Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai recorded his debut album, Flex-able, at home on an eight-track studio and released it himself in 1984. Even though Vai is one of rock's most renowned guitar virtuosos, Flex-able isn't really a typical "shred" album; playing with Frank Zappa for several years rubbed off on Vai, and many of his compositions reflect both Zappa's musical influence and a skewed sense of humor that makes for some whimsically entertaining moments (i.e., "Little Green Men"). Make no mistake, there's still plenty of Joe Satriani-esque technical virtuosity on display, but since Vai has a few other tricks in his bag, Flex-able turns out to be much more enjoyable (and accessible to listeners other than guitar-technique fetishists) than the average '80s guitar shred-fest.

Review by Steve Huey, Allmusic.com

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Widely acclaimed as his best album, Passion and Warfare finds Steve Vai coming into his own as a composer, as well as bypassing vocals almost entirely. His style isn't quite as derivative of influences Frank Zappa and Joe Satriani as it was six years earlier on Flex-able; while some of Vai's sense of humor is still evident on tracks like the cock rock strut of "The Audience Is Listening," it is mostly replaced by a spiritual reflectiveness on ballads like "For the Love of God" and "Blue Powder" and dignified, committed rockers like "I Would Love To" and "Liberty." Vai is a more distinguished composer than most of his guitar-shredder contemporaries, and rather than simply showing off his technique, he isn't afraid to experiment or take chances in his playing. Thus, Passion and Warfare is arguably the richest and best hard rock guitar-virtuoso album of the '80s.

Review by Steve Huey, Allmusic.com

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai formed a new straight-ahead heavy metal combo for the follow-up to his instrumental masterpiece, Passion and Warfare. In this context, the imaginative guitarist is saddled down by a pedestrian band and an overwrought vocalist, which limits Vai's ability to stretch out. Consequently, the record is the most predictable and conventional – not to mention boring – of Vai's usually remarkable career.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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After the disastrous full-band heavy metal project of Sex & Religion, Steve Vai returned to recording solo with Alien Love Secrets. It's a moodier, more atmospheric collection than his masterpiece, Passion and Warfare, which makes it slightly revelatory. With the new sonic textures, the guitarist again demonstrates his fluid technique, which manages to never become completely mechanical.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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Steve Vai offers the following words of advice about Fire Garden, his fifth solo album: "This is essentially a double CD packed onto one. In this package there are over 74 minutes of music. Phase I (for the most part) is all instrumental music, and Phase II (for the most part) is all vocal selections, with the exception of 'Warm Regards.' … Being as dense as it is, this CD may best be experienced by devouring it in pieces, but those with a strong constitution may dare to consume it whole as it is." Seldom has an artist provided more telling liner notes for his own album. Fire Garden is indeed a dense album, filled with a never-ending array of sonic textures and guitar tones. Unlike most guitar heroes, Vai doesn't treat music as a way to demonstrate his technical skill. Instead, he channels his astonishing technical skill into creating soundscapes that will showcase his virtuosity as often as not. The result is a guitar album that is enjoyable for non-guitar freaks, as well. Vai's vocals still have a way to go before they are as expressive as his instrumental work, but this subtle and dense concept album is the closest he's ever gotten to integrating the two sides of his musical personality together. An impressive effort from a musician who continues to grow and stretch himself with each new release.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

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Steve Vai - Original Album Classics (2008) 5CD Box Set

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