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What a
pleasant surprise, I have always had some somewhat ambivalent feelings
towards Uli Jon Roth and his guitar hero music. But that has surely
changed with this Best of double album, which covers his entire solo
career.
People,
who are familiar with his albums, know he is heavily inspired by
classical composers like Puccini, Vivaldi, Mozart, Chopin and Bach, and
we get a fair share of his interpretations of some of their pieces. And
I must admit I really enjoy them all, because Mr. Roth is a brilliant
guitarist, who knows where the fine and delicate balance between
inspiration and ripping off is. His versions of songs like Puccini's Bridge
to Heaven with Tommy Heart on vocals and Bach's Air have just the right
amount of originality and Roth input.
This
album has clearly changed my perception of Uli Jon Roth, and has given
me a very good insight into his universe. But not everything that shines
is gold, and things do wear a bit thin on disc two - the older songs are
a tad boring and at best mediocre. But don't let that scare you off if
you are looking for an introduction to Uli Jon Roth, because that's
exactly what this is - a nice way to learn about Mr. Roth and his guitar
playing. |
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