The Elusive Light and Sound Vol.1

Steve Vai | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 4, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Favored Nations
• ASIN: B000066AZS
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,621 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #22 in Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists > Shred
  • #47 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists

Editorial Reviews

STEVE VAI The Elusive Light And Sound Vol. 1 (2001 US 40-track PICTURE DISC CD album featuring music composed by Steve Vai for the films Crossroads Dudes Bill & Teds Bogus Journey Encino Man and PCU + the tracks Celluloid Heroes and Love Blood. Housed in a Q-pack with 3-D cover and fold-out picture booklet FN2220-2)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Glad to Have It, November 11, 2002

By 

Mad Dog "maddog6969" (TimbuckThree, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elusive Light and Sound Vol.1 (Audio CD)

This is a collection of tracks written for or inspired by movie soundtracks. I bought it for the tracks from the movie Crossroads. Back when the Crossroads soundtrack hit the shelves, I was seriously bummed that the music from the headcutting duel scene was not included. Well, it's all here. Unfortunately, the sound quality of those tracks is not as good as I'd expected. But at least I've now got them.

The other tracks vary significantly in their appeal to me, but overall, I give a thumbs up. I've been a Steve Vai fan since the days when he played what Frank Zappa called "stunt guitar" for Frank's band. Was that really 20 years ago? I guess it was...

Steve's an incredible technician, but his music has always had his own unique attitude and for me, that's what sets him apart from so many other guitar heroes. The music on this disc covers quite a range of material. If you're into solo guitar, you'll probably find something to like.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspirational work of art, June 21, 2002

By 

T. Christesen (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Elusive Light and Sound Vol.1 (Audio CD)

this album is part of the secret jewel box set...it's not supposed to be the "ultimate vai album" that's gonna blow you away. any fans of steve vai should know this and should appreciate it for what it is - specifically, a collection of previously unreleased songs from films, nothing more. maybe if people did more research before they bought cds, they wouldn't feel so dissapointed when their expectations were not met. i personally thought it was a killer cd...you have to think like you're in the movie though...that's when you can really see Vai's true ability to write for whatever medium he is called to...it's very inspirational when you think like that.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Archival Disc, June 20, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Elusive Light and Sound Vol.1 (Audio CD)

Here is an accurate review:
Steve Vai fans are a dedicated lot, eager to hear the entirety of the guitarist's work (in that sense, he is very similar to his mentor, Frank Zappa, whose fans would buy collections of just his guitar solos). Given this fanbase, Vai had the opportunity to release an album like The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1  the first installment of an archival series, capturing all the music he's written and recorded for film, television, and theater. A brilliant idea, actually, since an album like this disproves the antiquated notion that Vai's music is all technique and skill, without much regard for tone, texture, or the big picture. By isolating his soundtrack work  music that he made to accentuate a particular passage in the film  it shows that he's not just a master guitarist, but he's very capable of using that skill to create and enhance moods. And that's even more impressive when you realize that this is all early work, ranging from 1986's Crossroads to 1994's David Spade comedy PCU. After two opening fanfares that aren't in the movies (both featuring vocals by Steve)  an elegiac cover of the Kinks' "Celluloid Heroes" sets the mood, followed by "Love Blood," a song Vai wrote with the intention of it being part of an adaptation of Interview With the Vampire or any film starring the Vampire Lestat, but later abandoned once the project wound up with David Geffen (it might not sound too vampirey, but it's better than anything Jonathan Davis cooked up for the Queen of the Damned soundtrack)  the compilation proceeds to go through every bit of music he's written for the featured films (aside from the previously mentioned pair, also Dudes, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and Encino Man). This includes brief, brief cues (some as short as 20 seconds); full pieces; and, best of all, the complete, legendary "Head Cuttin' Duel" from Crossroads, which features Vai and Ry Cooder in a shredding contest. Since this is deliberately an archival piece, it doesn't make for the easiest listening, but as an archival piece, it's first rate. It's hard to imagine any serious listener of Vai, or modern guitar, not wanting to hear this, or eagerly awaiting the next installment.  Stephen Thomas Erlewine