"Acoustic Samurai" is an acoustic live album recorded at Tokyo's Hard Rock Café. The concert is very intimate and bootleg-like starring only
Paul Gilbert on vocals and guitar, backed up by Linus of Hollywood.
The laid back atmosphere and the handclaps all over the songs make me think of several unplugged bootleg CD's I got from various bands. Since there isn't a backing band the songs sounds much peeled down and a bit fragile. However, they still hold up performed on an acoustic only.
ABBA's
Dancing Queen is among the coolest on the performance captured in July 2003. The selection of songs from Paul's previous albums proves those powerful riffs from songs like
I'm Not Afraid of the Police, the very electric T
he Second Loudest Guitar in the World and Racer X's
Scarified work acoustic. Paul is a brilliant guitarist and even though he got his first acoustic guitar when he recorded Mr. Big's monster hit
To Be With You he certainly caught up on the acoustic.
Down to Mexico is among my favorites because Paul changes between cool riffs and chords.
Several sweet Japanese girl voices can be heard screaming and singing along to Paul's songs, since
Paul Gilbert is big in Japan. Almost priceless to hear the innocent Japanese girls sing
I Am Satan in the chorus for self-same titled song.
The album has 2 new studio tracks as well.
Maybe I'll Die Tomorrow is hard driven electric song
Paul Gilbert recorded in Tokyo for a movie soundtrack. The song has a certain emotion to the intro with thundering drums and a change between acoustic and a really heavy electric guitar. It is the most aggressive song I heard from
Paul Gilbert. The mellow
Always for Alison is the opposite of
Maybe I'll Die Tomorrow, since it is another song building bridge between melodic pop and guitar driven rock.
"Acoustic Samurai" displays
Paul Gilbert's solo work quite well, because the shredding is almost gone in favor of powerful melodic riffs and melodic solos.
Paul Gilbert's solo work allows him to explore his deep appreciation for the more song oriented side of music.
I love
Paul Gilbert, but "Acoustic Samurai" is a hard core fan only release. The CD is fun, but quickly becomes boring hearing full length. I see it as a transition record to Paul's up-coming studio record, which I look very much forward to.
Written by
Michael Friday, November 12, 2004
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