Steve Vai- Passion and warfare, 1990

I can't believe that 1990 was that long ago, but it was. I remember in 1990 when a friend loaned this to me on tape. I enjoyed Vai with David Lee Roth and had heard his previous solo album Flexible, but I wasn't fully prepared for this all instrumental album. I was listening to the whole cd just the other day to prepare for this review and it's still as fresh as it was almost 16 years ago. A few guitarists just make it look so easy and Mr. Vai is one of those people. It's not just about technical skill either because this album is just so alive as Steve is able to create so many moods in this collection of songs. Tracks like the Audience is listening and Greasy kid's stuff are more straight rockers while tracks like Ballerina, The riddle and Alien Water kiss allow Vai to explore more offbeat directions. My favorite track is probably Sisters which is a prime example of Vai not just playing, but pulling and milking so much out of individual notes, it's simply beautiful. I think Steve Vai is essentially and avant-garde guitarist first and he seems very comfortable doing that as when he played with Frank Zappa and on some of his solo albums, but he also enjoys playing hard rock too. He easily made the transition in playing with David Lee Roth, Whitesnake and Alcatraz. It's not all about possessing technical skill although Vai certainly does have great skill, it's his strong songwriting and his ability to create moods with his music. It's not always about speed, but about technique and the ability to pull the most out a simple bend or a single note and this where Vai surpasses people like Satriani, Malmsteen and Eric Johnson. A truly amazing talent all the way around. This is a Metal Mark must have.