STEVE VAI: Where the Wild Things Are

Produced by Steve Vai
Released: 2009

Albums from shredders have been problematic for me in the past. As someone who isn't a guitar player, they often come across as little more than showing off with minimal substance and no real appeal to anyone other than aspiring guitarists; rudderless, ego-driven wankfests that boggle the mind with skill for a while until you realise the guy is really just playing scales backwards through an upside-down vocoder or something silly like that.

Having learned his craft from mentors and friends like Frank Zappa and Joe Satriani, Steve Vai is a very different proposition. With his vast array of stylistic ability and influences, Vai is an instrumentalist that even people who aren't flash guitarists can enjoy, a man who understands that the demonstration of ability is more than filling every space with as many notes as possible or showing off every trick you learned at guitar school at every available opportunity. Recorded live in Minneapolis in 2007, Where the Wild Things Are confirms Vai's status with a consummate virtuoso performance, ably supported and abetted by a superb five-piece band that includes members of prog groups like Dali's Dilemma and Mullmuzzler. A blend of cuts from his studio works -- mainly Real Illusions: Reflections -- and new tracks being played for the first time, the album tends to highlight Vai's blues and jazz-fusion sides. For outright shredding, there's the eleven-minute centrepiece "Freak Show Excess" but on "Fire Wall" he steps out with a heavy, bluesy shuffle featuring his smoky vocals and "Tender Surrender" shows a more lyrical side to his playing. Vai of course also lets the rest of his band to add their own instrumental prowess and when the entire sextet kicks in together they truly shine.

As engaging as the set is though, by the back half of Where the Wild Things Are, I did find my attention wandering a bit, but at 78 minutes, it is quite a long haul for most but the truly dedicated (and the DVD is longer still). Nevertheless, Steve Vai once again shows that rather than just being a flash guitar player, he is an outstanding and gifted musician and entertainer.

1. Paint Me Your Face
2. Now We Run
3. Oooo
4. Building the Church
5. Tender Surrender
6. Band Intros
7. Fire Wall
8. Freak Show Excess
9. Die to Live
10. All About Eve
11. Gary 7
12. Treasure Island
13. Angel Food
14. Taurus Bulba
15. Par Brahm

Rating: 85%