Best Guitar Instumental Album of 2009
584596
This has been one of my most listened to albums over the past year. Dirty Power delivers as promised. Shane's tone, playing, arranging and writing are top notch. If you like interesting, melody driven instrumental guitar records you'll love this. This isn't your typical guitar heroics recording, though those moments are there, this is a well song crafted, New Orleans groove album. This is an extremely well done effort from guitarist who deserves his place in the sun.
4527856
None too Soon is a great CD that guitar players in the world must have. Very High class performer and  playing and a must have CD for fans. Thank you!
806434
Mr. Hackett virtuosity and compostion skills are on full display. From the opening with its beautiful Brazillian feel
to a reworking of the hymn like Kim, to the wonderful dissonant sound of Petropolis. This is a guitar, dare I say, masterpiece.
The entire work has a watery sound, obviously by design.
But it is clear enough to present themes and up neck work.
Very good listen, I highly recommend
3544778
I can simply say that this album is the best fusion album ever made. Michael is an awesome good guitarplayer and his fellow musicians are as good as he is. The tune TV-Dinners is in my point of view the most beautiful fusion song I ever heard. The great Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Jimmy Johnson on bass are doing their best work ever on this song. The guitar solo on this song is incredibly good, you should hear this one. St. Valentine is the most beautiful song you can listen to on the highway.
I had Michael over in The Netherlands just for one solo concert and was he awesome!!
In 2003 I'll fly him over with his band to do two shows in my hometown and in Germany. He deserves it, he's a fine man and a hell of a player.
I remember Vinnie Colaiuta saying that he's the best kept secret in the USA.
Also listen to his mate Sam Cardon on keys, who made a beautiful album called Digability.
You must buy this one. I've over 1200 albums, but it's simply the best!
3268200
I had this on LP and finally relplaced it on CD.  The acoustic guitars are wonderful.  I really missed listening to this album.
1371301
This album is amazing! Shawns best work in an improv sort of setting. Wherever you walk and space time continum have some of the best guitar playing in history.
3072565
This Album is great..Yngwie is amoung the best guitarists in the world. It will be hard for anyone to ignore the great playing here. All of the tracks are strong. This is a must get CD and I Think he should get an award for this one.
4193239
One of the most influential guitar albums of all time. This was a time when Malmsteen had burst onto the scene and all serious guitar rock players were becoming classically influenced. Not a bad thing but it just didn't have the excitement for me. Then this album came out and after listening to the first two songs I knew I had found what I was looking for.
Joe is as technically good as Malmsteen but he has more of a blues base which to me is way more listenable. I could analyze every song but I will leave it at...Best guitar album ever!
1451340
If you are a guitar player you will definitely love this album of Vinnie's best. I enjoy listening to it all the time. It's got something for everyone. Well, most everyone.

