen's music.

Let's get one thing straight Van Hagar was not about changing the world or ending poverty...they were about having fun, and they were not about copying their old DLR flavoured self. Van Hagar started almost as a new band, their sound and songs being the fruit of a different *new* tree.
I like a few of DLR's VH songs, and I don't question DLR's style and don't discard it, I just happen to enjoy Van Hagar's style so much more than anything DLR Halen did (Except probably "unchained" and "can't get this stuff no more" both totally awesome)
That being said, let's talk about OU812.
Out of Van Hagar's repertoire this is the album I like the least, (Not saying it is the worst or a bad album I just happen to like the other 3 better) not meaning that is album doesn't have a full set or great songs.
Mine all mine: Not my fav, lyrics are OK but the music kinda sounds weird (unfinished?) 7/10
When it's love: Yeap it's kinda sappy, yes it sounds like a why can't this be love version o cousin, but the song, perhaps excluding the chorus, is one of VH's best balads, lyrics are great. The keyboard intro really gives me goose bumps as well as the whole lyrics and solo around the middle of the song 8.5/10
AFU (All fired up): Not the best IMO, good display of EVH's speed... 6/10
Cabo wabo: Who knows maybe Sammy had just discovered cabo when he wrote the song and he just got into it and wrote about it... who cares if it is a commercial ?! (Though we all know it is not) The whole song is great, it almost makes you feel you're there with the boys, having tequila in the white sands, great chorus and solo around the middle of the song (again) one of the top 3 of this album. 9/10
Source of infection: Another speedy show case of EDV's skills, this one feels like the whole band is just jamming and having fun, but it ends up feeling like filler. 5/10
Feels so good: Comes up sounding not very VH, but it is still a good pop song, a bit on the sappy side again but not a bad song at all. 7/10
Finish what ya started: Boy, a VH masterpiece hands down ! Eddy just tears down paradigms and showcases his ability with a very different style of what we have come to expect from him. Lyrics, tongue in cheek maybe but that is part of what makes this song, and it is a masterpiece, the kind of song DLR could have never pulled off. 10/10
Black and blue: Wow, what a 1-2 combination, black and blue and Finish what ya started make up the hight of the album... once again sexually driven, tongue in cheek but awesome as a whole, comes in great after the previous song. 9.5/10
Sucker in a 3 piece: Very underrated song, not one of the best but solid and awesome solo. 8/10
A apocalyptical blues: Kills the album, the same way "The wanderer" killed U2's zooropa album at the end, but not as bad. After years of listening the whole album without skipping a single second of this album it came in as a natural closer for it (An acquired take for certain) 5/10

Overall 75% = 3.75 stars
The best 3 songs are enough reason to pay for it if you ask me, but once again, this album trailed behind all of the other Van Hagar albums.

When David Lee Roth left Van Halen (Or they fired him, whatever) everything changed, the music, the rhythm, the looks, etc, but not only for Van Halen, almost for every band happened the same. Casually, the second part of the 80's for everybody was like a radical change. All the great groups had to include at least one ballad on every album (KISS, CHEAP TRICK, ALICE COOPER, MOTLEY CRUE, ETC, ETC and a long ETC) Most of the great big bands were crucified by their fans and most of the time with good reasons. Not with Van Halen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK everything had changed in the band without DLR but it was for good, although they were experiencing with pop and keyboards and all that but they did it with a classy touch. Not everyone could do that.

On this one, I had my doubts after 5150 (Not that it was a bad CD) but they pretty much convince me after the second listen. Almost the whole CD is no less than great. Eddie is very sharp and precise on the guitar, Alex got rid of most of the effects he used on 5150, Mike is great and Sammy's voices are perfectly matching with the rest of the guys (very hard for a new singer).

You have perfect rockers = Mine All Mine, Source Of Infection, Sucker In 3 Piece. A.F.U.,
You have the great ballad *OF COURSE* = When it's Love (I might say one of the greatest ballads of the time).
You have the radio-friendly-catchy songs = Black And Blue, Cabo Wabo, Feels So Good, Finished What You Started.
You have (if not enough) a little blues song = A Apolitical Blues (Which probably was Hagar idea).

I think on this one is were the guys are finally melting as a band and starting to have fun everytime they play. VAN HALEN recovered the respect they had with the fans just because they started to play great simple songs. The best is yet to come but they make an outstanding effort on this CD. I'm pretty sure that a lot of Roth fans didn't like this change but I can bet that at least they kept the respect for the band, something that not a lot of bands did.

All in all, this CD is from the end of a very soft era. So it's perfect if you are not thinking in Fair Warning or Van Halen I.

Highlight: Mine All Mine, When It's Love, Cabo Wabo.
Lowlight: A Apolitical Blues.

