Name an album on which you admire the guitar playing

axisus

Rather than churn out a mad list, let's keep it to one album that you would put forward as excellence in guitar playing - for whatever reason - could be shredding, playing in the pocket and doing a job, tasteful solos etc. 

I'm going with Thomas Blug, Live in Raalte. It is an instrumental album, but unlike many it holds the attention well due to TB's very strong sense of melody. He is a player with great feel, and really gets a lot of expression out of his guitar, lovely stratty tones.

RMJ

Peace Machine by Philip Sayce.  There are some belting tracks on there - One foot in the grave, Powerful thing.  He has it all for me as a player and his tone is fairly recognisable as him.

axisus

RMJ said:

Peace Machine by Philip Sayce.  There are some belting tracks on there - One foot in the grave, Powerful thing.  He has it all for me as a player and his tone is fairly recognisable as him.

Ahhh, thanks for the reminder, someone I think I will really like ....

RMJ

axisus said:

RMJ said:

Peace Machine by Philip Sayce.  There are some belting tracks on there - One foot in the grave, Powerful thing.  He has it all for me as a player and his tone is fairly recognisable as him.

Ahhh, thanks for the reminder, someone I think I will really like ....

I find some of his stuff a bit dreary, but his hard blues stuff is exceptional. Watch some vids of him live too - incredible.

mudslide73

I'll go for Toto IV. Stellar throughout. Great songs where the guitar isn't always centre stage but fits in perfectly. When the guitar is the focus it's sublime. 

stratman3142

If I can only pick one, it's got to be something that includes great rhythm, lead, invention, versatility, tone, playing in the pocket and playing for the song. Steve Lukather is the first that springs to mind. Is it cheating to go for Hold The Line: The Ultimate Toto Collection?

Dopesick

Cave In - Jupiter

Not just the guitar playing (which is exemplary) but the use of effects as well. This album pretty much got me obsessed with delay pedals.

Sporky

Dark Star - 20-20 Sound

As with the excellent suggestion of Cave In's "Jupiter" above, it's not just the guitar playing and the songs, but really excellent use of effects.

Rocker

Frampton comes alive, Peter Frampton

bluechargeboy

Pornograffiti by Extreme still sticks in the brain as Nuno's ultimate showcase of playing. Rhythm is as strong as the leads and the leads are mind-blowing. The songs and production have dated but the playing is still brilliant.

Even "More Than Words" has a cheeky little shred at the end to remind you what you're dealing with!

Jonathangus

Misplaced Childhood - Marillion.  Superb melodic sense, and knows exactly when to sit back and when to take centre stage.

Megii

Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note

breakstuff

U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky.

Probably the album that most steered me into picking up a guitar so it's always been special to me.Some knock him,but The Edge was just fantastic on that album.

octatonic

John McLaughlin Trio, live at the Royal Festival Hall.

stimpsonslostson

Dopesick said:

Cave In - Jupiter

Not just the guitar playing (which is exemplary) but the use of effects as well. This album pretty much got me obsessed with delay pedals.

This! I listened to it yesterday coincidentally. Inspire is a phenomenal song and THAT riff!


For riffage, raunch & tightness I nominate Appetite for Destruction. The album that made me realise I wanted to play guitar. 

TonyR

The Smiths - Meat is Murder

Nitefly

Boston's first album.

fretmeister

Brad Paisley's instrumental one.

I'm not a massive country fan, but that album makes me think "how on earth..."

Amazing player.

(Shite lyricist mind you)

RandallFlagg

Never Mind The Bollocks. Steve Jones playing and tone are where it's at for me.

bbill335

guitarfishbay

Circa Survive - On Letting Go