Customer Reviews

Paul the Young Dude

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Paul Gilbert is oft tagged as a "guitar hero". Unfortunately, this label seems to conjure visions of an overly serious musician more concerned with phrygian dominant scales and sweep arpeggios than making music. Paul Gilbert definitely can run scales and sweeps with the best of them but he injects a welcome sense of humor into his projects. While Racer X was pretty much straight-ahead metal, his solo career has seen him combine other elements. This collection pulls a pretty wide spectrum of his talents from his solo releases. There are songs that emphasize his songwriter side more, but tunes like "Down to Mexico" showcase his guitar playing talent in a fun song. The bonus disc, known as "Gilbert Hotel", is all acoustic. Paul's abilities as a songwriter and performer are well showcased on the bonus disc, with an amazing cover of Genesis' "The Lamb Lies Down" while his own "Older Guy" is simply hilarious.

I too ordered this thinking it was two discs. I even wrote AMAZON customer service asking them to confirm it was TWO CDs! They told me it was TWO CDs. I bought it and only ONE arrived. I'm returning this and I have already ordered a different version that has a sticker saying "BONUS CD INCLUDED!"

Put this Item # B00016B9F8 into your Amazon.com search to find it. It cost less too! It just better be the right one or I will rip Amazon sellers on that one too. If I post a positive review there, you'll KNOW it has TWO DISCS!

So, just to be clear: this review is 1 star because someone cannot get their facts straight. It is NOT AT ALL reflective of the songs or material included!

The songs are a "best of" and the songs that I'd heard before buying this are indeed great songs. I have heard all of the other songs and they're great too (Especially "Superloud"!)

PG is simply amazing. Just be sure what you're ordering and that you're getting what you wanted.

Read the editorial review, it is for Hotel the bonus disc to Paul The Young Dude only, and the reason I know is because I have gotten two of these and only got Hotel for both orders (a very good CD great music) but Paul The Young Dude does not come with it. This is not a box set at all. And what is funny is if you try to get Hotel it is not in stock. Amazon did refund me by changing what they charged me to the price of the Hotel CD for both CD's.

Everything that Paul does never ceases to amaze me! For a greatest hits package, it has enough new material to keep things interesting. "I Feel the Earth Move" is by far my fave. That song was the reason I made this purchase. Buy it and crank this baby up!

Yea, I said it! Pop in "Paul the Young Dude" in ye olde cd player as you are driving up the canyon and LOOK OUT! Track 4 "Down to Mexico" comes on and blamo! The canyon comes alive! My car is alive with the beat, handling the curves and powering the uphills, wow!
I can't help it, the music has me in its tractor beam!!! Thank God, the song is over, my late model turbo pinto wagon (my porche is in the shop again) finally slows down, awe damm! Track 5 "Superloud" just came on, hold on! here we go again, gas pedal down to the floor!!! Buy this CD, but I WARN YOU, Watch the Road!
(No Pinto or Pinto Wagons were harmed in any way in the listening of Paul Gilbert's "Paul the Young Dude" CD A+ CD rating!

I've been following PG's solo releases since king of clubs. When this best of came out I didn't go out any buy it right away. I often find best of's to be nothing more than a contractual obligation for the record company. This one is different. Aside from the tracks taken from PG's back catalog (which are all good, even one from raw blues power)it has some great, rocking, previously unreleased material that is well worth getting. I recommend it.

I knew of Paul Gilbert from Mr. Big. I had a few Mr. Big CDs and I'd seen them in concert. I didn't know Paul Gilbert had done any solo CDs after leaving Mr. Big until I found BEEHIVE LIVE in a local store. I now have FLYING DOG, KING OF CLUBS, ACOUSTIC SAMURAI, RAW BLUES POWER, GUITAR WARS and this 2 CD set. I don't play guitar myself, I am not a person that can comment on how good or not his technique is, but I know what I like, and I *LIKE* this set.

Of those CDs I listed above, this one is my favorite by far because I prefer the more polished sound to the live stuff and this set has a great selection too. Paul Gilbert has a nice voice, but it isn't great and though the raw live sound is fun, it doesn't add anything to the songs or his voice and in some cases detracts. Also, on the live stuff, the songs tend to be aimless and go off on a tangent that may have brilliant moments, but goes on too long.

"I Feel The Earth Move" is a great cover, rocked up a little. Well worth a listen. Though I don't think the singer is Paul Gilbert he is good and the guitar is even better. "Karn Evil 9" is another good cover, a solid, fun, rock song to get you going in the morning if the coffee's not working. You may not hum to it, but chances are you'll be bobbing your head in time to it.

"Down to Mexico" is a solid straightforward rock song. "Let the Computer Decide" is all guitar and it never bores though it's four minutes long. On the other hand, "The Second Loudest Guitar in the World" does bore. It goes on too long and doesn't have much to say, so to speak. At about two minutes into it I was getting bored. Maybe you have to be a guitar player to appreciate it more. <shrug>

"Girls Watching" is a solid, fun, bluesy rock song.

There are several instrumental/classical pieces in this set; "Gilberto Conerto," "G.V.R.O.," "N.F.R.O.,"ESCALATOR MUSIC" "W.T.R.O.". I think "N.F.R.O." is the stand out among them. A delicate piece of music that is exquisite. Breathtaking. It's not a Paul Gilbert original (written by Bach) but it sounds amazing and the classical songs serve as a nice contrast to the rock and pop songs that make up the rest of the material, a welcome change of pace (they are reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen's CD CONCERTO SUITE FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR AND ORCHESTRA IN E FLAT MINOR OP. 1 which I can't recommend highly enough, a real treat).

The song with the best lyrics goes to "Girls Who Can Read Your Mind" and it's the kind of song that you end up humming to long after the song is over and your day has moved on. "Girl Crazy" is another that you'll likely find yourself humming to.

"Universal" has a pop/blues sound and Paul Gilbert's voice sounds just right for it.

"Black Rain Cloud" is a laid back song, with great harmonies and good lyrics. "Three Times Rana" is another great harmonies song.

The lyrics of "Older Guy" showcase Paul Gilbert's sense of humour.

"I'm Not Afraid of the Police," "I Like Rock," are also stand outs. Very enjoyable.

I don't usually run across an album that has so many songs on it that I like so well. I think it helps that a variety is offered from rock to bluesy rock to pop and even classical. If you like a variety, if you like rock, guitar rock, if you liked Mr. Big and/or Paul Gilbert, then I think this set is a must for you.

I also recommend ACOUSTIC SAMURAI for the songs "Scarified," and "Maybe I'll Die Tomorrow." FLYING DOG is a must for the rocker "Heavy Disco Trip" and the quirky, risque "Tell the Truth".