by Andy Hinds

In the unlikely event that guitar-heads were not satisfied with Greg Howe's previous three guitar-based instrumental albums (1993's Introspection, 1994's Uncertain Terms, and 1995's Parallax), they may want to check out Five, which sounds a lot like its predecessors. Each track is packed to the gills with incomprehensibly fast soloing and impeccable note choice, and there's a great enthusiasm brought to the table by bassist Kevin Vecchione. But otherwise, Five is just like Howe's other home-studio-recorded '90s albums: about ten instrumental tracks led by Howe's nonstop electric guitar soloing, with a quiet acoustic piece put in the middle to serve as sort of a half-time break. Predictable or dependable, depending on your point of view. But it's always astounding to witness Greg Howe's prowess, and he usually surrounds himself with other great musicians.