There is one name that remains controversial to some, but not all die hard Van Halen/David Lee Roth fans:Sammy Hagar. There are even some die hard VH/DLR fans who won't listen to the Van Halen era with Sammy Hagar. Well, that's really too bad, because these people don't know what they're missing out on(by saying this I am not being critical of any non Hagar fan in any way, shape, or form). Van Halen's sophomore album with Sammy Hagar, "OU812" is even better than the first Van Halen album with Hagar, 1986's "5150". "0U812" has ten songs, all of which are great. This album has some of the best songs that Van Halen recorded with Sammy Hagar, such as "When It's Love", "Black and Blue", "Finish What Ya Started", among several other great songs. Here is also an original Van Halen blues song, "A Political Blues". Van Halen is great when it comes to playing rock music, but they are very good when it comes to blues. And not only is Eddie Van Halen a great songwriter/guitarist, he is also great when it comes to playing the piano. You have to admire a rock band that can play a good blues song, especially when it is an original song by the group. It's good to see that Sammy Hagar is finally back with Van Halen........now that Hagar is again Van Halen's lead singer, hopefully(and probably) Van Halen will put out a new studio album with Hagar. "OU812" was the best album 1988 saw, along with KISS' "Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits" greatest hits album that had new studio music on it, Black 'n Blue's "In Heat", and The Vinnie Vincent Invasion's "All Systems Go". A must have.

OU812 is probably one of Van Halen's most enjoyable(after 1984 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge). When It's Love, Cabo Wabo, Source of Infection and Finish What Ya Started are the best songs on here. Eddie's crazy guitar sounds of Source of Infection and Sammy's loud vocals on Cabo Wabo are worth buying the CD for. Van Halen was and still is the greatest rock band on earth.

Much has been written about this album, and also about the Hagar vs. Roth controversy; rather than repeat what's been said before, let me try to add something new.

As you can read in Michael Anthony's forward in "Red", Sammy Hagar's autobiography, Sammy brought something to VH that Dave just didn't. Sammy was much more musical than Dave, and I don't just mean that Sammy was a MUCH better singer and could play a mean guitar.

My point begings with the idea that music is the medium through which humanity can express that for which there can be no words.

While you consider that point, also consider this: Sammy's musical gifts put VH's music over the top. Hagar's work with the band can't be presented as being more "commercial" than Roth's; that's just haters and nay-sayers trying to explain away the fact that VH with Sammy Hagar sold better than it did with Roth (all four studio LP's went to number one).

Rather than being more "commercial" ("Yankee Rose" isn't commercial? "Goin' Crazy" isn't commercial? "Just Like Paradise" isn't commercial? Get real!!), Sammy could communicate with his audience through music in a way that Roth just didn't.

To understand what I mean, just pick a Roth lyric, and read it, sans music. Don't think about the music, just read the lyric. Strip away the guitars, bass and drums, and just read the lyric. Consider what you are reading. You'll find that when you bring Dave's melodies and singing back into play, nothing has been added to the depth of the lyric.

Don't get me wrong; "Jump" is a great song, but it's great because of Eddie's killer keyboard riff, compounded by a knock-your-socks-off awesome keyboard and guitar solo. Dave's melodies and lyrics fit the song, to be sure, but they don't exactly take it past the place where Dave found it, do they?

Sammy Hagar's difference is that his melodies, and the undeniable force of his singing talent, bring a depth to VH's music that was absent during Dave's tenure.

Read one of Sammy's lyrics; I suggest "Mine All Mine" or "Dreams", but go right ahead and make your own choice. Read the lyric, sans music. Now listen to that particular song. There's a big difference, isn't there? Sammy's musicality brings the lyrics to a depth and an impact that is undeniable.

That's why VH sold more albums with Hagar than with Roth; the music was just wayyyyy better. Eddie and Sammy complimented one another quite well, at least until Eddie's alcoholism destroyed their musical partnership.

Roth had his moments; yes, some of his lyrics really aren't bad. Yet Sammy just had a much more significant musical gift to offer to the band. "1984" sold quite well, but Sammy's solo tour during the year 1984 grossed equivalent $$ to VH's tour. His post-VH solo career has been consistently good with respectable sales, but Roth rarely achieves gold sales status, let alone platinum. Sammy can tour with respectable receipts, but the last time Dave made any serious ducats touring was when he went out with ... Sammy.

Yes, Dave is a great showman, but as Eddie himself used to say, "Dave is the rock star, I'm the musician". Well, Sammy was a rock star in his own right when he joined Van Halen (just ask David Geffen if you don't believe me), but he was, and remains, a strong musician too.

All VH albums made with Sammy Hagar are very much worth purchasing; if you haven't already, do so. Hagar's musicality is a force to be reckoned with. Dave sings great, but Sammy is a great singer, and Dave is a great showman, but Sammy is a class act.

wether your a sammy hagar lineup fan( i am ), or david lee roth fan or both (lets hope not gary cherone) then buying this album is worth every penny! this Sammy Hagar fronted album has the same classic early van halen punch as the likes of 1984 & there debut album . the song "source of infection is proof"!

personally i think van halens making a mistake not bringing back original member/bassist Michael Anthony!
sorry van halen fans as a bass player i had to show Mike some luv!

If your a Van Halen fan this wouldn't be a bad album to purchase. If you're looking for something to blow your mind or really to see what Van Halen's all about I wouldn't suggest it.