Favorite Guitar Albums
 

I always liked these so I think I'll start one. Everyone who wants to should contribute an album (or multiple albums) for the list. They explain why they chose this album and talk about it. For example, say someone chose Evil Empire by Rage Against the Machine. They would talk about Tom Morello's playing. Talk about riffs, songs, ability to gell with a band, compare him to other players, compare this album to other Rage albums. Talk about the guitar music and its relationship to the rest of the music. Or whatever. Maybe you actually like Joe Satriani. If you must. Ideally. The idea would be to focus on albums though and not just guitarists or songs.

Appetite for Destruction. Izzy/Slash's ability to play in the pocket with Duff. Groove. Izzy's little fills and Duff's melodic bass intro. Slash's simple yet iconic pentatonic intro.

Purple Rain by Prince: Journey inspired tone and playing on the title track. Underrated/not very loud fills for the verses. A very Santana inspired solo for Computer Blue.

I'll throw this one on the pile. I wore this out a few times back in the 80's and early 90's.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJPtn0isXnE

A highlight:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHNfsQzO9KI

I really prefer Graham Bonnet for vocals (Assault Attack was phenomenal), but Gary does a decent job. Mike doesn't get enough love around here.

Frank Zappa: Apostrophe, The Grand Wazoo, Waka Jawaka, Sheik Yerbouti, Zoot Allures
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
Slayer: Reign in Blood
Radiohead: OK Computer
The Police: any
Bad Brains: Bad Brains
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Can: Tago Mago
Sepultura: Beneath the Remains
CCR: Willy and the Poor Boys

Most things Vai did was based on this.

*were

I like a guitar album to be really focused on the guitar, so I've never thought of Dark Side of The Moon as being a "guitar album". Likewise, what I've heard of Police (=not much).

These are a couple of my favourites:-
Allman Bros: Live at Fillimore East- long tracks, with two guitarists taking turns to carry the whole show
Guadalupe Plata: their albums are titled just by year: 2015 is the one where I fell in love with their updated, ferocious take on a slightly Dick Dale style.
John Fahey: I like the intensity of your Michael Shenker rec, Plankton, but sometimes I want something to wind down with, and then almost anything by JF does the job. Not easy to make an album of acoustic guitar instrumentals sound distinctive, but he did it on a reg basis.

Good call on Tago Mago, sufferin S. Karoli is really underrated imo, perhaps because of his insistent, yet somehow under-the-radar style.
And if I were to chose an album where the guitar playing is just one bit of the band's sound, I think I'd go with:
Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstacy - standout guitarwork turning up on Showbiz Kids and Pearl of the Quarter.

I didnt know Vai played on Zoot Allures. I think Black Napkins and the title track are perfect though.

He didn't play on that one, but you can hear it's influence in a lot of his tunes.

Oh ok. Thanks. Maybe I'll listen again.

For some mellower stuff, Eric Johnson comes to mind and aside from Ah Via and Tones, Venus Isle has always been a favorite. A late night drive with that playing has been therapeutic for me at times.

For acoustic, anything by Tommy Emanuel.

Then, there's Stanley Jordan, Frank Gambale, Kazumi Watanabe, and a whole other host of fantastic players with some mellower stuff. It's been a while since I've been down those roads though, so they don't pop into the cerebellum quite like they used to.