Real Illusions: Reflections
{{Infobox album
| name = Real Illusions: Reflections
| type = studio
| artist = Steve Vai
| cover = Vai ReaIIlusionsReflections.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2005|2|22}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio = The Mothership Studio in Hollywood Hills; The Harmony Hut in Encino, Los Angeles; De Oosterpoort in Groningen; Paradiso in Amsterdam
| genre = Instrumental rock, progressive metal, heavy metal, hard rock
| length = {{Duration|m=55|s=10}}
| label = Epic
| producer = Steve Vai
| prev_title = The Ultra Zone
| prev_year = 1999
| next_title = The Story of Light
| next_year = 2012
}}
Real Illusions: Reflections is the seventh studio album by guitarist Steve Vai, released on February 22, 2005, through Epic Records.Westergaard, Sean. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/real-illusions-reflections-mw0000261218 "Real Illusions: Reflections - Steve Vai"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-12-12. The album reached No. 147 on the U.S. Billboard 200,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/real-illusions-reflections-mw0000261218/awards "Real Illusions: Reflections - Steve Vai | Awards"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-12-12. as well as No. 88 on the Dutch albums chart and No. 110 on the French albums chart.[http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Steve+Vai&titel=Real+Illusions%3A+Reflections&cat=a "Steve Vai - Real Illusions: Reflections (album)"]. finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
Described by Vai as "rock fable", Real Illusions: Reflections is the first part of a three-part concept album about a town visited by the godsent Pamposh and his construction of the Church.Vai, Steve (2005). [http://www.vai.com/minisites/realillusions/index.html "Inside Real Illusions: Reflections"]. vai.com. Retrieved 2014-12-12. "Lotus Feet", purposely designated as track seven (see The Seventh Song) and recorded live during three separate concerts in the Netherlands during Vai's 2004 "Aching Hunger Tour", was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards.[http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/grammys.htm "48th Grammy Awards - 2006"]. Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2014-12-12. Vai cites Bulgarian wedding music as having inspired "Freak Show Excess".[https://www.youtube.com/user/rkkrah rkkrah] (2008-03-03). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDx6dtr2T50 "Steve Vai demonstration - Freak Show Excess"]. YouTube. Retrieved 2014-12-12. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
}}
Sean Westergaard at AllMusic gave Real Illusions: Reflections a positive review, listing "K'm-Pee-Du-Wee", "Firewall", "Yai Yai", "Freak Show Excess" and "Lotus Feet" as highlights. He also remarked favorably about Vai's singing: "As a vocalist, he's gotten way more confident, and while it's doubtful his singing will ever be the primary attraction, he does a fine job here."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = Steve Vai
| title1 = Building the Church
| length1 = 4:58
| title2 = Dying for Your Love
| length2 = 4:50
| title3 = Glorious
| length3 = 4:35
| title4 = K'm-Pee-Du-Wee
| length4 = 4:00
| title5 = Firewall
| length5 = 4:19
| title6 = Freak Show Excess
| length6 = 6:51
| title7 = Lotus Feet
| note7 = live
| length7 = 6:45
| title8 = Yai Yai
| length8 = 2:37
| title9 = Midway Creatures
| length9 = 3:42
| title10 = I'm Your Secrets
| length10 = 4:26
| title11 = Under it All
| length11 = 8:07
| total_length = 55:10
}}
Personnel
{{Div col}}
- Steve Vai – lead vocals, guitar, all instrumentation (except where noted), engineering, mixing, production
- Jeremy Colson – drums, percussion (track 5), additional percussion (tracks 4, 6, 10)
- Gregg Bissonette – percussion (track 5), additional percussion (tracks 4, 6, 10)
- Billy Sheehan – bass
- Bryan Beller – bass (track 7)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet (track 5)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (track 5)
- Dan Higgins – saxophone (track 5)
- Larry Williams – saxophone (track 5)
- Bill Reichenbach, Jr. – trombone (track 5)
- Charlie Loper – trombone (track 5)
- Stacy Ellis – background vocals (track 5)
- Metropole Orkest – orchestra (track 7)
- Chris Opperman – piano (track 7)
- Pia Vai – harp (track 11)
- Fire Vai – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Laurel Fishman – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Ruby Birman – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Len Birman – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Jeff Mallard – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Michael Mesker – spoken vocals (track 11)
- Thomas Nordegg – spoken vocals (track 11)
- David Kole – orchestration (track 7)
- Dick Bakker – conducting (track 7)
- Neil Citron – engineering assistance
- Paul Bliven – engineering assistance
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
{{Div col end}}
Chart performance
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="6"|2005 | ||
| Dutch albums chart | ||
| French albums chart | ||
| Billboard 200 | ||
| Billboard Top Internet Albums | ||
| Greek Albums
|align="center"|25[https://web.archive.org/web/20050930224819/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm Ελληνικό Chart] |
Awards
| class=wikitable | |||
| Event | Title | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Grammys
|"Lotus Feet" |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.guitar9.com/realillusions.html In Review: Steve Vai "Real Illusions: Reflections"] at Guitar Nine Records
{{Steve Vai}}
{{Authority control}}