August 2012 \ And Don’t Miss… \ Media Review \ Album Review: Steve Vai - "The Story of Light"

Album Review: Steve Vai - "The Story of Light"

Oscar Jordan
 Premier Guitar August 2012
Steve Vai
The Story of Light
Favored Nations Entertainment


Steve Vai continues the convoluted narratives found on 2005’s Real Illusions: Reflection with his new concept album, The Story of Light— the second installment of a trilogy displaying Vai’s interest in New Age spirituality.

As expected, this mostly instrumental album is filled with dense production, soaring multi-layered guitar tones, and tight harmonies. It does offer some nice surprises. Vai covers Blind Willie Johnson’s “John the Revelator” with a gospel choir and Beverly McClellan (a finalist on The Voice). He also duets with singer-songwriter Aimee Mann on “No More Amsterdam” to great effect. And Vai gets in his share of familiar arena-rock workouts like “Velorum” and “Gravity Storm,” and mellower compositions such as “Creamsickle Sunset.”

It’s a beautifully expansive work that orbits within a galaxy we’ve visited before, and Vai is truly awesome throughout. “John the Revelator” and “Book of the Seven Seals” are interesting because who hasn’t wanted to hear Vai in the context of a gospel choir or black musical theater? Although his spiritual libretto will confuse some, his artistry will leave no nonbelievers. —Oscar Jordan

Must-hear track: “Gravity Storm,” “No More Amsterdam”


     

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Comments

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Agostino
on 10/19/2012 		After "Real Illusions: Reflections" I was expecting something..(now I realize)..maybe even impossible..and it didn't happen, not even close. I mean, IMHO Real Illusions was not his best album but when it comes to Vai, for me, the bar is set too high. So far, Vai's inspiration seemed to never ends and his capacity to reinvent himself and keep surprising us too. Apart from that, 8 years passed and I was craving to listen to #7 with all my heart. But it didn't touch it, like always happens...(except for Burning down the mountain, I have to be honest, it didn't make it to me). Of course, if this one was his first album I would be clapping, and compared to the present music, the difference is still huge, maybe I am being too much demanding, asking too much of somebody who gave us plenty of HQ music all over the years and beautiful "Enchanting Guitar Melodies" as he says....
Onceavaifan
on 09/10/2012 		I guess this more of the same from Steve Vai, so those of you who like this kind of stuff will not be disappointed. Much as I have admired him for ages for his unquestionable musicianship and as a live entertainer, I believe this is another one for the die-hard, ardent fans who refuse to have any negative opinions on anything he does. I rather suspect Vai has alienated a large part of his original audience from the Passion & Warfare and Fire Garden days (myself included), but has probably gone on to build a totally different audience for himself, based more on appreciation for the subtleties and nuances of his masterful guitar and production techniques, rether than on the ability of the music to make you want to bang your head. No idea what Phil MiHole (sic :-)) is on if he thinks this constitutes a good "riff rock" record ?!!??

I for one finally lost patience with his incessant need for over-production and experimentation after Ultra-Zone. I prefer my guitar-based rock music with a bit less over-complication and this album definitely doesn't fill my need.

Shame - continuation of the downfall of a hero for me, much like Satriani :-(. Why can't he stick to writing epics like FTLOG and Little Alligator, which still give me goose-bumps after all this time ?

Maybe I'm just getting old and don't have the tolerance any more to listen to an album on continuous loop to try and convince myself that I like it, because to admit otherwise would be tantamount to sacrilege ? Whatever may be the case, this one is not for me - sorry Steve.
JBeck
on 09/07/2012 		Vai is total moneymaker - period. Complexity and billion number of guitar layers doesn't mean any talent or musical depth anyway.
Paul Crick
on 08/17/2012 		Stunning from start to finish. Can't stop playing it right now.
Rick/East Bay
on 08/11/2012 		Sustained ! (court)
Agent Smith
on 08/09/2012 		Ed is probably playing some worn out, tired blues licks on his wannabe real guitar and practice amp and hasn't a clue what real composition is all about. Try listening to some Rachmaninov or Wagner and try blending some creative overdriven guitar to them. If you can not only pull off something remotely similar and compose your own listen-worthy piece, I'll retract my statement. It gets old seeing posts from people who are so much superior yet have no accomplishment or international acclaim.
Phil Mihole
on 08/09/2012 		Without the Vibrato bends, this would sound like some good classic 70's Riff Rock!
MBBallard
on 08/09/2012 		Sounds good to me!
Ed Fleck
on 08/09/2012 		Wake me up when its over.

on 08/09/2012 		Wake me up when its over.



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