The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology (2003)

"This 2003 double-disc set is comprised almost entirely of Vai's solo work. While most guitar shredders got a bad rap come the '90s, Vai was always an exception to the rule, he always knew to put songwriting before soloing, and inject his wacky sense of humor into his playing. If you're unfamiliar with Vai's work, go straight to the tracks from his first two solo releases, 1984's "Flex-Able" and 1990's "Passion And Warfare", especially such ditties as "The Attitude Song," "For the Love of God," "The Animal," and the very Zappa-ish "Salamanders in the Sun." One complaint about "Infinite Steve Vai" is that the latter-day tracks far outweigh his superior earlier material, but there are several tracks that unquestionably should have been included, while another criticism is that no David Lee Roth, Frank Zappa, or PIL tracks are featured. Still, "Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" by and large serves as both a solid career overview and introduction to this one-of-a-kind guitarist." (Allmusic)