The 7th Song: Enchanting Guitar Melodies-Archives Vol.1

The spiritual element of guitar virtuoso Steve Vai's music has always been rather like the music itself: flamboyant, but heartfelt; sincere, but not always a cinch to understand. Nowhere is that more evident than on The 7th Song, a sort of greatest-hits collection with a most peculiar concept behind it. Vai, who's always reserved track number 7 on every album for a guitar ballad, puts them all together on one collection, from "Call It Sleep" off Flex-Able to "Touching Tongues" off of Sex and Religion. The 7th Song features three bonus tracks, including "Boston Rain Melody," that came into being during a sound check at the Mothership in Boston. That Steve Vai, what will he think of next? --Genevieve Williams