Reviewed by:
TJM2482, on february 04, 2008
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Sound: Paul Gilbert is one of the greatest guitarists of all-time, as well as being one of the guys with the biggest range of sound and styles in his arsenal. This is Paul's second solo instrumental album, a follow up to his last effort, 'Get Out of My Yard'. I'll start off by saying this album is very different from the debut. His sound on this album is a mix of classic rock-style pentatonic work, with the typical neo-classical style thrown in that most of these virtuoso guys work with. It's a pretty upbeat album, a lot of fast paced, "happy" sounding tracks. As always with Paul, there's also a couple of tracks that feel like interludes between these songs, somewhat short, calm tracks. Though it feels a little more generic than his first album, you'll get your money's worth with this album if you're a fan of Paul or all that virtuoso stuff that he's categorized with. It's a fun album, but not to be under looked for it's quality of sheer shred madness. Though it feels a little more generic than his first album. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Again, this is an instrumental record, so you'll have to use your imagination a bit. Paul's one of the guys that pulls the whole vocal-less thing off, despite actually having a decent voice behind him. Though it's a bit cliche, Paul's work really does speak for itself. I'd say it's a tad less vocal than his first solo instrumental album, but it's not nearly to the point of boredom that you'll run into with some other virtuoso guys. // 9
Impression: Overall I'd say this is a pretty good album. I was expecting another 'Get Out of My Yard', so I'm a little bit disappointed by my first few listens. I'd say that it's just a hair or two under the caliber set by his debut. I like the title track, "The Gargoyle", and "Paul Vs. Godzilla" the most, they are really solid rock tracks, quite different though from the ones on Get Out of My Yard. I love the thick tone of Paul, one of the best guys tonally out there. I love that it's an upbeat album, and very different from his last album. I dislike that it feels somewhat shorter in some ways, the "experience" doesn't feel as epic or drawn-out as his last album. I would buy it again if I lost it, I recommend it to anyone interested. This is sure to be one of the best albums of the year, even with competition from others such as Satriani's new album. // 9
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