After retiring the onstage persona that he played during performances for so many years in his last album Shockwave Supernova, guitar wizard Joe Satriani sought to make his next album more down to earth. More rooted in the reality of just a man with real hopes and dreams. The end result was Satch's newest studio effort, his 16th album What Happens Next.
Satch recruited a very special group of people to help him do this album. In the past he has frequently called on the same group of guys to act as his backing band, but this time around he wanted to do something different to freshen things up a bit.
This time Satch called on drummer and former Chickenfoot band mate Chad Smith (also from Red Hot Chili Peppers) as well as renowned bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, etc. fame. There was very little keyboard involved, so the idea was to make a solid rocking power trio of them.
What Happens Next was recorded in both San Francisco as well as Los Angeles with famed rock producer Mike Fraser.
As mentioned before, What Happens Next follows a more straightforward approach to songwriting. Satch decided to ditch the progressive elements of his previous two albums and go for a more accessible approach that he referred to as "pure rock and soul".
Referring to What Happens Next as an 'internal artistic rebirth', Satch further expounded on what the aim and feel of the album ways, saying it was “about a human being, two feet on the ground, heart pumping, with emotions, dreams, and hopes. That seemed to be the direction I really was yearning for"
That said, the album certainly does seem to go with the vibe that Joe was aiming for. It does feel a lot more accessible to the average listener than Unstoppable Momentum and Shockwave Supernova. These songs feel more straightforward and not so confusing and boring to someone who isn't a music theory nerd. They have a pretty steady groove and flow that can easily be followed.
That's not to say that What Happens Next isn't creative in that special Joe Satriani way, though. It has his stamp all over it. You can hear it in the melodies, the song structures, the timbres, and even the methods by which certain sounds are achieved.
The song "Looper" especially manages to base an entire flowing and grooving song over the same guitar loop cycling through most of the song. It goes in so many directions with just the same cycle and it's astounding.
How does What Happens Next stack up against Joe's classic albums, though? It actually does so quite well. This record manages to bring together many of his styles from different periods of his career all into one cohesive record. You can hear a bit of Surfing With the Alien and Flying in a Blue Dream in some places and a bit of Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock and Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards in others. At the same time, you can still hear him pushing forward and not trying to rehash the past.
Joe DEFINITELY chose a good rhythm section for this record. Hughes and Smith interlock so tightly that they are an unstoppable force. They keep the deep earthy groove going while Joe does his wild, crazy fret board fireworks. It all comes together into some powerful music that spans so many spectrums of different genres.
Honestly though, you couldn't put this album into a particular genre. It's not rock. It's not metal. It's not prog. It's just Joe Satriani. You can hear just how much fun he and the guys are having making this record and that is what's most important here. If an artist loves what they're doing and his having fun with it, odds are their audience will too.
What Happens Next definitely sounds like Satch has been revitalized and his passion for the electric guitar has come roaring back louder and more fierce than ever. It is a lot of fun from start to finish and it will definitely help you feel a wide variety of emotions without a single word being sung. That is the one thing Satch has always been best and continues to get better at as he gets more experienced. That said, this record is a must have for fans of Joe Satriani and rock n' roll alike.
What Happens Next, by Joe Satriani receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Track List:
1. Energy
2. Catbot
3. Thunder High on the Mountain
4. Cherry Blossoms
5. Righteous
6. Smooth Soul
7. Headrush
8. Looper
9. What Happens Next
10. Super Funky Badass
11. Invisible
12. Forever and Ever
Buy the album on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/What-Happens-Next-Joe-Satriani/dp/B075QZCFFL/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517003455&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Joe+Satriani+What+Comes+Next
No comments:
Post a Comment