VAN HALEN’s New Album: HERE AT LAST!

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Today is the day some [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Van Halen[/lastfm] fans have waited 29 years for — the release of their first studio album with [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]David Lee Roth[/lastfm] since 1984, and their first with any singer since 1998…

A Different Kind of Truth contains 13 songs, some of which are reworked demos and songs they used to perform in the ’70s but never released.

Roth says that classic Van Halen sound is “as much a part of the American cultural fabric as ‘happy birthday to you.’ That’s what I sell, big glass bowls of music that you put all your memories in.” U.S.A. Today gives the album three-and-a-half out of four stars.

VH will tour behind the album starting February 18th in Louisville, Kentucky. But before then, they will do a show for family and friends tomorrow night at The Forum in Los Angeles.

Roth left Van Halen in 1985 after six albums and was replaced by [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Sammy Hagar[/lastfm]. Hagar hung on until 1996 when Roth re-entered the fold for a second to record a few songs for a best-of collection. That episode was followed by [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Extreme[/lastfm]‘s [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Gary Cherone[/lastfm] who came on board for one album, Van Halen Three, their last studio effort, in 1998. Roth worked with the Van Halen brothers again in 2000 but nothing was ever released. They then did a 2004 reunion tour with Hagar until finally reuniting again with Roth for a tour in 2007, with [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Eddie Van Halen[/lastfm]‘s son Wolfgang on bass in place of [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Michael Anthony[/lastfm].

And now, they are BACK in form with DLR, livin’ large! ~JZ.