That's not to say he can't tear it up with the best of them, however. "Tribute," the disc's lead-off track (after a radio-dial spinning sampler intro which cleverly previews the entire disc), has Mantel flying fearlessly along the fretboard, over pillars of solid rock, a touch of slide-work, and a driving, inspired rhythm. And throughout the disc's 20 tracks Eric randomly proves that speed and flash are his to toy with at whim.

But it was never his intent to race with the devil; rather to outsmart him at every turn. Brought up on jazz fusion pioneers such as Allan Holdsworth and inspired by wicked session masters like Brent Mason, Mantel has put in the requisite (thousands of) hours to master a variety of musical styles and genres. Yet he's filtered his virtuosic influences through a fine-tuned ear for pop rock; smooth jazz; sincere balladry; and exotic, world-wise twists. Throw in a bit of classical mood-setting and the fire of an Are You Experienced moment, and The Unstruck Melody is the gorgeous, sparkling - yes even deliciously tasty - result.

But the icing on the cake is not guitar related - though there are enough rippin' riffs to inspire any dedicated student of the instrument. It is instead Mantel's sweet songwriting skills which really make The Unstruck Melody a must-have. His craftsmanship shows itself particularly well on the tracks "The Simple Things," and "Shine On." Both are joyous, optimistic pop candies which not only highlight great writing, but solid vocal performances by Eric as well. Imagine that: a virtuoso guitarist with the voice to match! Unheard of.

Throughout the disc, Eric is ably backed and driven by stellar dummer/producer Patrick Doody (who spent 10 years touring the world with blues legend Lonnie Brooks), and a cast of Chicago professionals on bass, keys, and background vocals. Eric himself covers all electric and acoustic guitars, guitar synth, slide guitar, talk box, E-bow, and the aforementioned lead vocals. He has the ability to write songs on the same level as The Beatles, Todd Rundgren, Sting, Greg Lake, etc. The music and the playing are inspired and inspiring. The bottom line is that Eric Mantel is simply a musical phenomena, a true musical genius! You've simply got to get this disc!