This collection rounds-up tracks from Steve Morse’s solo output on Magna Carta plus tracks from various tribute albums. With instrumental albums you will either be a fan/fellow muso or would rather play a boy band album than listen to an album full of guitar workouts. I fall into the former being a fan of guitar albums, provided they have tunes and not just an excuse to show how fast a guitarist can ply or how many notes they can cram into one tune.

Luckily Steve Morse always goes fro the melody and he has revitalised the careers of not only Deep Purple in recent years, but before this Kansas, who received a real boost when Morse joined the band in the mid-80’s.

Of the covers, Rush’s ‘La Villa Strangiato’ is a must-hear and features Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy giving Neil Peart a run for his money. ‘Quantume Soup’ is an eleven minute workout but it passes so quickly due to the strong melody lines and keyboards of Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater).

A snapshot of Morse’s long and varied career and well worth having if you don’t have any of the albums represented on here.

***½

Review by Jason Ritchie

***** Out of this world | **** Pretty damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly