08 Sep 2025
Composition (2007) – Critical Reviews and Best-of-2007 Rankings
Full archive of critical reviews and 2007 best-of rankings for Lindsey Boullt’s jazz-rock fusion album Composition (2007), featuring Atma Anur, Jerry Goodman, Stu Hamm, and Derek Sherinian.
Musik an Sich
Even the name Steve Vai as a guest on Lindsey Boullt’s CD can make one pause. Composition fills the air with expectation, and that expectation is more than met. Alongside Atma Anur, Stu Hamm, Jerry Goodman, and Derek Sherinian, the album delivers a striking blend of Indian-tinged Led Zeppelin-style hard rock and jazz fusion. Orchestral passages, outstanding solos, and multiple new sonic impressions make this a recording that is hard to categorize but easy to admire. It is one of those albums you listen to and then know immediately whether it belongs on your shelf.
Aural Innovations
Now talk about a superstar lineup of backing musicians for a guitar hero. The musicianship on this CD is excellent, and the performances are intense without being reduced to pure shredding. On the opening track “Page Revisited,” Jerry Goodman, Stu Hamm or Jon Herrera, Atma Anur or Jeremy Colson, Peter Van Gelder, Derek Sherinian, Mingo Lewis, and Sukhawat Ali Khan all contribute to a strong fusion mix of jazz, metal, and rock. “Taste the Hate” stands out for its killer guitar, sitar, and Middle Eastern atmosphere, while “Farewell” offers melodic playing with a more laid-back mood. “Cleopatra’s Third Eye” closes the album with bass, percussion, and sitar leading back into the main theme.
Transient Music 2007
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Eluvium – Copia
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Thrice – The Alchemy Index
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Minus the Bear – Planet of Ice
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Lindsey Boullt – Composition
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Paul Marshall – Vultures
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Between the Buried and Me – Colors
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Radiohead – In Rainbows
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Terence Blanchard – A Tale of God’s Will
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Oceansize – Frames
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Burial – Untrue
Sputnik Music
In Sputnik’s year-end list, Lindsey Boullt’s Composition placed at #50. The write-up describes it as “Mahavishnu for the 21st century,” praising Boullt’s balance of technical fluency and compositional restraint. The review notes that he shreds with control rather than excess, allowing melody and ensemble detail to remain central. It is framed as a surprise of the year and a strong statement from a comparatively unknown artist.
DPRP
Lindsey Boullt began playing guitar at 21 and later graduated with honors from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. Composition features Derek Sherinian, Stu Hamm, Atma Anur, Jeremy Colson, and Jerry Goodman, and is described as an instrumental jazz-rock fusion album with clear ties to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Planet X. “Page Revisited” opens with acoustic chords and develops into a fast guitar-and-keyboard duel, while “Chasing the Whirling Dervish” brings a stronger Eastern feel. The review praises the album as a successful blend of experimental fusion, guitar heroics, and careful composition.
Upbeat & More
Richard Kulp describes Composition as a “Desert Storm of fusion,” combining Eastern flavor, rock rhythm, metal accents, and layered guitar work. The review singles out the carefully arranged interplay among the musicians and emphasizes the album’s strong compositional identity. “Page Revisited” is presented as a fierce opener with acoustic motifs, electric power, and rock-metal drive. “Farewell” is highlighted for its beauty and power, while “Cleopatra’s Third Eye” is noted for its unsettling, dramatic finish.
OddtimeObsessed
This review calls Composition a form of “easy listening” in the sense of adventurous instrumental fusion rather than background music. It highlights Boullt’s use of odd meters and credits the album’s varied rhythmic design. Favorite tracks include “Aurora’s Aura” and “Page Revisited,” with special praise for the 12-string guitar, the sitar, and the album’s Mahavishnu-like energy. The review concludes that Boullt plays for the music rather than as a technical showpiece.
Wonderful World of Prog
James Unger calls Composition a magical and imaginative recording that has remained in constant rotation. He describes Boullt’s ability to transform the guitar into whatever the music requires and praises the album’s blend of heavy prog and Mahavishnu-style fusion. The guest performances by Derek Sherinian, Jerry Goodman, and Mingo Lewis are noted as especially compelling. The album is recommended for listeners who appreciate progressive rock with complexity and movement.
Richard Barnes
Richard Barnes describes Composition as a fine collection of original guitar rock and fusion colored by Arab, Mediterranean, and Eastern idioms. He praises the production and notes that the album avoids filler, repetition, and overindulgence. The review highlights “Page Revisited,” “Chasing the Whirling Dervish,” “Moving Panvishnu,” “Call for Peace,” “Aurora’s Aura,” “Groovin’ with Stu,” “Taste the Hate,” “Farewell,” and “Cleopatra’s Third Eye” as a tightly sequenced album of strong contrasts. Barnes concludes that it is one of the finest guitar albums he has heard in some time.
