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Steve Vai
The 7th Song
Admittedly, this compilation draws upon Vai’s superstitious nature, collecting the seventh song from each of his solo releases through the years, dating back to 1984’s “Call It Sleep” from his post-Zappa debut, Flexible. While partially based on the favored luck of numerology, the revered guitarist also chose the position for its “sweet spot.” That is, the part of any album where the pressure is reduced, the mood switches to simmer, and the melodies slowly brew to the brim. Although noted as one of the original shredders, Vai is also a premier craftsman of melodies, a skill usually reduced to afterthought in his flurry of fretwork. This disc harvests the finesse of Vai’s playing as well as his melodramatic wanderings, along with a few bonus tracks for the devoted. In keeping up with the sevens, 777 copies are secretly autographed (tho’, mine wasn’t one…). –ml kilgore (Epic)
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