Full disclosure here.
My name is Bill and I am a Van Halenaholic. My first concert was the closing night of the American leg of the Fair Warning tour. Eddie has been my guitar hero long before there was Guitar Hero.
I have fretted over what the next VH album would be like ever since the first hints came out that it was in work. I have been less then impressed with what DLR had to add to the 'Best Of' work, so I was worried.
My first listen/watch of Tattoo was 'okay, not bad, kind of fun'. Upthread I said it was catchy....wrong, its classic VH gold. At first blush, I had the same disconnect with Fair Warning as well as Diver Down...things didn't sound the same.
So tonight I just played it through a couple of times without watching....
Tattoo might not even be close to the best song on the album, we'll have to see. But somehow the sound is like the next most likely progression of classic VH if DLR had never left/been booted. I know (and hate) that Mike is missing, and I have seen that the 'highs' he brought are missing from Tattoo. However, if you listen close, the highs are there. I've seen a couple other live videos and Wolfie does carry them well. To me, it almost seems as if the classic VH harmony has (on this one) been toned down just a bit to showcase how well Dave & Eddie can do again.
Let's face it, if you're reading this, you know there is talent to spare within th Van Halen family. Much like Diver Down, Tattoo has my attention. Wasn't sure at first, but now I want more.
As an afternote, if I ever write a post this long on TBBS from my phone again, "lord stike that poor boy down", my thumbs hurt. I'm going to go listen to Tattoo again and then go to bed.
