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Joe Satriani
Surfing With The Alien: Legacy Edition
(Epic Records/Legacy Recordings)
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised; just when I thought my increasingly damaged ears had already been graced with every conceivably worthwhile variation of the tried and true ‘…hey, let’s re-release a classic album with a few bonus tracks…’ formula, a disc that actually manages to genuinely piqué my interest lands on my desk. Don’t get me wrong; as long as I still have the strength to raise a clenched fist and at least half a voice shout along with, I will undoubtedly continue to gleefully enjoy even the most questionably motivated remasters, reissues and special editions. I just wish more labels would focus on revisiting records the average Metalhead is actually interested in hearing. Fortunately, this just happened to be the case with the long awaited Legacy (i.e. 20th Anniversary) Edition of the Joe Satriani gem Surfing With The Alien.
On the brilliant Surfing With The Alien (2007), an expertly assembled twenty one song, two disc (one CD and one DVD) collection of groundbreaking Hard Rock and Heavy Metal-tinged instrumentals, each track, beginning with the mosh-inducing “Crushing The Day”, and the sentimental, Grammy-nominated “Always With Me, Always With You”, immediately commands the rapt and undivided attention of all parties involved. Wisely capitalizing on the smoldering grassroots momentum initiated with the release of the guitarist’s much-celebrated 1986 full-length debut Not Of This Earth, each breathtaking composition is meticulously intertwined with a seemingly unique (and now landmark) blend of searing fretwork and imaginatively punishing rhythms that eventually paved the way for a virtual plethora of would-be impersonators.
Continuing with the undeniably blistering “Satch Boogie”, and the emotion-laden (albeit impossibly scalding) “Circles”, the remarkably airtight combination of guitarist extraordinaire Joe Satriani (who also handled all bass and keyboard-related duties throughout), drummers “Bongo” Bob Smith, Jeff Campitelli and percussionist John Cuniberti steamroll ahead with the greatest of ease. Obviously hell-bent on solidifying what was then (circa 1987) an already indisputably well-deserved reputation as a genuine force not to be ignored amid the ridiculously overpopulated Malmsteen/Vai-fueled ‘…shred…’ sub-genre, the group wastes little--if any--time locking down on a frequently over-the-top groove. But is it really that good? Am I simply once again being a bit too generous? Absolutely not. Believe me, fools…this one freakin’ smokes!
Painstakingly remastered by Satriani and original co-producer Cuniberti (Dead Kennedys and George Lynch, to name only a few), other standouts, including the thunderous, multi-dimensional “Lords Of Karma”, the searing Pop-infused closer “Echo” (not to mention the inclusion of the veteran gunslinger’s stunning, previously unreleased performance at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival), only add to an already impressive--if not outright legendary--overall effort. Arguably one of the most compelling and influential instrumental releases of the past thirty years, the end result is ultimately as memorable as it is effective and entertaining, a much-welcomed and increasingly rare characteristic that continues to separate the lightning fast benchmark that is the (al)mighty Surfing With The Alien from it’s few legitimate contemporaries.
You’re still not convinced? Seriously, dude…what in the hell is freakin’ wrong with you? With the majority--if not all--of the decidedly infectious wares contained herein (along with 1989’s equally ingenious Flying In A Blue Dream) effectively epitomizing the notoriously prolific axeman’s mid to late ‘80’s creative peak, even the most painfully unimaginative of listeners--myself most definitely included--will undoubtedly find themselves deeply enthralled with Satriani’s awe-inspiring seven string wizardry. Not surprisingly, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a genuine Old School ‘…Guitar Hero…’ fix that boggles the mind without relying on the blatantly shameless overindulgences that so often plague the genre, then this, my friends, might just be the cure for what ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
Surfing With The Alien: Legacy Edition (2007) *
Satriani LIVE! (2006) *
Super Colossal (2006) *
G3: Live In Tokyo (2005) **
Is There Love In Space? (2004) *
G3: Rockin’ In The Free World (2004) **
The Electric Joe Satriani: An Anthology (2003) *
The Satch Tapes (2003) *
Strange Beautiful Music (2002) *
Live In San Francisco (2001) *
Additional Creations (2000) *
Engines Of Creation (2000) *
Crystal Planet (1998) *
G3: Live (1997) **
Joe Satriani (1995) *
Time Machine (1993) *
The Beautiful Guitar (1993) *
The Extremist (1992) *
Flying In A Blue Dream (1989) *
Dreaming # 11 (EP) (1988) *
Surfing With The Alien (1987) *
Not Of This Earth (1986) *
* as a solo artist
** as a member of G3