Another fine cover tune opens the album,
"You're no good" and gets things going in full throttle. "Dance the night away" with it's pleasant harmony reached the top 20. The feel-good chorus of "Bottoms up" never disappoints. Eddie showcases his acoustic chops on "Spanish fly" followed by the all-out rocker "Dead or alive". "Women in love" will lift you up during the dog days of summer. Capping it off is the classic "Beautiful girls" playful lyrics, strong chorus, what's not to like?

The songs on Van Halen II encapsulate the ultimate Summertime feel. This is a must-have.

23 of 28 found the following review helpful:


Van Halen's Best!!  Jul 26, 2001 By A.F. "musicfan585"
After the astonishing success of their groundbreaking debut, Van Halen refused to rest on their laurels and quickly followed it up in 1979 with the release of VAN HALEN II. Although the first album is truly a landmark achievement in the hard rock/heavy metal genre, VHII is an even better record. The band has never sounded tighter. David Lee Roth's unique and raucous vocals still proves he can scream with the best of them; drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony are still one of the finest rhythm sections in rock; and Eddie Van Halen's rapid-fire solos and innovative guitar work sound even more groundbreaking than ever before.

Michael Anthony's awesome bass riff kicks off the album's opener, a bluesy cover of Linda Rondstadt's "You're No Good," which is quickly followed by the band's first Top 20 hit, the melodic "Dance the Night Away." The one-minute instrumental "Spanish Fly" shows that Eddie Van Halen can rock just as hard on acoustic guitar, while "Somebody Get Me a Doctor" and "Outta Love Again" showcase the band's blues influences. "D.O.A." (which stands for "Dead or Alive") is one of the band's best songs, a head-banging heavy metal rocker which features some of the best tough-guy-on-the-street lyrics ever written.

Pretty much every song on this sophomore LP is great, no filler just like the first album. The musicianship is top-notch, DLR's showmanship is incredible, and the production by Ted Templeman makes sure every guitar note hits the speakers as expected (loudly). VAN HALEN II is a classic hard rock record.

NOTE: Check out Alex Van Halen's drum solo in the middle of track #6 "Light Up the Sky." It's something to behold.

7 of 8 found the following review helpful:


Side B of the debut album  May 14, 2006 By Ryan Kennedy
I said it 25 years ago and I still say it today - if you don't own this album, you don't know Van Halen!

Van Halen II is the quintessential "side b" of their debut album. A second helping of the same smokin' guitar riffs, whimsical vocals and high energy good times that made this band the toast of the rock music world.

A bit under-produced by some standards, Van Halen II is unadulterated by synths or MIDI technology. This is pure no-nonsense artistry and raw power.

Hungry to make their lasting mark, the band exudes energy from the pop-friendly radio staple "Dance the Night Away" to the hard driving rock anthem "Light Up the Sky". David Lee Roth's trademark screams along with a powerhouse rhythm section spin the cover tune "You're No Good" into a metal classic. Eddie debuts his acoustic prowess with "Spanish Fly" and unleashes a fury of scorching riffs on "Somebody Get Me a Doctor". The ballad "Women In Love" showcases the dynamic abilities of this versatile ensemble as "Outta Love Again" betrays their heavy metal roots.

Chemistry like this cannot be duplicated. Van Halen II is a must for any VH fan.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:


Rockin' sophomore effort by my favourite band!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Feb 02, 2005 By Mr.Sinister "Rock-N-Roll Rules and you all know it!"
Van Halen 1 is a monster on it's own.A record which can completely stand it's ground as one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time.Van Halen II may not be as beastly as VHI,but boy,this baby is without a doubt a kick arse hard rock album everyone's gotta have.The tunes on this one have more of a "party" vibe,nothing wrong with that since VH was known for their backstage antics.Their love to party is captured by tracks like "Bottoms Up" and "Beautiful Girls".The band dabbles into some nice pop/rock tunes like "Dance..." and "You're No Good".Then there's Halen's metal side which sounds awesomely heavy in tunes like "Light Up The Sky","Somebody Get...","Outta Love",and "DOA"."Spanish Fly" in an insane acoustic solo by Eddie.Almost like "Eruption",just not as flashy and loud but still a great tune which is one of my fav Halen solos on record.Then there's "Women In Love" which is one of the most criminally-underrated Halen songs of all time.The intro is pure genius and just tugs at your insides.The background vocals on this one simply soar and make you just want to sing along.I think it's Dave,Eddie,and Mike all singing.Like I said in a previous review,this was the only band that could combine heavy metal riffs with beautiful background harmonies without losing their edge.

VHII rocks big time and this is a must have for any hard rocker or Dave era Halen fan.A classic!

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:


The Greatest Party Album Ever!!  Sep 22, 2002 By D. Hawkins
I just recently bought the remastered version (which sounds amazing) and I'm dying to get in my car and blast it while cruising. Of course, being in my 30's and with a wife and son, I would look pretty silly doing that. But that's the power of this album; it takes me back to when I was 16 and my friends and I actually DID cruise around blasting this to the heavens. Not having heard this in many years, I can't believe how strong this sounds. Another reviewer said that this was the greatest summer album ever and I would certainly agree, since all the topics covered (women and partying) are best at that time of year. Additionally, I would much rather hear an album that's barely 30 minutes long and filled with nothing but killer, than hear the usual, bloated 65 minute CD's made today and have to skip tracks. You just DON'T skip any tracks here and now I'm thinking where I'm going to cruising for chicks (Don't tell my wife!).

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