Van Halen long ago went from a hard-rock band with pop leanings to a pop band wallowing in hard-rock clichés, and their new release offers absolutely nothing fresh. Sure Eddie Van Halen continues to dazzle on guitar, but with schmaltzy producer Bruce Fairbairn at the helm, the group’s sound has become stale.
The emergence of acts such as Soundgarden has left Van Halen in the dust.
GRADE: C