Joe Satriani Is There Love In Space? CD

Personnel: Joe Satriani (vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards); Matt Bissonette (bass); ZZ Satriani (bowed bass); Jeff Campitelli (drums, percussion); John Cuniberti (tambourine); Mike Manning.
Recorded at The Plant Studios, Sausalito, California.
Personnel: Joe Satriani (vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards); Jeff Campitelli (drums, percussion); John Cuniberti (tambourine).
Audio Mixer: Mike Fraser.
Recording information: Studio 21; The Plant Studios, Sausalito, CA.
Illustrator: ZZ Satriani.
Photographer: Greg Watermann.
Unknown Contributor Role: Michael Manning.
Arranger: Joe Satriani.
Guitar boss Joe Satriani's ninth album reflects the terrain he's traveled more than it points to an unexplored one -- and yes, that does prove to be a good thing. Satriani has explored many directions over eight previous albums, mashing together rock, blues, jazz, and pure technical proficiency in a dizzying blend that bears his unique signature. Is There Love in Space? recalls two distinct projects from his catalog, the groundbreaking Surfing With the Alien and the exotic Strange Beautiful Music. From the former is the driven, balls-out, tough blues-and-hard rock riffs and hooks, while from the latter are involved and sometimes intricate melodies and Eastern-tinged modes -- though none of the electronica. Satriani's sense of writing catchy turnarounds and hooks is ubiquitous here, and though he uses keyboards, they are never employed as more than devices to further along the framework of a particular tune. Even the vocal cuts here work well, "Lifestyle" with its roosty rock & roll vocal, boogie on methamphetamine whir, and bombastic power chords is a great choice for a single, as is the stomping, metallic "Hands in the Air," which updates Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" riff in extremis. The mid-tempo tunes, such as the wah-wah-phased title track and the shimmering "If I Could Fly," are nice changes of pace too. The funky future blues of "I Like the Rain" features a slightly annoying vocal, but in its ZZ Top-fueled desert boogie, it hardly matters. The masterpiece on the set is "Searching," however. It's slow- to mid-tempo stride and minor key cadence pushed to the limit by the razor-wired and feedback aesthetic of its ten-minute sprawling excess. While guitar hero records are anything but cool in the new century, this guitar hero offers one cool little record. ~ Thom Jurek
Throughout his career, Joe Satriani has managed that rare trick of inspiring worship by guitar acolytes everywhere, while still managing a modicum of crossover appeal to music fans less interested in the technical aspects of his work. His ninth album, IS THERE LOVE IN SPACE?, continues down that same path of serving both the instrumental aficionado and the casual fan. Working with bassist Matt Bissonette and drummer Jeff Campitelli, Satriani quickly switches stylistic gears, flip-flopping between an uber-funky, wah-wah riff and his standard high-flying soloing on "The Souls of Distortion" or running through the brash, drop-tuned menace of "Hands in the Air." Satch's also conjures up "I Like the Rain," a Lone Star boogie that combines a sampled motorcycle engine and a fuzz-tone vocal, and sees him coming off like ZZ Top. Likewise, this Long Island native's eccentric musical whims will have Lenny Kravitz fans doing a double take upon hearing the Lenny-like vocals and chugging swagger of "Lifestyle." Satriani even recruits his young son to contribute bowed electric bass on the atmospheric closer "Bamboo."Q (p.106) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[The album] has plenty of colour and breadth....Satriani's musical flair never gets in the way of a good tune."