Joe Satriani – Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards

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After spending most of the time since his last album, Professor Satchifunkilus & The Musterion of Rock, recording and touring with “supergroup” Chickenfoot, virtuoso guitarist Satriani could have been forgiven for not producing another solo album so soon, but he seems to be on a roll. Electronic experimentation on Inside The Machine aside, Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards is probably Satriani’s most diverse album of his career so far. Some of the rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities of his work with Chickenfoot have crept into melodic opener Premonition, but the overriding feel here is one of groove and soul, making this on of his most enjoyable albums so far as well. Some of the melodies do have a sense of “heard this somewhere before” about them, but that is most likely down to their immediacy. And as with any Satriani record, he never sits still; every track here is a different animal, from the all-out blues of Littleworth Lane to the eastern rhythms of The Golden Room (which is a bit repetitive) and the Allman Brothers Band-style jam session on Two Sides To Every Story, as well as some of his trademark shredding (almost always his finest moments). The second half of the album isn’t as good as the first, where opening tracks Premonition and Dream Song never lose interest, the constantly repeating bass line of Wormhole Wizards does it no favours and it gets boring long before the sweet guitar melodies towards the end arrive. His lead playing on closers Wind In The Trees and God Is Crying makes up for any moments of tedium on previous tracks, however. In short, Satriani fans will love this, people not interested in him before are long past being convinced anyway.

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2010, Albums, Instrumental, Quick.Play Reviews, Joe Satriani