David Lee Roth
Skyscraper

The image of David Lee Roth is indissolubly linked to Van Halen, of which he was a cornerstone almost on par with Eddie himself; unfortunately, the partnership didn't last indefinitely, as the rivalry between the two eventually caused the band to implode. They saw David's first attempt at a solo career, "Crazy from the Heat," an EP with only four tracks that garnered significant acclaim, as a real act of treason. At that point, the band kicked out poor David in a bad way, who, to be honest, admired Eddie so much that he personally pushed to name the band "Van Halen" instead of "Mammoth." David was crucial in creating the Van Halen legend, with a very powerful voice, enormous charisma, and great personality, as well as incredible stage presence both live and in music videos, during which he exuded incredible energy. His successor, Sammy Hagar, really seemed, in my opinion, utterly out of place, not even remotely comparable to the immense quality of his predecessor.
David's desire for revenge must have been truly high, as he wisely chose the Ace of Spades when picking the guitarist for his band, none other than Steve Vai, certainly not a Mr. Nobody. Another incredible hire was Billy Sheehan on bass, ironically nicknamed the Eddie Van Halen of bassists; it was evident from the start that David wanted to create a real Dream Team at his service.
It should be clarified, however, that Eddie's ghost never materialized within the band; David could finally be the supreme leader without anyone opposing him, a true Lider Maximo, and he intelligently never tried to mimic or attempt to replicate the Van Halen sound. After the first album "Eat 'em and Smile," this "Skyscraper" was released in 1988, which I am about to review. The characteristic pop rock sound remains, a bit lighter compared to the VH era, all very pleasant. This Skyscraper is technically impeccable, excellently constructed, but inevitably lacks the magic of the beginnings, almost as if an artist managed to draw a masterpiece once, then vainly attempted to renegotiate it, moving further away each time. There's almost an impression of too much technical perfection and a lack of that rough, raw, yet explosive sound that adapted so perfectly to David's characteristics. The 41 minutes pass pleasantly; there are tracks that will become successful singles, like "Just like paradise," "Stand up," or the opening track "Knucklebones." Everything is perfectly constructed, impeccable performances by the top-notch artists, great colors and harmonies, plenty of virtuosity, but perhaps this album lacks a deep soul to truly touch and move deeply, as David's great qualities would require and deserve. More interesting atmospheres and rougher sounds, less cabaret sound, although undoubtedly classy and finely crafted, would have been more intriguing. The success in terms of sales will be substantial anyway, following in the footsteps of the immense popularity previously acquired by Diamond Dave; the results will be there indeed. I don't know whether to recommend it or not; it's a pleasant work that you occasionally listen to somewhat absent-mindedly, but each time it's impossible for me to avoid comparing it with his 1978 debut Van Halen album, through which Dave and Eddie together amazed and conquered the world.