Joe Satriani
By Mike O’Cull
Rock guitar mastermind Joe Satriani bounces back post-pandemic with a new record, The Elephants of Mars, that features some of the most compelling songs of his career. The album will be released April 8th, 2022 on the earMUSIC imprint and will be available in limited-edition colored vinyl, black vinyl, Digi-pack CD, and digital formats.
The Elephants of Mars is Satriani’s 19th studio effort to date and definitively reinforces why he has remained perhaps the most popular instrumental rock/shred guitarist out there since the 1980s. His music has always been as much about songwriting as it was high-velocity guitar slinging and Satch has continued to refine that internal balance with each new release. He’s so good at it now that he can hold back at will to create moods and emotions that mesmerize listeners before clobbering them with his prodigious chops that are always just below the surface. He sees the big picture of his music better than anyone in his genre and that, friends and neighbors, is why he rules.
Joe Satriani has been at the top of the rock guitar game for over 30 years as a headline solo artist and as part of the G3 tours with his former student and fellow shredder Steve Vai. He has sold over ten million records, seen four of his titles earn gold record status, and two others make it to platinum. He’s also been nominated for an incredible 15 Grammy Awards. His exquisite ballad “Always With Me, Always With You,” achieved the impossible and brought instrumental rock back to radio in 1987 for the first time since the heyday of bands like The Ventures in the 1960s. Joe also scored with his side band Chickenfoot, which featured ex-Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith. Their debut album was certified gold and their second studio album debuted on the charts at Number Nine.
This time out, Satriani tasked himself with creating a “new standard” for instrumental guitar albums to be measured against that would operate from an entirely new design platform. “I want to show people that an instrumental guitar album can contain far more creative and entertaining elements than I think people are using right now,” he said and the sheer listenability of The Elephants of Mars proves that he did it. From the first mystical notes of the opening track and lead single “Sahara,” Satriani keeps a tight focus on the overall vibe of the song, spinning out textured, minimalistic heads that build to explosions of sound and color. Factor in that this and the whole record was done remotely by Joe and his road band during the pandemic lockdown and the track’s sorcery is overwhelming.
The title cut, “The Elephants of Mars,” is a multi-layered hard rock epic that begins as a scream, drops to a whisper, and rises up to stampede again. Satch fans will revel in the unique modal melodies and bombastic excursions that have always been part of his style. Here and elsewhere, Satriani uses tones and effects like a boss, giving each part he plays within the song its own sonic identity. Every section has new sounds in it and this tactic lets Joe grab your attention and never let it go.
“Through A Mother’s Day Darkly” is one of the record’s many bright spots and builds an atmosphere of cinematic cyberpunk terror and madness. Satriani contrasts his expressive guitar skills with a disembodied voice speaking an unsettling message. The intense groove of the song gives him plenty of fuel to fly on and his lines will keep you on the edge of your headphones.
The kinetic “Pumpin’,” is an upbeat funk/fusion number that truly lets this high-octane crew show what they can do. It’s a revved-up party track that goes hard from the start and is one of the album’s most enjoyable moments. Other crucial cuts on The Elephants of Mars include “Blue Foot Groovy” and “E 104th St NYC 1973.” Every track on the record is evidence that Satriani is still pushing himself, advancing his game, and giving us all the magic he’s got. Listen close and let him take you where he goes.
Listen to “Pumpin'”
Pre-order link for The Elephants of Mars
Well put Mike. To me it’s the most experimental since Crystal Planet which is still one of my favorites. This is a must listen for any guitar fan, let alone Satch fan.
Love the album, groovy and punchy mélodies!! But why in hell is it mastered so hot
I don’t know. This album can’t be whistled and it’s hard to remember. No songs have left in my head the next day.