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JOE SATRIANI
Engines of Creation (Epic)
Reviewed by Christophe Chuvan
Among the plethora of shredders who emerged out of the 80s fascination with guitar heroics, Joe Satriani enjoys a particular status. To start with, he's always managed to stay in touch with his audience, as opposed to countless other virtuosos who disappeared up their own arses after being constantly reminded of their brilliance. Secondly, he further distinguished himself from the pack by writing actual songs. Too often, instrumental guitar records consist of complicated riffs intersected with lightning fast solos which pretend to be songs but are really just that, a collection of riffs and solos
Not so with Satch's compositions, which manage to highlight his amazing control of the instrument while still conforming to the traditional structures of pop songwriting. This approach has brought Satriani mainstream commercial success and recognition from his peers so it only made sense that his new offering, Engines of Creation, would follow this trend. Or so I thought.
I should have been warned by the cover, which reminds you more of a dance-remix compilation than a heavy rock record. But, if I missed that, I couldn't possibly ignore the electronic drumbeat, which erupted from my speakers, as I chucked the CD in my player. Then, still wondering whether I had the wrong record, I realized that what I thought was an undulating synthesizer melody was a guitar. It looked like Joe had decided to try a new approach, after all.
Yet, all is not as it seems. I was clearly not impressed with this new endeavor but I thought I'd give it a chance anyway and proceeded to explore Satriani's new musical universe. To my surprise (and relief), I eventually found myself in familiar surroundings. The guitars do sound more "processed" than before and quirky, dance-floor-friendly sound effects abound; however, Joe still knows how to write slick, catchy melodies. There's even a typical Satch ballad in there: "Until We Say Goodbye" is a slow-paced track reminiscent of "Always With Me, Always With You" and "Cryin'." Tellingly, it's also the only track which features live drums, courtesy of Anton Fig (The Late Show with Dave Letterman), and a more conventional rock production from Kevin Shirley.
The rest of the album is a more experimental nature, juggling warped keyboard rhythms (the hilariously-titled "Borg Sex")with demented guitar histrionics ("The Power Cosmic - Part II"). "Champagne?" finds Satriani attempting a bold fusion between blues slide guitar and a more modern, dance-oriented rhythmic approach. The track's coda is a classic: void of any "modern" touches, it features only Satch and his guitar, jamming away, and dare I say it, doing a near-perfect impersonation of Keith Richards and the Black Crowes!
Unsuspecting listeners who found themselves thrown off balance by the electronic influence permeating the album will welcome the inclusion of tracks which are more classic in their approach, built around compelling, almost hypnotic motifs and conventional - at least in structure - accompanying arrangements. "Cloud Race Across The Sky" is one such track and is another addition to Satch's extensive catalogue of dreamy, trance-inducing numbers.
Compared to the fusion-oriented, live-sounding Joe Satriani album of 1995, Engines of Creation first comes out as a complete turnaround. However, these two albums are both illustrations of Joe Satriani's desire to stretch himself beyond his comfort zone. After all, he could probably have cranked out another copy of "Surfing With The Alien," like 1998's "Crystal Planet," and he probably will again eventually. Nonetheless, the spirit of experimentation present on Engines of Creation is characteristic of an artist who's willing to tread in unfamiliar waters and in search of new stylistic avenues.
This album will catch many devoted fans by surprise and it might even alienate a few. However, behind less accessible music still lie beautiful, hypnotic melodies. The album's well worth the effort of a few more listens before the music fully sinks in. And don't worry about Satch's guitar chops. They're as good as ever; it's just a bit harder to tell which sounds come from a guitar and which don't.
© 2000 - Christophe Chuvan