Alien Love Secrets
Yes, I know, another Vai album.
Release: 1995
This isn't strictly an album actually. It's an EP. The reason he put this out was because he thought he was taking too long to make Fire Garden. Now I must admit, Fire Garden IS a fantastic album and I really reccomend you check it out.
Now there is a lot of brilliant tracks on this EP.
1. Bad Horsie: Heh, nothing like having a bit of power to start a good album. Steve's Drop C guitar screams and growls into life in this tour-de-force of guitar with some wierd donkey sound effects thrown into the mix as well. A MUST hear.
2. Juice: A complete inversion from the power driven Bad Horsie. This fast paced boogie style track is the complete opposite to what the first track gave you. Apart from the spectacular guitar action of course.
3. Die To Live: There is one word that can describe this track: Majestic. It's flawlessly played and a complete gem of a piece. Steve Vai showing how he and only he can be Vai.
4. The Boy From Seattle: Ok, so the original idea for this piece was to perform it in the style of Jimi Hendrix. Now I dunno about you but I think this by far surpasses anything Hendrix could have come up with. A good track through and through.
5. Ya Yo Gakk: A 7 string guitar and... his son. Very unusual concept that turned into a great little track. It's based around recordings of his (Then) young son. It's full of dead catchy little phrases and licks. Not everyone's cup of tea though having a toddler screaming YA YO GAKK in a song.
6. Kill The Guy With The Ball/The God Eaters: Heh, talkbox. High paced drum riff to start off the song before descending into a very fast paced very chromatic heavy rock song. The second part of this song is a complete turn around from the frantic paced and very dissonant first part. The second is more melodic.
7. Tender Surrender: Now this is the one we've been waiting for. One of his best known songs - Tender Surrender. Now I must say, the hype for this song is well deserved, it is indeed very well played and put together. It's a must hear, and a very good first song to hear if you're new to Vai.
And there we have it. The Alien Love Secrets EP. A great little album.
<[Yami]>