If you like Satch, Luke, Eddie, Schon, etc., this is for you.
1247785
I heard about Jonathan Wilson from friends who were lucky enough to see him play live.  I liked this album after the first spin (CD's spin too vinyl snob!) but, I will repeat this, holy crap this is a good album.  I rarely find an album that I will want to play again and again in the same sitting.  This is an amazing sounding album with sublime guitar tone, emotive song writing, very tasteful guitar playing on top of an excellent keyboardist, drummer and bass player.  If you listen to the track samples you will barely scratch the surface.  But the CD...or if you must, buy vinyl :).  These songs breathe - and have brought life back to my music collection.  Icing on the cake:  new album due out in Oct.  Cant wait.
460147
What an amazing album to say the least. If you are a fan of Nevermore and love the solo's you hear on any of their albums you cant go wrong with this. A respectable number of the songs are definately in the vein of This Godless Endeavor also. That said, this album is the best guitar album I have heard since Jason Becker's "Perpetual Burn". Anyone familiar with Jeff Loomis knows he is a fan of Jason Becker and it shows on this album. This album has it all and then some. If you like a respectable mixture of Jason Becker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Frank Gambale and Paul Gilbert then this album is for you. I can only hope the guitar players of this world vote this album as Best Shred Album in Guitar World for 2008. Jeff Loomis deserves so much credit for this album. He is underated as is, and if he does not get the recognition he deserves for this album then another music atrocity he been done.
2833258
This is GREAT instrumental rock guitar music.  And if you love this style of music as I do, I invite you to check out these other great guitarists: Anand Mahangoe, Andy Timmons, Anthony Reynaert, Ballurio, Ben Randall, Ben Trexel, Brett Michael Spunt, Brian Tarquin, Char Davis, Chris Feener, Chris Francis, Chris Mahoney, Dan Shimmyo, Daniele Gottardo, Danny Jones, Dave Atherton, DC Slater, Denis Vlachiotis, Dimitar Nalbantov, Doug Doppler, Edward Box, Fabrizio Chiruzzi, Fernando Miyata, Goncalo Pereira, Greigg Fraser, Guido Campiglio, Guitarsnake (aka Nicolas Notorianni), Gustavo Di Padua, Gustavo Guerra, Hal Lindes, Howard Hart, Hugo V. Monteiro, James Ryan, Jarle H. Olsen, Jas Morris, Jason Sadites, Jeff Loomis, Jeff Treadwell, Joaquin Lievano, Joe Satriani, Joe Stump, Joey Tafolla, John Petrucci, Keith Miller, Larry Van Fleet, Lars Eric Mattsson, Lindsey Boullt, Lyle Watt, Marc Playle, Marcel Coenen, Marco Sfogli, Martin Winch, Mathias Holm, Matt Rach, Michael Angelo Batio, Michael Elsner, Michael Mangaroo, Michael Schenker, Michael Thompson, Mike Breen, Mike Oldfield, Muris Varajic, Neal Schon, Neil Rambaldi, Norman Kim, Patrick Rondat, Patrik Carlsson, Paul Speer, Petchalov, Philippe Thibaut, Randy Coven, Rob Metz, Roine Stolt, Ronnie Montrose, Russ Pettit, Sean Mercer, Silvio Gazquez, Steve Howe, Steve Morse, Steve Stevens, Taz Taylor, Teemu Kleemola, Thorbjorn Englund, Tim Simmons, Tino Izzo, Tom Quayle, Tony MacAlpine, Toshi Iseda, Travis Larson, Ty Oliver, Vinnie Moore, Yngwie J. Malmsteen.
1058935
I first bough this album on 8 Track, and it was amazing from the get go, but the guitar mix was murky at best. Still I played it till my ears rang. Next I got it on album, and the sound was better, but still a little muddy. I must have played the album 100's of times in college and know each guitar solo note for note. Since the plethora of "new" versions of "old" albums, I jumped on the bandwagon and purchased one of the first re-mixes of this album, on cassette. Whoever mixed it brought the guitars to the front, but to the detriment of all the other instruments, and, especially brother Duayne's guitar, bordered on the shrill. Still searching for the ultimate, I found a used copy of the SACD hybrid at my local record store and picked it up. I only had a regular CD player, but the CD mix was great, finally I could hear all the nuisances of the music, without being blown away by the sonic over load. Recently I finally broke down and bought an SACD compatible CD player when my old one died on me. Hammer Time! The SACD layer is without a doubt the best sounding CD I own. The sound is warm, and what I can only describe as "round". You can actually hear Clapton's head turn away from the mike as he sings. And all those multilayer-ed guitar solo's each take on a distinctive physical space and tone of their own. A must have for Claption fans, and anyone who loves this kind of blues tinged rock. Get it today.
1662541
Unbelievably excellent modern sounding classical guitar music.  Every track is a masterpiece.  I have no idea why Steve Erquiaga is not a world famous guitarist/composer because this album proves he has everything it takes.
1492419
Excellent album, and much better than I expected. Reminds me a lot of later Entombed albums.  Very good guitar work.
502037
I was a huge George Lynch fan when he was in Dokken, and still am now.  This album was eagerly anticipated by Lynch fans when it was released as it was his first post - Dokken release.  And what an album!!!
If you are a guitar fan and have still not heard this album, buy it now!!!  The guitar work on 'Street Fighting Man' alone is worth the price of the CD.  Other highlights include All I Want, For A Million Years and the title track. The singer Oni Logan is certainly no slouch and is more than a match for Lynch's brilliance.  Even if you aren't a guitar fan, but enjoy melodic hard rock, this album is a must have.
An extremely even effort throughout, and still Lynch's best work to date.  Check out a guitarist at the absolute top of his game!
270957
With their new album,Stadium Arcadium coming in double discs,The boys from California have never looked better.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers(RHCP)have always appealed to me. They never seem to stick to a single theme. The diversity they have never ceases to amaze me. Therefore,I had no problem picking up the new CD when it hit the stores. After listening to all of it I'm convinced that the guys haven't lost their magic. The tracklist consists of 28 tracks. They're in a passable order,not the best. But the songs'll really knock you out. Flea's basslines or John Frusciante guitar prowess havn't diminished. But I can surely say that they have changed their style again.

They're laidback as ever,but they seem to be reminiscing their career,magical of course.

On the album, the Peppers return to their funk style while still retaining the melodic sound as in By the Way and Californication. The album has overall received positive reviews, and John's skills as a guitarist are clearly evident on the album. As stated on the bonus DVD, John, who usually is a "less is more" style of guitarist, has gone all out on the album using a full 24 track mixer to display the full range of his guitar arsenal. As always, John has added benevolent backing vocals on the majority of the tracks. In addition to masterminding the guitar arrangements John is so well known for, he has also varied his sound, with guitar stylings ranging from the Blood Sugar Sex Magik days all the way up to By The Way. In short, John Frusciante's innovative techniques and range of playing style are prevalent throughout the album.

Remember BloodSugarSexMagik?I don't think there's anyone who's not heard at least a track from there,the favourite being Under The Bridge. Well,they recorded it in a mansion in CA and didn't have much contact with the outside but created such awesome music. It's been a good succession of records since then.

Their music can be best savoured by of course,listening to the tracks. Kiedis and the boys deserve all the credit for coming all the way.