We have been rescuing the discography of this group for some time, Van Halen, without a doubt, one of the bands that marked the beginnings of the new era in rock. That said, today we’re gonna have to review this wonder.
“5150” marks Sammy Hagar’s record debut with Van Halen and thus the first album by the North American band without David Lee Roth.
The turn experienced with the album, “5150” was significant. That funny, “feel-good” character, which the band always enjoyed, was left aside to acquire a more serious and romantic air. The sound became more pompous, more catchy, where the keyboards gained a lot of prominences, playing almost equally with the guitars.
Everything sounds more serene, mature if possible, something to which of course Hagar’s touch on the microphones contributed. Evident influences from the best AOR of the time and immortal songs like “Why Can’t This Be Love”, a real hit in the band’s discography, “Dreams” or “Love Walks In”, as the best examples of that return of nuts that was mentioned, or super classics like “Good Enough” or “5150”, two cuts with an important claw and a hard rock spirit.
Overall, Van Halen’s best album with Sammy Hagar. It was not easy to replace Lee Roth, even being who Hagar was, with a fairly drinkable solo career. The result is brilliant because the songs are; that’s what it’s about.