Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Joe Satriani makes a guitar bend and play to his will. Not only does he master the complex, savour the unimaginable and perform as if the instrument is letting go of all the secrets that she has kept guarded for decades but at times he thrills with the playful, that unique combination that makes him one of the legends of rock. His 14th album, Unstoppable Momentum is no different, the complexity, the moments of light hearted mischief are all wrapped up in what amounts to a great album a man who never seems to stand still.
If fans thought that his side project of Chickenfoot, which features the great Chad Smith, Michael Anthony and renowned Sammy Hagar, had taken Joe away from his own recording, both physically and in spirit, then the fear is misplaced. Like the breath of fresh air that Steve Lukather provided early on in the year with his release Transition, Joe seems to revel in being so busy, so available to life outside of what could be considered a comfortable atmosphere that he positively scintillates and enthrals with his overall capacity. Unstoppable Momentum is just that, a man who lives life at 1,000 miles an hour and transfers that momentum of his life into the guitar and his music.
The eleven songs that the album hides beneath the guitar’s cloud of secrecy are soon unveiled. Like a magician holding back the appearance of time, the furtive looks of a schoolboy for his love or a girl wishing away her day dreaming of being swept of her feet, the secrets are soon released and seen. With Mike Keneally on keyboards, Chris Chaney on bass and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Joe Satriani weaves a spell so brilliant that songs such as the funky Three Sheets to the Wind, the lament of I’ll Put A Stone On Your Cairn, the class of The Weight of the World and Lies and Truth all shine with absolute distinction.
Unstoppable Momentum, why would you ever want to slow down a talent as precious as Joe Satriani? A phenomenal piece of work, musically witty, haunting and full of verve, just wonderful.
Joe Satriani performs at the Liverpool Philharmonic on June 11th. Tickets are available from the Philharmonic Hall Box office or by telephone on 0151 7093789. Unstoppable Momentum is released in the U.K. on May 6th.
Ian D. Hall