Top tracks — play these first
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Tender Surrender — This track highlights Vai's emotional depth through intricate melodies and expressive phrasing, showcasing his ability to blend technical skill with heartfelt performance.
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For the Love of God — A cornerstone of Vai's repertoire, this piece exemplifies his signature style with soaring solos that evoke profound emotion, making it a fan favorite.
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Gravity Storm — Demonstrating complex rhythms and innovative guitar techniques, this track represents Vai's adventurous spirit and mastery over dynamic shifts, encapsulating the essence of his live performance.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Vai's technical prowess shines through in this live album, with strong compositions and engaging performances.
What we noticed
- The live setting captures audience reactions, which are interspersed throughout the performance, adding to the energy of the recording.
- The final track is a medley that incorporates elements from earlier songs, providing a cohesive conclusion to the performance.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic live performance experience
- wave-like pacing with peaks
- virtuosic guitar showcases emotions
- extended tracks for deep immersion
- captivating engagement with audience
Maybe skip if you
- prefer concise, fast-paced albums
- dislike extended instrumental sections
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Fan Favorite — This live album showcases Vai's skills and is well-received by dedicated fans.
- Career context
- Released in 2015, Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A. captures Steve Vai at a point where he was celebrating over three decades of iconic guitar work. This live album followed his earlier studio effort, The Story of Light (2012), and highlighted his continued evolution as a performer and composer, showcasing both classic tracks and newer material.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Joe Satriani· Yngwie Malmsteen· Paul Gilbert
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 Intro / Racing the World 6:14
- 2 Velorum 6:10
- 3 Band Intros 1:22
- 4 Building the Church 6:08
- 5 Tender Surrender 6:42
- 6 Gravity Storm 5:36
- 7 Weeping China Doll 6:16
- 8 John the Revelator 3:53
- 9 The Moon and I 7:02
- 10 The Animal 8:19
- 11 Whispering a Prayer 10:59
Disc 2
- 1 The Audience Is Listening 7:24
- 2 Rescue Me or Bury Me 5:18
- 3 Sisters 3:36
- 4 Treasure Island 1:53
- 5 Salamanders in the Sun 1:12
- 6 Pusa Road 2:05
- 7 Frank 6:12
- 8 The Ultra Zone 7:37
- 9 Build Me a Song LA 10:38
- 10 For the Love of God 10:14
- 11 Taurus Bulba 6:36
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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