Fire Garden by Steve Vai

Wikipedia information * Fire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fifth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP. Fire Garden is divided into two "phases". Phase 1, consisting of everything from "There's a Fire in the House" to "Fire Garden Suite", is all instrumental (with the exception of Devin Townsend's backwards vocals on "Whookam" and some more vocals toward the end of "Fire Garden Suite"). The remainder of the album, Phase 2, features Vai on vocals on every song except "Warm Regards", which is an instrumental. The album was intended to be a double album, but at mastering time Vai heard about the new 80 minutes CD format (instead of 74 for standard CD), and both sides would eventually fit on one disk. "Dyin' Day" was co-written by Ozzy Osbourne(?) during the writing sessions for Osbourne's Ozzmosis album, which was released in 1995. One other song from those sessions ("My Little Man") made its way onto Ozzmosis, and is credited on that album as being co-written by Vai. allmusic information * Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Steve Vai offers the following words of advice about Fire Garden, his fifth solo album: "This is essentially a double CD packed onto one. In this package there are over 74 minutes of music. Phase I (for the most part) is all instrumental music, and Phase II (for the most part) is all vocal selections, with the exception of 'Warm Regards.' ... Being as dense as it is, this CD may best be experienced by devouring it in pieces, but those with a strong constitution may dare to consume it whole as it is." Seldom has an artist provided more telling liner notes for his own album. Fire Garden is indeed a dense album, filled with a never-ending array of sonic textures and guitar tones. Unlike most guitar heroes, Vai doesn't treat music as a way to demonstrate his technical skill. Instead, he channels his astonishing technical skill into creating soundscapes that will showcase his virtuosity as often as not. The result is a guitar album that is enjoyable for non-guitar freaks, as well. Vai's vocals still have a way to go before they are as expressive as his instrumental work, but this subtle and dense concept album is the closest he's ever gotten to integrating the two sides of his musical personality together. An impressive effort from a musician who continues to grow and stretch himself with each new release. Credits: Jim Altman - Vocals (bckgr) John Avila - Bass Gregg Bissonette - Drums Sergio Buss - Assistant Engineer Deen Castronovo - Drums Rob Clayton - Illustrations David Coleman - Art Direction Pam Dancy - Production Assistant Robin Dimaggio - Drums Miroslava Mendoza Escriba - Vocals (bckgr) Kimberly Evans - Vocals (bckgr) Chris Frazier - Drums Bernie Grundman - Mastering T.J. Helmerich - Assistant Engineer John Kalodner - Producer Tracey Lewis - Vocals (bckgr) Mike Mangini - Drums Mark McCrite - Vocals (bckgr) Williard Riley - Keyboards Rocky Schenck - Photography John Sombrotto - Vocals (bckgr) Steve Vai - Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr), Multi Instruments, Producer, Engineer C.C. White - Vocals (bckgr) ℗ 1996 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.