Debuting at #1, Balance by Van Halen displaced the un-reviewed Garth Brooks album from the top spot (fret not Garth fans, it returns to #1 next week).
I like much of Van Halen, but this album isn't as good as their earlier work. Albums like Van Halen, 1984, and 5150 all have what made Van Halen great, and this album lacks. Van Halen was about big, energetic songs, and Balance doesn't have those. Eddie's guitar playing is, of course, excellent, but the songs don't grab you like, say, Runnin' with the Devil does.
My recommendation is to listen to the album, but don't expect what you would get out of their earlier albums.