Sick of bands playing three chords in occasionally varying configurations, mindlessly adding in some lyrics, slapping it on a CD and watching the cash flow in?

For a break from such wretched "music", look no further than Denis Taaffe's "Modern Rock Guitar Volume 1: Abducted By Aliens."

Taaffe single-handedly wrote all 15 songs on this CD and recorded them on his digital 8-track recording unit in his apartment. This meant playing all the instruments, including guitar, bass and drum programming, as well as vocals on two tracks. You won't find a single note on this album that wasn't played by Denis Taaffe himself.

The resulting recording is incredible. Over 57 minutes of this brilliant creator's work is bound to please. While instrumental music is not exactly mainstream, there is something on this album for everyone. If you want to rock, Taaffe won't fail you. Give "Adrenaline" or "Driven" a listen. If you're looking for something a little more soothing, test the waters of "Plynouth Rock".

The album begins with the title track, a more or less experimental piece. While less melodic than the other tracks, this song effectively illustrates its theme, which is, of course, alien abduction. This is no small task, especially without the aid of vocals. However, many intriguing guitar effects lend their hand to make this endeavor possible, yielding an odd but interesting piece.

Next is "You Don't Have To Pretend", one of the only two tracks in which Taaffe's voice is heard. While his vocals leave something to be desired, the song manages to succeed because of its catchy tune and impressive (but not excessive) guitar solo.

The rest of the CD continues to uphold the high standard set thus far, but doesn't stop there. Taaffe explores many styles and moods, showing just what a versitile musician he is.

"Driven" is next, and it just rocks, followed by "Countdown". Starting very delicately and quickly becoming more energetic, this track is great. Surprisingly there is an entrancing segue in the middle of the song, after which Taaffe picks up the pace to rock even harder than before. All of this leads to a very satisfying finale.

After a rush of "Adrenaline" comes the unique experience of "Maybrick Is The Ripper". This track begins with an almost ballad-like blend of soaring guitar and embellishments and swells to a harder groove. It then returns to its original theme and tapers off, setting the scene for "The Reef".

The introduction to "The Reef" is absolutely captivating. Delicate, articulate guitars introduce the piece, leading into the main theme. This theme is then explored in a heavier segment. Taaffe isn't done yet, though. The introductory material is revisited and further contemplated, followed by a recap of the main theme and fulfilling conclusion.

While most of the songs on the album are upbeat, "The Storm" does not follow this trend. It is my personal favorite. Moodier than the other songs on this CD, it is also the second of two songs in which Taaffe's voice is heard. The vocals in this piece are more effective than those of "You Don't Have To Pretend", as they are more melodic, not to mention the superior lyrics. The song manages to capture the beauty and power of a storm. It effectively portrays not only the turbulence, but also the calm, placid moments, especially the gradual beginning and ending.

There are several more songs on this album, but I'm going to leave those open to your discovery.

While the songs on this album are all wonderful, they all suffer from one major malady: the drum machine. While Taaffe did an admirable job with the drum programming, it in no way makes up for the lack of a drummer. Generally, the machine provides a somewhat generic background beat, but sometimes it can be downright annoying. At the same time, though, the use of a drum machine allowed this to be a true solo album.

One thing is obvious, however. Taaffe primarily does one thing: he plays the guitar. And he does it with so much skill and talent, not to mention musicianship.

If you're looking for great drums or incredible vocals, you won't find them here. But if it's great songs with astounding guitar that you seek, this is exactly what you're looking for.

Denis Taaffe wrote, performed and mixed all songs on this CD. He had it professionally mastered, however, and it shows. Mark Hood of Echo Park in Bloomington, Indiana (John Mellencamp, John Scofield, others) mastered the recording.