That Joe Satriani is a guitar virtuoso is clear. That he has command of his instrument like no-one else in the world is pretty clear but he is also a master of songwriting – albeit instrumental songs – and these 15 tracks are loaded with melody and tunes alongside his guitar wizardry.
He makes music that is instantly identifiable as ‘Satch’ but he continues to develop and create music that is complex, unique and great to listen to.
Shockwave Supernova is his alter ego. Recently, during the final performance of his two-year Unstoppable Momentum tour, Satriani had an epiphany; he found himself, “playing the guitar with my teeth an awful lot. I thought, ‘Why are you doing this?’ It’s as if something else, or somebody else, was driving me to do it.” Satriani seized upon this moment of self-realisation as the springboard and creative centre for his alter ego “Shockwave Supernova,” the outlandish and extroverted ‘performance side’ of the normally shy and reserved guitar virtuoso. The result is more outre and has a greater sense of rhythm than you would normally associate with him but the result is unmistakeable.
The title track explodes out of the blocks with Marco Minneman drumming like his life was on the line and a great bass line from Bryan Belter. The riff is exquisite and leads to some soloing that stretches the capability of the band to keep up (they do though) – this one is going to be massive played live.
Crazy Joey sees Vinnie Colaiuta take on the drums and Chris Chaney laying down a hip hop bass line while Satch and Mike Keneally play call and response on guitar solos and the same line-up is there for In My Pocket, a sloppy and greasy take on swing that just pulls you into the melody and presses the ‘hell yeah’ button.
Cataclysmic is as the name suggests, a huge stomp that brooks no quarter as the guitars reach stratospherically into areas that will annoy dogs and find many systems unable to cope – this one will be another huge live track methinks.
The short but utterly beautiful Butterfly And Zebra shows that Satriani is capable of winding the music down and creates a sound-poem that is just lovely.
The album closes on Goodbye Supernova as if he is putting the showman back in the box; it is restrained but still pokes its tongue out with some clever and emotional playing.
The first time through I thought Satriani had finally lost it but I couldn’t just give up and I’ve found some sublime playing and great new tracks – it is a terrific album.
Shockwave Supernova will be released on Friday (July 24).
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