VOA

VOA is the eighth album on which Sammy Hagar binds his bold voice to Ted Templeman’s tightened production. Thick guitar riffs and light beats move the songs compactly forward while making the most of the vocal’s openness. It marks one peak of his solo era. The reflexive drive of “I Can’t Drive 55,” which became his signature, grabs the listener all at once with a simple message and a powerful hook. From the melody of “Two Sides of Love” and the drive of the title track “VOA” to the heat of “Rock Is in My Blood,” the whole album is full of an American-hard-rock brightness. Writing stripped of the excess and tightened playing draw out the appeal of Sammy’s vocals to the fullest. It feels good that it wins on the strength of the hooks and a sense of speed rather than flashy decoration. It is a spirited record packed with a solo artist’s fullness and strength, just before he joined Van Halen.