HashmanYtse
Tommy Hash describes Boullt as a cross between Jimmy Page and John McLaughlin, blending world music, metal shred, and synth textures. The review emphasizes that Composition avoids both empty virtuosity and new-age softness, instead presenting expressive, spontaneous, and energetic playing. Tracks such as “Page Revisited,” “Farewell,” “Cleopatra’s Third Eye,” “Call for Peace,” “Moving Panvishnu,” and “Aurora’s Aura” are singled out for their range of moods. The piece positions Boullt as a breath of fresh air in shred guitar.
ProgressivNews
This German review presents Composition as an album of jazz-rock, prog-metal, and world music with an unmistakably oriental and Indian character. It praises the guest list, especially Jerry Goodman, Derek Sherinian, Stu Hamm, and Atma Anur, but stresses that the album is more than a celebrity project. The opening guitar-keyboard duels on “Page Revisited,” the Mahavishnu influence on “Moving Panvishnu,” and the vocal contributions of Sukhawat Ali Khan on “Call for Peace” are all singled out. The review strongly recommends the album to fans of Mahavishnu, Shakti, Sherinian, and related fusion traditions.
Merlin Prog
Lindsey Boullt’s Composition is described as a finely tailored blend of fusion and guitar rock with Mediterranean, Eastern, and Arabic colors. The production is noted as clean and strong, and the album is praised for its variety and lack of filler. “Page Revisited” opens with acoustic and electric guitar contrasts, while “Chasing the Whirling Dervish,” “Moving Panvishnu,” and “Call for Peace” extend the Eastern and Mahavishnu-inspired atmosphere. The review emphasizes Boullt’s humility as a composer, noting that he often lets the other musicians shine.
Geeks of Doom
This review calls the album huge in production, musicianship, and scope. It likens the record to a collision of Lost Tribe, Probot, and The John McLaughlin Trio, while stressing that the music remains coherent rather than merely technical. The reviewer sees Composition as a “Musician Appreciation Moment” and gives it an 8 on their rating scale. The tone is enthusiastic and slightly humorous, but the praise is direct.
All About Jazz
Glenn Astarita describes Boullt’s music as an Indo-progressive rock plane with world-music and power-rock elements. He highlights the support from Jerry Goodman and Mingo Lewis and praises the interaction between Boullt’s guitar, Peter Van Gelder’s sitar, and Sukhawat Ali Khan’s vocals. The review values the album’s focus on composition over pure display and praises Boullt’s taste and restraint. The track “Call for Peace” is singled out for its shifting rhythms and East Indian chanting.
Exposé
Exposé describes Composition as a surprisingly masterful and well-paced collection of guitar-based instrumental pieces. The album is praised for its brisk arrangements, world and Middle Eastern color, and strong ensemble work. The reviewer notes that the record “flat out kicks ass,” but does so tastefully, without overindulgence. It is recommended for fans of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, and other fusion-oriented artists.
RockTimes
RockTimes presents Boullt as a late-starting guitarist who nonetheless developed into a highly skilled and imaginative composer. The review emphasizes the album’s strong lineup and compares the material to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Led Zeppelin, and Allan Holdsworth. It praises the balance between acoustic passages, ferocious solos, Eastern themes, and ensemble interplay. The conclusion is especially favorable: the album is worth hearing and demonstrates a unique, well-formed artistic voice.
RockAces
RockAces frames Composition as a debut full of precision and power. The review notes Boullt’s formal training, his teaching background, and the strong lineup of collaborators, including Jerry Goodman, Derek Sherinian, Stu Hamm, Atma Anur, Jeremy Colson, Sukhawat Ali Khan, Peter Van Gelder, and Mingo Lewis. It stresses the album’s originality and its ability to combine culture, chaos, and odd-meter writing. The verdict is highly positive: the album is seen as deeply impressive and emotionally affecting.
Ragazzi
This review highlights the album’s Led Zeppelin and Mahavishnu influences while stressing that Boullt’s compositions stand on their own. It points out that the album moves between hard rock, jazz rock, and Eastern textures with strong compositional control. The writing praises Boullt’s technical ability but also his discipline in not overplaying. The conclusion is that the album is carefully structured, well produced, and sincerely worth hearing.
