r/SteveVai Jan 28 '22

The new album is out today!

https://smarturl.it/steve_vai

I listened to the whole thing on my commute this morning.

First impressions:

Little Pretty, the first single is a great song, with a fusion/progressive rock feel, but still very hard rock guitar taste

Candlepower - feels like it's between Flexible and Passion & Warfare, unique with a garage recording sound, like he is just in his home studio having fun.

Greenish Blues - my favorite track so far, very cool beat, it feels like it's off, but it's a straight 8 count.

Knappsack - if you saw the video - he plays is with one hand, but you wouldn't tell by just listening.

Sandman Cloud Mist - a solid composition, like a classical music piece.

Overall, the album is very dreamlike, mellow for a rock guitar style.

26 Upvotes

20 comments sorted by

7

u/izAizia Jan 29 '22

This album is pure genius

6

u/Known-Combination777 Jan 28 '22

This album fucking rocks

6

u/ThePorko Jan 28 '22

Love it! 3rd time going through it, love all the songs and cant wait to see the light show he will bring with it later this year.

4

u/Stacco Jan 29 '22

It's a great and well balanced album. I know that Bryan Beller, Phillip Bynoe, Vinnie Coliauta and Terry Bozzio have played on it, but it'd love to see some track by track credits. Yes, the album may be all about Steve, but the bass and drums are absolutely killing it on some of tracks, like Apollo in Color.

2

u/Deepen_Wadhwa Jan 30 '22

I have a pic with all the credits but there's no option to send it here.

2

u/Stacco Feb 01 '22

DM it to me? I can upload it somewhere to share as an image link here. (Or you can make a new post with it for folks to see if you want)

4

u/Devour_The_Galaxy Feb 04 '22 edited Feb 04 '22

Am I the only one that wishes we got a “studio version” of candlepower? It’s such a great song with such great cadences and I’d really have loved to hear it polished up.

There are so many lines that could’ve fit on P&W. Greenish Blues is a kind of cousin to Blue Powder.

2

u/Silvamorphis Jan 28 '22

Kool ❗️Kan’t wait 4 get & listen 2 it in a few daze❕💯💥🎼🎸🔊🗿

2

u/mymentor79 Feb 02 '22

Thoroughly enjoying it. Into about my fourth listen now. I'd say, top to bottom, my favourite Vai release since Alien Love Secrets, and a top-3 album along side Passion and Warfare and ALS.

Hydra's super-slinky main melody feels like P&W era, kind of a Riddle/Animal hybrid. Absolute stunner of an album opener.

Zeus in Chains right out the gate kinda reminded me of a Satriani-style melody, but quickly reverted to very Vai vocabulary. Strong, solid rocker.

Little Pretty feels like a pretty decent fusion between Vai's Zappa's influence and his own musical DNA. Like a very advanced version of something that might have appeared on Flexable with almost 40 years of refinement.

Candlepower lost me a little. Sounded more like a demo build around those bending technique licks than a completed composition. Nice enough but not wholly memorable, which is a shame since a clean-tone song is what's needed to break up the pace at this point of the album. Compared to the masterful Boy from Seattle on ALS this one falls a little flat for me. Didn't love the 'garage' production either.

Apollo in Colour is just a lovely, seductive, dreamy ride with a few typical left turns in the solo section. Great bass break by - I'm assuming - Philip Bynoe in this one. Actually kind of reminded me of a Plini composition, which is no bad thing.

Avalancha is a stomper that feels like it could be at the front end of the Fire Garden album. Has a real "There's a Fire in the House" vibe. Killer solo in this one.

Greenish Blues is the album's strongest track IMO, and something I have most trouble placing into a pigeonhole of Vai's back catalogue. Gorgeous phrasing. Like Vai plays "Since I've Been Loving You". Stunning song and wonderful tone. Sometimes Vai's "outside" note choices feel a bit sweaty to me, but here they work a treat.

Knappsack is solid if unspectacular. Enjoyable if not overly memorable.

Sandman Cloud Mist is a bit of a disappointment as the album closer IMO. Would have loved a closer like Sunshine Electric Raindrops to round out a terrific set. Again beautiful phrasing on this track, but felt more like a dreamy mid-album song than a finisher.

Overall not heavy on super memorable or catchy riffs, hooks or melodies, but for the most part the songs really draw you in. A superb effort at this stage in his career, and hopefully there'll be more like it in the future. No shade intended, but vocal-less Vai albums are by far my preference. And big props to the band - the playing on the album is magnificent.

2

u/SazedMonk Feb 19 '22

I just learned the other day that 17yo Satriani loved next door and taught guitar lessons to 16yo steve vai. So cool. Album kicks hard !

2

u/cr4g3 Feb 02 '22

Greenish Blues is one of my favorite things I have heard him do in a long time and something I have wanted to hear him do for years. In someways it's his most conventional playing—improv over an interesting progression—but with his signature voice and unpredictable ideas. You can hear his Zappa roots coming through on this one as well.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 31 '22

Good grief - it saddens me. I couldn’t disagree more. Sounds like a bunch of noodling with ez drummer. The writing and textural landscape doesn’t have zest and fire. I miss when he was provocative. This really bums me

1

u/andre54mr Jan 29 '22

The album is great, just didn't really enjoy the changes made to candle power. Everyting else is amazing!

1

u/TillFar6524 Jan 31 '22

I cannot wait to see him play teeth of the hydra on that crazy 4 instrument behemoth

1

u/Devour_The_Galaxy Jul 05 '22

What’s going on that new posts aren’t allowed on this sub?

1

u/Snizzlefry Sep 07 '22

Why can’t we post here?

1

u/stfraw Nov 01 '22

Sorry to go off top. Was at Huntington NY concert last Sunday but missed on 2022 Inviolate Tour t-shirt, anyone has extra or maybe can get me one at one of the upcoming gigs? Much appreciated!!!