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Joe Satriani
Is There Love in Space?
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With his latest album Joe Satriani asks the unanswerable: “Is There Love In Space?” Those listening will probably ask, “How can he possibly get better?” It is not so much that he has reinvented his entire approach to the instrument or that he is playing any faster or any more over the top than he has in the past; it is just that he plays with the utmost economy now; every note serves the song. After dedicating his life to the guitar for the past 34 years, this is truly the work of a musician that is ‘one’ with his instrument.
Like his last studio album, 2002’s “Strange Beautiful Music”, this is a fairly straightforward rock and roll affair. Of course, we are talking about Joe Satriani here and with previous album titles such as “Crystal Planet”, “Not Of This Earth”, and “Surfing With The Alien”; one can safely assume that there is quite a bit of “extraterrestrial exploration” within his brand of rock.
The album opens with the mega-funky “Gnaahh” which finds Joe wailing over Prince-styled guitar rhythms. The title of this tune makes sense; Satriani’s guitar leads sound like mosquitoes from Jupiter making the sound “Gnaahh” as they fly over your head. Satch rocks righteously on songs such as “Up In Flames”, “Hands In The Air”, “Lifestyle”, and “I Like the Rain”; the latter two featuring his first lead vocals on record since his self titled release from 1995.
While the album is consistently strong throughout, Satriani positively shines on the mid tempo tracks, the ballads and, of course, those space-jams. For the mid tempo numbers, “If I Could Fly” and the uplifting ballad “Just Look Up” feature acoustic guitar backing with Satch singing beautifully through his guitar. Not a single note is wasted; the melodies are perfectly rendered and heartfelt without any fear of ‘wanking’ that has plagued instrumental guitar music for years. While “The Souls Of Distortion” sounds like a grinding rocker, don’t let those power chords fool you, this song contains some of the strongest lead playing on the album.
As for those space jams, Satriani blasts off to another galaxy on the title track and the 10-minute workout “Searching”. Not much I can say here that I haven’t already said, the playing here is melodic, experimental, inspiring; you get the picture.
I think I can safely say that this will be one of the top guitar albums of the year – so if this style of guitar rock is your thing you cannot miss this album.
Release Date: April 13, 2004
Tracks: 11 - Time: 58:12
Produced by: Joe Satriani
Format: CD
Website: www.joesatriani.com
Track Listing:
Gnaahh / Up in Flames / Hands in the Air / Lifestyle / Is There Love in Space? / If I Could Fly / The Souls of Distortion / Just Look Up / I Like the Rain / Searching / Bamboo.
Joe Satriani:
Joe Satriani - Vocals / Guitars / Harmonica / Keyboards
Matt Bissonette - Bass
ZZ Satriani - Bowed Bass
Jeff Campitelli - Drums / Percussion
John Cuniberti - Tambourine
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