'Your Filthy Little Mouth'
What The Critics Say
Although the title wouldn't indicate it, Your Filthy Little Mouth was a retreat from the thundering hard rock of A Little Ain't Enough. David Lee Roth kept some of the pile-driving guitar riffs that always gave his records a foundation, but he added a smoother pop sensibility. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This seldom-heard oddity in heavy metal singer David Lee Roth's catalogue is a Spanish-language version of his first post-Van Halen solo effort, Eat 'Em & Smile. The original release was a call to arms for the divided camps of Van Halen fans, and for those who felt that replacing Roth with Sammy Hagar was little more than a cruel joke, Eat 'Em & Smile validated their position with a strong band of crack players, equal amounts of humor and serious rock, and the best songwriting of Roth's entire career. The record is the perfect follow-up to 1984 that Van Halen couldn't deliver themselves, certainly closer to the spirit of the original band than anything recorded with Hagar. Sonrisa Salvaje (Wild Smile) saves all of the Eat 'Em & Smile artwork and backing tracks, with Roth overdubbing translated lyrics; unfortunately, the mix is not perfect and Roth's voice sounds disconnected from the music, floating in a sterile space above the band. Also, the Spanish words don't always fit seamlessly, sometimes hanging awkwardly over the edges of musical passages (particularly in "La Calle Del Tabaco" (Tobacco Road), betraying the compositions' English language origins. Still, any fan of Diamond Dave will appreciate this novelty and the gung-ho spirit that fueled its conception. Roth ends Sonrisa Salvaje with a satisfied chuckle, suggesting that he's entirely pleased with himself, having laid down the gauntlet for bilingual metalheads worldwide. ~ Fred Beldin, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Let's face it; David Lee Roth was the most exciting and entertaining singer to ever front Van Halen. And although his solo albums have not all been winners, at least he's been known to take chances and try new approaches with rock music (such as the entirely sung-in-Spanish Sonrisa Salvaje, the synth pop-ish Skyscraper, the Nile Rodgers-produced Your Filthy Little Mouth, etc.). For his 2003 release Diamond Dave, Roth uses the same approach he and his then-comrades in Van Halen followed on 1982's Diver Down -- an album consisting primarily of cover songs, with a few originals sprinkled in. As expected, the covers that work the best are the ones that aren't that well known, including the lead-off single "Shoo Bop" (a cover of Steve Miller's "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma") and a big band reading of a tune Van Halen covered way back when, "Ice Cream Man," while a few of the better-known songs (especially Jimi Hendrix's "If 6 Was 9") don't fare as well. Of course, Diamond Dave is no Fair Warning. But it's a hell of a whole lot more listenable than anything Van Halen has issued in ages (especially when compared to the 1998 atrocity Van Halen III). ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Following the disastrous near-reunion of Van Halen, David Lee Roth didn't lie down -- he wrote the vindictive, hilarious, near-brilliant memoir Crazy From the Heat, compiled The Best for Rhino, and finally, assembled the DLR Band, his response to the Gary Cherone version of Van Halen. Where his former colleagues aimed at world domination and serious art with Van Halen III, Diamond Dave kept his aim low, turning in a sleazy little record that just wants to rock really hard. While Van Halen stumbled hard with their revamping, Roth succeeded in delivering a kind of miniature comeback. Granted, DLR Band didn't shake the charts, but it wasn't meant to be big; it's a record that was made with the fans in mind, and they should be pleased by its down-and-dirty attitude. This is the hardest Roth has rocked since Eat 'Em and Smile. The songs may not be as funny or memorable, and his new band doesn't reach the heights of Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan, but The DLR Band benefits from its modest scale. It succeeds on its own terms, delivering a selection of fine, spirited metal songs that finds Roth's charisma at a near peak. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'A Little Ain't Enough'
What The Critics Say
Recorded with a new backing band, A Little Ain't Enough doesn't feature the gonzo instrumental kick of Eat 'Em and Smile, nor is it a stab at popcraft like Skyscraper. Instead, it's an attempt to regain the energy that fueled Van Halen's early albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On his second full-length solo album, Roth turns down the guitars, adds more melody, and makes a more polished, but less interesting record, highlighted by the soaring pop of "Just Like Paradise." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Eat 'Em and Smile'
What The Critics Say
Few would argue that David Lee Roth's first solo EP was a complete comedy send-up, albeit a very successful one that gained him enough favor with the MTV peanut gallery to solidify his potential as a solo artist. When threat became fact, however, Roth was smart enough to know that show tunes set to flashy videos weren't going to cut it and wisely proceeded to surround himself with musicians of impeccable pedigree. Thus armed, the "diamond" one set out to out-Van Halen Van Halen with his band's first effort, Eat 'Em and Smile, a more than adequate substitute for the overtly commercial tendencies of the "new and improved" original. Why mess with a winning recipe, indeed. Guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Gregg Bissonette sound perfectly at home aping their boss' old cronies on such sizzling party anthems as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun." A fun-loving cover of "Tobacco Road" kicks off a very solid side two featuring the remarkably Fair Warning-esque "Big Trouble," and it doesn't get any better than first single, "Yankee Rose," where the squealing call and response between Roth and Vai reaches unparalleled comical heights. The glossy pump of "Goin' Crazy!" (originally conceived as the title track for Roth's botched movie project) hints at the pop excesses to come, and although two lounge pieces are knocked out for good measure, these are easily offset by the cool strut of "Ladies Nite in Buffalo?," arguably Roth's most legitimate piece of art ever. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
