Stone Pushing Uphill Man

Paul Gilbert has done just about everything. Here he lays down some serious vocals to some tremendous covers. Wait a second, there are no vocals on those songs; it is his guitar. The CD opens with a cover of Loverboy's Working for the Weekend. This is an all out jam that will have you singing this song in your head for weeks on end. I was surprised when my two kids started to sing the lyrics when the song came on. And I think that is all that needs to be said for the covers as they are all excellent. One of the very cool things about the CD is the welcome addition of Paul's very own Purple Without All The Red. This is a light and airy song. This along with My Girl paints a picture of how Paul can move from serious shredding into an elegant sound. The range within this album is stunning. Lastly, the album concludes with Stone Pushing Uphill Man which could be loosely based upon the story in Greek Mythology of Sisyphus, or perhaps from the cliche to "Stop and smell the roses", or even yet, Keep working towards your goal without yielding to be the best you can be. Whatever his motivation, the results is a bluesy epic. Very well rounded. Again, I think Paul has done just about everything - Metal, Rock, Jass, Blues, and sounds from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and beyond. Obviously very accomplished but the only thing Paul has not attempted is a spiritual album. Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Phil Keaggy, Mike Roe, have all provided some glimpse of heavenly playing with a heavenly theme. We have seen the dark side of Paul, especially his early beginnings. It would be nice to see some Hymns and spiritually base music from Paul. Perhaps covers from Stryper, Yes, 77s, Peter Furler, Bloodgood, Waterboys, U2, Bruce Cockburn etc... I bet Paul could do some serious shredding in a cover of the 77s "Outskirts" and would love to see his interpretation of Mike Roe's solo song "Hobo Messiah". Or perhaps going wild with the Waterboys "A life Of Sunday's" or "Fishermans Blues". I also be he could make his guitar sing to Bruce Cockburn's "All The Diamonds". And I cannot even imagine him covering Stryper's "The Way" or "No More Hell To Pay". Might not ever see the light of day, but we can all dream. Paul Gilbert's Stone Pushing Uphill Man is an excellent CD. On this CD, Paul's guitar sings.....what else do you want? Worth the investment! Paul Gilbert is a master at his craft and becuase he has pushed his stone uphill, we get the pleasure of listening to the results of his labor. What a delight.Track listing:1. Working for the Weekend2. Back in the Saddle3. I Got the Feelin4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road5. Why Can t We Do It in the Road6. Shock Absorber7. Purple Without All the Red8. Murder By Numbers9. My Girl10. Wash Me Clean11. Stone Pushing Uphill Man

Worthy group of instrumental covers by one of the best if not the best guitarist alive. Throughout his career Paul has done covers and one offs in the style of pieces. He seems to be able to play anything at anytime. He and Guthrie Govan are superb at being both unique and chameleons. They can shred but also make sure the shred does not obscure the music. This album dials down the new stuff and give fans some welcome variants on great music.

When I first read that Paul Gilbert was making an album that “uses his guitar like a voice to convey a wide range of emotions” I was a little skeptical, especially when I saw that the first song was a Loverboy cover. But if anyone can pull this off it’s Mr. Gilbert.And pull if off he does, covering a wide range of artists with a variety of styles from Aerosmith and Elton John to KD Lang and James Brown. The recording is A+ and the band is great. I haven’t’ listened to many (any?) guitar as voice recordings but can say you will find yourself singing along even if there aren’t any words. Paul even throws a few of his own songs on here. Fans of Steve Vai are going to love this.On Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle” Paul not only has to cover the guitars of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford but Steven Tyler’s vocals as well. He seems to have no problem doing this and even accurately mimics Tyler’s high notes at the end of the song. One of my favorites on the record.The funk comes out on James Brown’s “I Got the Feelin’ “ and Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is nice and bluesy.“Shock Absorber”, the first original composition on the disc and one of the best, reminds us “that’s the most important $hit you’re ever gonna hear in your life”.Gilbert’s cover of The Police’s “Murder By Number” is better than the original and his playing on KD Lang’s “Wash Me Clean” is as happy as it gets. (best)The title track is OK. My problem is I don’t like vocals on songs by people that are known for instrumentals, kind of spoils the mood for me. The song does kick in and rock after a while.

The first thing I look for when Paul releases a new album is whether or not it's an instrumental. Gilbert's guitar work is always excellent, and he has a decent voice, but his lyrics are generally too painful to listen to. For those who feel the same way, this album is all instrumental except for the title song, but Gilbert's lyrics and voice are okay on that one. The rest of the album is pretty good.

