_Little_ _Guitars - Tribute to Van Halen_ - Shrapnel, 2000      
One more all-metal star tribute. Van Halen's turn, pre-Hagar    
and with most of the vocalists (Doug Pinnick, Jani Lane, John   
Corabi, Fee Waybill, etc. ) actually _sounding _like Diamond    
Dave. Kinda weird, as if these singers have a rehearsed Roth    
impersonation that they pull out at parties. Good guitar, too,  
including a rare, non-rapid solo on "Light up the Sky" by the   
usually overplaying Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Other Eddie-adoring    
axe-aphonists include Dweezil Zappa, Reb Beach, Jake E. Lee,    
and Mitch Perry. Fine, fine production from Bruce Kulick, who   
keep spearheading this imminently intriguing projects. Now      
whether or not I'll still be _listening_ to the album in        
another month is another matter entirely. 9/00