Pete
5
By Akabigd1895
Unequivocally the baddest cuts from VH. Eddie shreds every song! Some of the best guitar licks ever!!!
Rok7
5
By ROKK 7
If you don’t like this album then you need to switch tastes in music !!!
Van Halen’s greatest offering …
5
By Gregorius_Maximus
… and that’s saying something! The musical genius, Eddie Van Halen, proves his prowess on this album, if one was tempted to think he hadn’t already. Fair Warning is every bit the juggernaut 40 years later. There are very few rock albums that have the same punch several decades after their initial release. FW is definitely one of them.
The VH album that comes the closest to Fair Warning in its unique musical mastery is OU812 with Sammy Hagar. VH’s fourth and eighth albums are their most underrated, by far.
The songs are heavy and slow, meaning, they’re not blazing fast, save, arguably, One Foot Out The Door. The space between chords and beats gives the listener space, and time, to absorb the sonic power of the songs.
I could play this album a dozen times consecutively and it wouldn’t get old. This fact, along with many other arguments, which would take too much space, places this work in extremely rarified air, in my opinion.
VH's Best Album
5
By Mr. Dauterive
Incredibly heavy. Eddie's guitar playing absolutely shreds on this album.
The mighty Van Halen!!!
5
By rofuha2
This is one of the best rock albums ever. Period. RIP EVH.
The greatest rock band of all time! Full stop.
5
By MikeD1202
I love everything about Van Halen! From their Southern California roots to their laid back party-all-the-time persona to their non-stop passionate hard-driving work ethics pumping out a new album every year supported by a world tour. They embody everything American youth is made up of. A bygone era in music that may never been seen again and a band who’s charisma and sound will never be matched.
The Soul Of VH Lives Here
5
By KorinaJam
Many great artists and musicologists have championed the greatness of VH’s classic fourth album. They don’t typically scribe iTunes reviews though, so for the uninitiated, here goes...
To understand just how amazing this album is, several factors must be highlighted. Firstly, VH was not a new band at this point. They were seasoned not only by years of playing clubs, but by several years of touring incessantly and recording professionally. This heightened level of experience honed their incredible talent even further. This is how great bands become legends.
The result is “Fair Warning”, a batch of songs that showcase a world class band firing on all cylinders. By 1981, VH knows what works for them. When it makes sense, they double down on the “sure thing” ingredients that will dazzle fans and deliver classic songs like “Mean Streets” “So This Is Love” and “Unchained”. It’s all there: the classic EVH riffs, the wordsmith swashbuckling of Roth and the grinding, shake your money maker groove that only Michael and Alex can hold down.
So...where do songs like “Hear About It Later”, “Sinners Swing”, “Dirty Movies” and “One Foot Out the Door” fit? They only fit on this album. They are glorious creative and unique soundscapes birthed from of a moment in time. A moment where a band at their peak is confident enough in their art to take chances and truly explore and shatter the limits of their abilities. They surprised even themselves. Bet Dave would agree if he was ever asked.
There are very rare moments when the world’s best rock bands create not their best album, but the one that defines them. It’s not the one with all the hits or even the best performances. But, it defines the soul, the essence of the band. For Queen it was “Queen II”. For Zeppelin it was “Physical Graffiti”. For Pink Floyd it was “Animals.” For Van Halen, it’s “Fair Warning.”
As the world grapples with the immeasurable loss of Edward Van Halen, do something good for yourself and for the legacy of the Mighty VH. If you’re a fan, Revisit this album and celebrate the genius. If you’re new to VH and curious where to begin the journey, start here. You’re gonna like where the music takes you. Promise. Rock on...
Definitely one of their best albums!
5
By givitachance
Rest in peace Eddie Van Halen. Thank you for your music and inspiration and your overall contribution to music. Eddie did things no one even thought about doing on the guitar. He blew the door open for what can humanly be possible. There are a million guitar players that try to emulate his style but there was only one Eddie Van Halen. Just check out the opening licks to “Mean Street” and “Unchained”. There’s so many other great tracks on this album. Not one bad song on this album at all! Highly recommended listening!
Push comes to shove!
5
By Funkymonk81
An under appreciated gem!
VH at their creative best
5
By Phishphantom
Fantastic album. Not a weak tune!
I LOVE THIS ALBUM
5
By snobbyjay
I love this album. It has to be top 3 for me. Sinners swing is my favorite song on this album. Just really good rock n roll.
Any album with Unchained and Mean Street would be deserving of 4 stars
5
By Longtimeapplehomer
I love this album. Not a fan of the one that sounds like disco, but the others range from good to amazing.
Best VH Album
5
By abcforeverz
This is Van Halen at their most gritty, filthy, and raw - and through no loss in melody. Only after many years of loving them did this album become my favorite, but it appears I am not alone in that. Every classic Dave era album with the exception of diver down has been my favorite VH album at one time or another. In the end though, this has become firmly rooted in that position. One of the greatest hard rock bands ever, and with a perfect ORIGINAL (lol) lineup. Because of these things, that makes this IMO one of the greatest ever rock albums period. Interestingly, this is the sole album with such a dark undercurrent to every aspect of it. Below, as well as above the surface. Required listening for any rock fan.
One of the best albums of all time!
5
By RayHamilton
Top 5 in my opinion
By Far & Away THE ULTIMATE VH ALBUM !!!
5
By Booboomagoobootyman
Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice....
OR DID I ? Oh yeah, I did I used to blow away the boom boxers with this album and 8 rechargeable C batteries. What a great string of songs to listen to w/o skipping any. Always was blown away at ho they 'topped' their 3rd album,
Women & Children 1st with this gem. So ahead of it's time for '81 ? . Was it that long ago ? I can't remember, gotta go take my pills.
The pinnacle of the DLR era.
5
By Ozcrome
This album represents the best all around album made by Van Halen during the DLR era. The highlight and best of the best? Unchained. Turn it up.
This is an EVH album 100%
5
By Liam Connett
This was Eddies Album. During the making of this album Eddie thought about quitting the band cause he was getting married and Dave was on his last straw. Guitar track on this album was Absolutely Amazing and really showed Eddies creativity and pure shred power to play guitar and SYNTH! "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" part into "One foot out the door" Great Piece and hat song was supposed to represent Eds anger.
Yes
5
By Bullmeat1969
Great
Best. Period.
5
By istilldontgetit
36 years on, still my favorite VH album. So much going on here. Musically these guys stretched into every corner and for me, this was ground-breaking hard-core rock for those of us who were exhausted from living through the 70s. Banged my head enough to make it through some tough times with some sanity. Still can't thank VH enough for this one.
