Real Illusions: Reflections

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title: "Real Illusions: Reflections" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["steve-vai-albums", "2005-albums", "epic-records-albums", "2000s-concept-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Illusions:_Reflections" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	Real Illusions: Reflections
type	studio
artist	Steve Vai
cover	Vai ReaIIlusionsReflections.jpg
border	yes
released
studio	The Mothership Studio in Hollywood Hills; The Harmony Hut in Encino, Los Angeles; De Oosterpoort in Groningen; Paradiso in Amsterdam
genre	Instrumental rock, progressive metal, heavy metal, hard rock
length
label	Epic
producer	Steve Vai
prev_title	The Ultra Zone
prev_year	1999
next_title	The Story of Light
next_year	2012
::

Real Illusions: Reflections is the seventh studio album by guitarist Steve Vai, released on February 22, 2005, through Epic Records. The album reached No. 147 on the U.S. Billboard 200, as well as No. 88 on the Dutch albums chart and No. 110 on the French albums chart.

Described by Vai as "rock fable", "Lotus Feet", purposely designated as track seven (see The Seventh Song) and recorded live during three separate concerts in the Netherlands during Vai's 2004 "Aching Hunger Tour", was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Vai cites Bulgarian wedding music as having inspired "Freak Show Excess".

Background

This work is a concept album and, according to Vai, marks the beginning of a trilogy. Seven years later, the second part of the trilogy, The Story of Light, was released. The recording of the album featured Billy Sheehan and Gregg Bissonette, who had previously worked with Vai in David Lee Roth's band.

Among the tracks, only "Lotus Feet" was recorded live. It was compiled from recordings of three performances in the Netherlands and features a collaboration with the local orchestra, the Metropole Orchestra.

Critical reception

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score =

Sean Westergaard at AllMusic gave Real Illusions: Reflections a positive review, listing "K'm-Pee-Du-Wee", "Firewall", "Yai Yai", "Freak Show Excess" and "Lotus Feet" as highlights. He also remarked favorably about Vai's singing: "As a vocalist, he's gotten way more confident, and while it's doubtful his singing will ever be the primary attraction, he does a fine job here."

Track listing

Personnel

Steve Vai – lead vocals, guitar, all instrumentation (except where noted), engineering, mixing, production
Jeremy Colson – drums, percussion (track 5), additional percussion (tracks 4, 6, 10)
Gregg Bissonette – percussion (track 5), additional percussion (tracks 4, 6, 10)
Billy Sheehan – bass
Bryan Beller – bass (track 7)
Jerry Hey – trumpet (track 5)
Gary Grant – trumpet (track 5)
Dan Higgins – saxophone (track 5)
Larry Williams – saxophone (track 5)
Bill Reichenbach, Jr. – trombone (track 5)
Charlie Loper – trombone (track 5)
Stacy Ellis – background vocals (track 5)
Metropole Orkest – orchestra (track 7)
Chris Opperman – piano (track 7)
Pia Vai – harp (track 11)
Fire Vai – spoken vocals (track 11)
Laurel Fishman – spoken vocals (track 11)
Ruby Birman – spoken vocals (track 11)
Len Birman – spoken vocals (track 11)
Jeff Mallard – spoken vocals (track 11)
Michael Mesker – spoken vocals (track 11)
Thomas Nordegg – spoken vocals (track 11)
David Kole – orchestration (track 7)
Dick Bakker – conducting (track 7)
Neil Citron – engineering assistance
Paul Bliven – engineering assistance
Bernie Grundman – mastering

Chart performance

::data[format=table]

Year	Chart	Position
2005	Billboard Independent Albums	15
Dutch albums chart	88
French albums chart	110
Billboard 200	147
Billboard Top Internet Albums	147
Greek Albums	25
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Awards

::data[format=table]

Event	Title	Award	Result
2006 Grammys	"Lotus Feet"	Best Rock Instrumental Performance	Nominated
::

References

Westergaard, Sean. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/real-illusions-reflections-mw0000261218 "Real Illusions: Reflections - Steve Vai"]. ''[[AllMusic]]''. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
[http://www.allmusic.com/album/real-illusions-reflections-mw0000261218/awards "Real Illusions: Reflections - Steve Vai. Awards"]. ''AllMusic''. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
[http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Steve+Vai&titel=Real+Illusions%3A+Reflections&cat=a "Steve Vai - Real Illusions: Reflections (album)"]. ''finnishcharts.com''. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
''Real Illusions: Reflections'' is the first part of a three-part [[concept album]] about a town visited by the godsent Pamposh and his construction of the Church.[[Steve Vai. Vai, Steve]] (2005). [http://www.vai.com/minisites/realillusions/index.html "Inside Real Illusions: Reflections"]. vai.com. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
[http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/grammys.htm "48th Grammy Awards - 2006"]. Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
(June 2016)
Graff, Gary. (2012-09-26). "Steve Vai Stretches on 'The Story of Light,' Looks Toward Trilogy Box Set". Billboard.
Kachejian, Brian. "Top 10 Steve Vai Songs". ClassicRockHistory.com.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20050930224819/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm Ελληνικό Chart]

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