'Shapeshifting' Review: Joe Satriani shows why he's still a guitar god with masterful new album 'Shapeshifting'
The legendary Joe Satriani needs no introduction. As one of the world's most famous guitarists, and mentor to some of the most esteemed names in the rock community like Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Larry LaLonde, Alex Skolnick, and Charlie Hunter, Satriani is known for his incredibly technical and melodically fluid guitar-playing style. After touring with the likes of Mick Jagger, Deep Purple, and G3, and having sold over 10 million records worldwide, it seemed like there were no worlds left to conquer for the 15-time Grammy Award nominee.
But for his 18th studio record, 'Shapeshifting', which releases on April 10, Satriani wanted to convey a fresh feel and concept for the new album. "I was thinking about creating a record that would tell a story about me, as an artiste, going through dramatic artistic changes - physical, emotional, intellectual changes. Morphing into different versions of myself to try to achieve some new musical standard or destination," he said in an 'Inside Shapeshifting' video.
And the wide musical spectrum on this album certainly bears that mission statement in mind. "I started to think that that sounds like 15 different guitar players,” he said of his latest full-length offering, which originally contained 15 tracks that traversed a plethora of varied styles. “I know it’s the same guy, because it’s me, but it sounds like I’m really moving into an area where each melody requires me to almost be somebody else,” he revealed.
The guitarist was able to transcend new musical dimensions on all 13 of the finalized tracks, aided by co-producer Jim Scott, bassist Chris Chaney, keyboardist Eric Caudieux, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, who Satriani knows well from his days with the supergroup Chickenfoot. "I was so excited about the idea of musically shape-shifting for every song," he says. "I’ve learned over the years when you can be passionate about a theme, music, melody or whatever, you just go into it 100 percent and don’t worry about what people might think. You can worry about that later, after its released."
The resulting album is pretty spectacular and compelling, fulfilling our expectations while being wildly unpredictable. The opening track 'Shapeshifting' features all the regular Joe Satriani staples — groovy riffs, wailing solos, modal interplay, and some carefully manipulated feedback. 'Big Distortion' has a vintage, hand-clapping stadium rock vibe to it, like the guitarist took a Journey or Boston throwback tune and proceeded to elevate it into the stratosphere with his guitar pyrotechnics.
'All for Love' slows the pace down with a haunting, ambling melody and some feather-light accompaniments while Joe's guitar weeps and transforms itself into a torrential downpour. The aptly named 'Ali Farka, Dick Dale, an Alien and Me' takes you by surprise from the start, with its romping groove and Eastern desert and sunny beach-flavored vibe. Ali Farka was an African music legend, while Dick Dale was a surf rock hero, so it seems like the 'Surfing With The Alien' hitmaker was happily incorporating their styles into this otherworldly jam, that is definitely one of the strangest tracks on this album.
The lead single 'Nineteen Eighty' sees Satriani rolling back the years and channeling Eddie Van Halen as he revisits a glorious year for the entertainment industry. "The year that 'American Gigolo', 'The Shining', 'Raging Bull' and 'Caddyshack' came out, I just wanted to rock. 'Nineteen Eighty' is my high-energy throwback instrumental soundtrack to that year," explains Satriani.
'Teardrops' features a sauntering, dynamic interplay between Satriani's wah-infused guitar and a stark bassline — there are even some chiming church bells and handclaps to help accentuate the booming rhythms. The track is delightfully restrained and controlled, holding itself back from exploding over the top, which further adds to its sense of drama.
'Perfect Dust' is another immediate left turn, a Southern country-blues tinted vibe flavored by some sweet barbecue sauce thrown over the song's delicious, meaty riffs. 'All My Friends Are Here' takes an old-school palm-muted riff and transforms it into a soaring, majestic bird that surveys the world in all its splendor. Satriani really knows how to make his guitar sing and tap into the instrument's unlimited potential.
'Falling Stars' is a mysterious, enigmatic chugger that slowly reveals itself under the cover of darkness, like a gradually uncoiling spring. 'Spirits, Ghosts, and Outlaws' is a straight-out blazing rocker imbued with more incendiary guitar wizardry and high-octane fretting. This song's name nearly became the title of the album, before Satriani realized that the shapeshifting theme better encapsulated his overall approach to the project. 'Here the Blue River' is another curveball on this record, paying homage to Jamaican reggae music by evoking the laidback, serene spirit of Bob Marley and his Rastafari brethren, mixed in with some string-bending heroics.
'Waiting' is another surprising track waiting to be discovered by the listener. It starts off with the laughter of children and is a delightful, understated track that features some tender piano and subtle mandolin flourishes, played by none other than Christopher Guest (best known for his role in the cult film 'Spinal Tap'). The short & sweet acoustic album closer, 'Yesterday's Yesterday' features something we haven't heard too often from Joe Satriani in the past - cheerful whistling and banjo! This amazing album truly continues to surprise and enthrall the listener all the way to the end.
But Satriani knows he couldn't have pulled off this remarkable, epic effort without his equally-talented collaborators. "Everyone brought their A-game and gave me everything they had, which was so great - I couldn’t have done it without them," the guitar guru revealed. "I think when an artist decides they want to really step out of their comfort zone and try something that they’ve never tried before, that’s where interesting things happen. That process is almost more important than the end result, because the process is what keeps the artist alive."