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For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Audio CD

A fair review of the Van Halen "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Van Halen reviews here, or go back to the Van Halen tabs.

Band: Van Halen
Title: For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Rating:

Release Date: 1991-06-17
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Poundcake 2: Judgement Day 3: Spanked 4: Runaround 5: Pleasure Dome 6: In 'n' Out 7: Man on a Mission 8: Dream Is Over 9: Right Now 10: 316 11: Top of the World

Van Halen's best album with Sammy Hagar
This album for myself and many other people my age, 31, was the peak of Van Halen! We did not grow up with DLR as the frontman, we grew up with Sammy, and til this day, I still prefer Hagar to Roth. This album was HUGE when it came out.

The first two outings with Sammy were more musically diverse as EVH fully implemented keyboards and acoustic guitars, and really tried to push the band in a direction first hinted on the bands EPIC 1984 release. With Sammy's vocals at the helm, the band crafted a more mature sound.

However, on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge the band returned to its rocking roots as Alex Van Halen stated that this album "in some ways reminds me of the first album. " The hits are here: Poundcake, Runaround, Right Now, and Top Of The World. So are the rockers: Judgement Day, Man On A Mission, Pleasure Dome etc.

This album won the Grammy for best Hard Rock album of 1991, it won the Billboard for best Hard rock/metal album and it won the American Music Award as well.

After this Van Hagar released one more before calling it a day, the dark and brooding Balance. But for my $$, they never sounded as good as on F. U. C. K. !.

Your lollipop is in my mouth (right now)

I'd like you to show me how to waltz (with you). I like it red. And I'd like to have you dress me up. I have a tune I wanna lip synch & air guitar for you. And, maybe if you'd like, I could shave your legs sometime ~ not because I don't think your legs aren't cute (they sure are) but because I believe I could do it well and that would be a moment when you were trusting me.

I like it sweet.

Unpredictable, at least eventually.
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Eat poundcake, go bob!
For
Unlawful
Carnal
Knowledge
Eddie's
Downside

Under
Pressure.

Best Sammy VH and better then most of even the Classic Lee Roth stuff
That being said this might just be my favorite VH album. I love this album! In the Sammy/Le Roth wars I tend to strongly lean on the Le Roth side. Astounding guitar opening with Poundcake and onto a mostly upbeat with dark corners and listening to it feels like being a kid again first time on Disney Rollercoaster Ride. Their is pure rocking fun, light hearted upbeat jams, shet talking, made solos and outstanding song sound production and punctuated with rather prophetic social commentary. The album is best listened to it on its own to be best appreciated as opposed to pulling out single songs onto a mixed greatest hits compilation which I feel damages the overall effect.

If you are gonna get any of the Van Hagar Albums this one is clearly it!
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Van Halen slams into the 1990's!
In would be the meloncholy sounds of grunge, which hammered despair and nothingness as if to pound a hypothetic nail in the coffin of pop-metal. In 1991 rock & roll was about to undergo a massive turnaround, gone would be hair-metal, which ooozed out California sunshine and sex while letting us know we did'nt need anything but a good time and keeping us entertained for the better part of a decade. Looking back at the early 1990's from a 2008 point of view I have absolutely no idea why or how grunge killed pop-metal? I mean come on who wants despair and a glance at everyday life when you can stand up and shout to the sounds of Girls, Girls, Girls? By this time in 1991 most hair-metal bands had seen their flame start to fizzle, bands like Poison, Motley Crue, Cinderella and Def Leppard had ruled the relms of Mtv for the last decade and now a new generation was ready to sweep the old aside and bring in the new, well hold on just a minute cause in early 1991 when all seemed lost for 80's metal fans, here came Van Halen slamming onto the charts like nobody's business. "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" was Van Halen's ninth album and in my mind is their third best with Sammy Hagar, following 5150 and Balance. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, was also a reckoning of sorts for the band, they dropped the over the top synth rock of the first 2 Sammy albums for a more straight ahead rock sound, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge also has some of the most memorable Van Halen tunes that the guys ever churned out.

1. Poundcake 10-10 Van Halen starts For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge off with an arena rock anthem, complete with Eddie motoring a drill up the neck of his guitar, catchy lyrics and sing along chorus.

2. Judgement Day 10-10 Good solid rocker that keeps the pace of the album flowing, catchy chorus and good lyrics by Hagar, I think most people underestimate Sammy's ability to write clever songs.

3. Spanked 10-10 This song is pretty impressing, this is probably why most people don't respect Hagar the song writer, because of the really cheesy lyrics and chorus, but Eddie plays a rocking riff, and this song gets in your head and stays forever. It almost reminds you of some S&M song you'd hear on a porn. . . All you bad bad boys. . . call her up on the spank line!!

4. Runaround 10-10 Runaround is one of my favorite Van Halen songs ever, its one of the first tracks I liked from the band, it has an amazing catchy chorus and the riff and solo from Eddie is totally wailin'.

5. Pleasure Dome 8-10 Interesting song here, I have heard this song pertains to masturbation, I myself cannot validate those claims, but listening to the lyrics one could not find it to hard to assimalate the two. Good song though just kinda long for my taste.

6. In 'n' Out 10-10 This song sort of lays the groundwork for a sexxed up party tune, but I think maybe the guys were going for something a little different here than just another romp in the hay song, good track though.

7. Man On A Mission 10-10 My absolute favorite track off the album, this song is pretty generic late 80's early 90's rock song, but I love it anyway, really catchy and Eddie just kills this riff with an awesome solo just to ice the cake.

8. The Dream Is Over 10-10 Another very catchy rock and roll song here from the guys, and another faavorite of mine the chorus gets stuck in your head and man it takes forever to get out.

9. Right Now 10-10 Well here it is the big hit off the record, and surprisingly its a piano driven power ballad of sorts. This is the song everyone notifies with For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and for good reason its an awesome song. I also think this song was used in some cola commercials back in the early 90's.

10. 316 10-10 Anyone who has ever read one of my reviews knows I do not particularly like instrumentals, but this is sort of a guitar lullaby to Eddies son Wolfgang, its ok.

11. Top Of The World 10-10 The last song on the album is another single, and was pretty big on rock radio as well, really catchy and had a kickin' video to boot. great great song.

For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, maybe not Van Halen's finest work with Sammy Hagar, but its a great listen and is probably right beside 5150 and just below Balance. Eddie's guitar work is top notch as usual, I mean what would you expect from the man most rockers consider ZEUS of the six string, and Alex's drumming is one of a kind, nobody pounds the skins like AVH, and last but not least Michael Anthony the un-hearalded one of the band plays his bass like somebody told him his life depended on it, and his backing vocals are always a contributing factor to Van Halen's sound. If you've lived under a rock the last 17 years and have not heard anything off this record go buy it right now, if your already a Van Halen fan, well, then I am just preaching to the choir.

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You can see a complete list of all Van Halen discography, or go back to the Van Halen tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.