From an Engineering Standpoint
5
By Merk939393
Sonically, this album is incredible. Steve's engineering skills have continued to improve, and he's always been a great engineer.
The mixes on this are jaw dropping. Everything is perfectly in its own space, frequencies, imaging, dynamics. So dense, but crystal clear.
All that insane gear he has is used to its fullest.
Liquid velvet dripping into my ears and tickling my skull.
I see why these songs didn't make the cut...
1
By Mhuey
The last few Vai albums haven't been my cup of tea and each album is getting worse. This album continues in that direction.
BTW, when is the 3 album rock opera suposed to be completed? 2019?
It looks like we're getting an album every 7 years. SMH That's way too long to tell a story.
You lost me Mr. Vai
This is the REAL Vai we fell in love with
4
By Mickiemowse
This truly is a return to form of the earlier era of Vai. You can really tell the songwriting is exemplary of the CRIMINALLY underrated "Flexable" and the obviously essential "Passion and Warfare"; and that's exactly what this new record is, in reality -- songs that were written during that period but recorded modern day. There's a lot of odd arrangements, a lot of little ad libs and overdubs, guest vocals and all the hallmarks of Vai before he fully embraced his solo career. "Pink and Blows Over" is a REALLY cool/odd musical journey that, at first, I was skeptical about but ended up taking me back on the trip that made me a fan of Vai in the first place. "Modern Primitive" is actually full of those moments. It's a renewal of vows.
My ONLY gripe with the album (and it's been the same one for the last 7 or 8 years) is his guitar tone post-y2k...not a fan of it!
Vai Re-Vived
4
By davkobza
First off-this album isn't really for the casual easy listener that wants everything in homogenized structure and familiar rhythms etc. No, but as as creative extravaganza goes, this album is quite interesting and impressive on many levels.
Vai, revisiting his unfinished tracks and other musical bits from the days of Flexable and Passion, he seems to have reclaimed his former inimitable self and dishes out some unexpected sonic jewels that scatter about.
Not a hits or shred fest per se but rather a creative realm to wander through that hasn't been experienced since the days of Flexable or even Passion. THATS COOL in itself.
Refreshing and courageous enough to really place him among the highest creative artists whose hard work sparks in myself unexplored musical possibilities it appears.
BUY THIS!
5
By trieck
I have not listened to Steve's solo work much since P&W, so was not expecting anything in particular. That being said, this album blows my mind! Everything is beautiful! The sounds are gorgeous. The production is stellar. The material is great. I predict and hope this will be an enormous success for Steve. This album SOUNDS INCREDIBLE!
Far better than I was expecting!
5
By Sixstringryan
Don't get me wrong; I am a lifelong Vai enthusiast and am consistently awed by his artistry with composition and fretboard pyrotechnics. But, he is hit-and-miss sometimes and I was expecting this album to be of the "throwing the fans a bone" variety. I couldn't have been more wrong!!! The album is complex, imaginative, and flat-out amazing!!!! Not every song is a hit out of the park, but the album may be one of my favorite yet!!!!! Buy this album!!!! Trust me!!!!
