It’s unusual that I have a chance to hear a healthy dose of an album performed live before hearing the studio version. That happened with Steve Vai’s “The Story of Light,” which I received after seeing Vai perform five songs from the album at a show in Rochester, NY recently.
Anyone moderately familiar with Vai knows he is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The only reason he doesn’t appear on more mainstream top 100 guitarists of all time lists is because he eschews the commercial approach in favor of the artistic one.
With that, Vai’s solo albums are sometimes a mixed bag. Taking a page from his onetime mentor Frank Zappa, a Vai solo album includes bits of the unusual, random sounds, spoken voice and other oddities. “The Story of Light,” follows that standard, but remains wonderfully accessible.
The song getting the most press is Vai’s version of Blind Willie Johnson’s “John the Revelator.” In true form, it veers away from the original and yet remains a fitting tribute to a legendary bluesman.
No Vai album would be complete without a healthy dose of shredding, and “Gravity Storm,” an instrumental, provides an album worth of shredding on its own. It is also a standout track on his current tour.
Vai’s fans include a legion of guitarists and they will appreciate this album. It would also provide a good starting point for newer fans who want to see what all the fuss is about.
