Album review: JOE SATRIANI – Shapeshifting

April 1st, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sony Music [Release date 10.04.20]

We’ve always commented on the energy displayed by Satriani not least sustained during a two hour live show. Recent albums have been pretty convincing too. That energy permeates this latest offering and will surely translate again to his rearranged shows in 2021.

Satriani remains a master of instrumental guitar performance and his strengths lie in the ability to fashion distinctive songs with lots of melody. His past few albums usually offer up one or two gems in this respect.

On ‘Shapeshifting’ there is more of a loose jam feel that was creeping in previously – as displayed by the title track whilst ‘Big Distortion’ and ‘Nineteen Eighty’ have understandably been pulled as early preview tracks and both are arena pleasers.

‘All For Love’ is characterised by moody orchestration and lyrical guitar work but there is no real chorus and it’s all over in less than three minutes.

‘Teardrops’ continues the slower, groovier feel along with ‘Falling Stars’. The latter piece is the funkiest – and perhaps even the standout – but with only a hint of an attractive chorus. Another atmospheric piece – ‘Waiting’ – is again all too short but lifted by Eric Caudieux’s reflective piano figures.

‘Ali Farka, Dick Dale, an Alien and Me’ at least continues the tradition of strange song titles. With its percussive flavours it owes something to Santana and evokes their Woodstock fiesta. ‘Perfect Duet’ is another upbeat multi-tracked jam that we’ve become well used to but ‘All My Friends Are Here’ (and the cod-reggae ‘Here The Blue River’) are really very ordinary and inconsequential. The jam feel continues on ‘Spirits, Ghosts And Outlaws’.

There’s usually a curveball that doesn’t really sit with the rest of the album. And that curveball arrives as the last track, the hillbilly shuffle ‘Yesterday’s Yesterday’.

At times you can’t help thinking that some of the songs are mere frameworks to show that Satch has lost none of his style or technique. Band members (Caudieux, Kenny Aronoff and Chris Chaney) are fully supportive but this is Satch’s show so there are no wild keyboard solos to counter his wild guitar excursions or to bring him back to earth. This is a shame. And the jamming doesn’t really go on long enough to get into a real groove or wig out.

Like many artists of his stature Satriani never turns in a really duff album. But to be painfully honest, most of this album isn’t that memorable. Yes, a few songs will pad out a new setlist. And, yes, it might be rude to expect another ‘Memories’ a ‘Why’ or even ‘The Crush Of Love’. There’s no doubt it repays a few listens but song for song this album doesn’t match the consistency of either What Happens Next (2017) or Shockwave Supernova (2015). One for fans, mainly. ***1/2

Review by David Randall

Rescheduled European dates 2021

April 9       Zurich, Switzerland   Volkshaus Zurich
April 10    Winterbach, Germany   Salierhalle
April 12    Aarhus, Denmark   Train
April 13   Odense, Denmark   Posten
April 14   Copenhagen, Denmark   Amager Bio
April 15   Stockholm, Sweden   Fryshuset
April 16    Oslo, Norway   Rockefeller
April 19    Berlin, Germany   Huxleys
April 20   Nuremberg, Germany   Löwensaal
April 21    Karlsruhe, Germany   Tollhaus
April 23   Antwerp, Belgium   De Roma Borgerhout
April 24    Enschede, Netherlands   Muziekcentrum Enschede
April 25    Amsterdam, Netherlands   Melkweg the max
April 26   Heerlen, Netherlands   RABOzaal Heerlen
April 27    Oberhausen, Germany   Turbinenhalle
April 30   Birmingham Symphony Hall
May 1        Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
May 2        Manchester Bridgewater Hall
May 4        London Palladium
May 5       Sage Gateshead
May 6       Glasgow O2 Academy

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)