ProgRock Brazil
ProgRock Brazil describes Boullt as more than a guitarist: a wizard on the instrument. The review calls the album epic, strong, and symphonic in parts, with clear links to progressive rock, metal, and jazz fusion. It praises the ensemble work and mentions the contributions of Stu Hamm, Jon Herrera, Jerry Goodman, Derek Sherinian, Atma Anur, Jeremy Colson, and Peter Van Gelder. The album is recommended for listeners who enjoy adventurous instrumental music at a high level.
MusikZirkus
MusikZirkus describes Composition as an instrumental progressive-rock album with strong ethnic, Arabic, and Mahavishnu influences. The review notes that Boullt began guitar at 21 and later studied at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. It praises the album’s diversity, noting that the guitar alternates between hard rock, acoustic folk-like phrasing, and jazzy textures. The final recommendation is clear: listeners who want something beyond standard prog-rock should give it a chance.
MusicWaves France
This review opens by noting Boullt’s late start on guitar and his current role as a Guitar Institute instructor. It describes Composition as a self-produced debut backed by a strong cast of musicians and as a compact 10-track album lasting about 40 minutes. The reviewer identifies two broad tendencies in the music: an Eastern one and a more rock-metal one. Track by track, the review praises Boullt’s ability to balance riffs, shredding, acoustic passages, and atmospheric variety.
IdioGlossia
The review says it is impossible to remain indifferent to this album. It compares the record to a meeting point of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jerry Goodman, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and Derek Sherinian. The writer calls it a thoroughly fascinating instrumental album with passion and perfection. The conclusion is one of the most enthusiastic on the page: “I am flattened, I am thrilled”.
Detritus
Detritus calls Composition an A- release and praises its blend of world influences, Arabic and East Indian colors, fusion, and heavy rock. The review highlights “Moving Panvishnu,” “Call for Peace,” “Bravo Davo De La Torre,” and “Aurora’s Aura” as especially effective tracks. It notes that Boullt avoids constant shredding in favor of strong writing and memorable structures. The album is praised as challenging but rewarding.
Truth In Shredding
This review calls Composition a polished, highly recommended mix of Zeppelin, early Shawn Lane, and Shakti. It notes the presence of Jerry Goodman, Derek Sherinian, Stu Hamm, and Peter Van Gelder and praises the disc for its balance of intensity and restraint. “Moving Panvishnu” and “Aurora’s Aura” are singled out as early-70s fusion tributes. “Call for Peace” is praised for Sukhawat Ali Khan’s vocal performance.
Walt Kolosky / Jazz.com
Walt Kolosky gives Composition a score of 93/100 and praises Boullt’s range. He notes that the album moves between lush acoustic figures and machine-gun bursts of speed, depending on what the music calls for. “Call for Peace” is described as a wild, Indian-and-Arab hybrid, while “Chasing the Whirling Dervish” and “Call for Peace” are presented as complementary explorations of the same aesthetic world. The review emphasizes that the album’s force comes from composition, not mere technical display.
Metal Perspective
Metal Perspective describes the album as a mature and complete work, not a display of musical verbalism. It praises the guest lineup and the careful blend of hard rock, metal, jazz fusion, and Middle Eastern atmosphere. The review values Boullt’s emphasis on performance and composition rather than flashy tricks. The rating is 9/10.
Barikada Music
Barikada describes Boullt as a respectable and well-known guitarist and composer. The review praises the album’s journey through fusion, jazz rock, and progressive music with modern production and ethno-colored passages. It notes that the arrangements are colorful, rhythmically varied, and conceptually rich. The overall tone is one of strong approval.
Flight of Pegasus
This review frames Composition as a highly accomplished instrumental album from an American guitarist with serious credentials. It notes the impressive guest list and the album’s prog-oriental motifs. The review stresses momentum, melody, and the value of expressive support from the ensemble. It concludes that the music justifies both the title and the attention it receives.
Lords of Metal
Lords of Metal highlights Boullt’s late start on guitar and fast rise to technical competence. The review praises the guest musicians and the album’s oriental touches, particularly the sitar work. It notes that Boullt knows how to build hooks and then layer guitar lines over them effectively. The album is recommended as an enjoyable, skillfully executed instrumental record.
RU Tracker
RU Tracker offers a broad progressive-rock analysis and emphasizes the album’s stylistic breadth. It groups the music into acoustic, jazz-fusion, prog-metal, and Eastern categories while stressing that the record is fundamentally a compositional work. Several tracks are highlighted as standout examples of different styles, including “Chasing the Whirling Dervish,” “Groovin’ with Stu,” “Aurora’s Aura,” and “Bravo Davo De La Torre”. The review concludes that the album is a creative, challenging success.