Paul Gilbert is one of the very few great guitar players on the virtuosity level he is dealing with, and he is a virtuous. This record I do like, like many of the others he has done, solo, Mr. Big, Razor X etc... This one deal with some cover versions of "his" (I guess) favourites. Nice that he do listen to Loverboy and Aerosmith and it is their early work, which I also do prefer. These covers are also the best on the record. The title number Uphill Man is great too.Only cons is his guitar sound it getting more and more away from a guitar sound sounding buzzy like a bee sworn on the run...time to clean thing sup and get back to the more twang sound as in the earlier days

Not as impressed as I was hoping to be - not bad, just not great. Since Amazon doesn't give the ability to preview any of Paul's CDs, every purchase is taking a chance for me. I know his abilities are more than I've experienced with the 2 CDs I've purchased, but at the premium prices of his CDs I think I will hold off on any more until I have heard one I truly enjoy.

It's a good thing fingers can't wear out or Paul Gilbert's hand would have been retired a long time ago. From Racer X to Mr. Big to his solo work, Paul has gotten a workout through his finger. This is one of the best collections of classic hits and originals I have listened to for a while. WORKIN' FOR THE WEEKEND, originally performed by Loverboy, is just awesome!!

Love this CD from Mr PG. Nice riffs clean clear playing no matter what the tempo. As always a masterpiece of musicial invention. Strongly recommend.

Dem Hr. Gilbert, seines Zeichen Gründer der Power Metal Band RACER X, Mitbegründer von Mr. Big und Komponist und Interpret zahlreicher Soloalben, dürfte zwischen seinen Workshops und den Aufnahmen zum neuen Mr. Big Album (The Stories we could tell … Veröffentlichungstermin Ende September) mal langweilig gewesen sein. So dachte er sich, ich spiele ein Album mit Coverversionen ein. Doch nein, so leicht macht es sich ein Gitarrenvirtuose natürlich nicht. Er covert gesungene Songs rein instrumental, wobei seine Leadgitarre den Gesangspart übernimmt. Und so kommen Loverboy (Working for the Weekend), Aerosmith (Back in the Saddle), James Browne (I got the feeling), die Beatles/Elton John (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road), The Police (Murder by numbers), Eric Carmen (My Girl) und KD Lang (Wash me Clean) in den Genuss von Paul gecovert zu werden. Außerdem fügt er noch 3 eigene Songs auf das Album - Shock Adsorber, Purple without all the Red und den Titelsong, wobei letzterer der einzige ist, zu welchem Paul auch Vocals beisteuert.Über Gilbert’s Fingerfertigkeit muss man nicht viele Worte verlieren, beeindruckend ist trotzdem, wie er bei den Coversongs die Vocals einfach durch seine Gitarre ersetzt und zusätzlich noch zahlreiche Spielereien mit einbaut. Natürlich ist ein (fast) reines Instrumentalalbum nicht so leicht verdaulich wie ein Bandalbum á la Mr. Big, trotzdem lebt auch dieses Werk von einem interessanten Stilmix und wird nie langweilig, sodass man es immer wieder in den CD – Player schiebt.Es ist mit Sicherheit nicht das einfachste Album für jemanden, der in Paul Gilbert’s Gitarrenwelt hineinschnuppern möchte, doch die Idee und die Umsetzung ist es auf jeden Fall wert, sich die CD anzuschaffen.

Gilbert siempre rayando a buena altura

I have been Paul Gilbert's fan since Mr. Big. From his old school rock albums King Of Clubs, Flying Dog and Burning Organ AND instrumental Get Out Of My Yard, Silence Followed By A Deafening Roar and Fuzz Universe, I know my expectations. I was not sure at first but later I liked Vibrato also. BUT Stone Pushing Uphill Man, I just don't know what to say about it. I got it on the release day, still listening to it for a week but it did not grow on me and I know it won't, that's it. This is full of cover songs and Paul only did the improvisation because that's all he is doing here. The technical ability is all there but not just THAT soulful playing. Sorry!

Cosa scrivere ancora di Paul Gilbert : per me semplicemente il miglior chitarrista in circolo,per eclettismo,per versatilità,per simpatia,per gioia e divertimento nel suonare.Questo nuovo disco presenta ,tranne che per la prima canzone e l'ultima,una serie di cover reinterpretate strumentalmente alla sua maniera,e risultano,secondo me,molto godibili.La prima canzone e l'ultima sono sue produzione e la prima è la migliore del cd con una bella ritmica incalzante e un buon tiro,chitarra al fulmicotone e riff alla Satriani vecchio stile.L'ultima,tra l'altro l'unica cantata,da il titolo al cd.Sicuramente tra le sue ultime produzioni più riuscite.