GRcade

Joe Satriani, didn't like this very much, all of the guitar solos sound over the top and rather childish, to me it just sounded like the menu music off a game. 4.5/10

I have to admit I've always preferred Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, but for sheer over-the-top guitar awesomeness it's hard to beat Satriani.

My only problem with Surfing With The Alien is that a number of the tracks whilst great, aren't quite on the same level as the titular track so it's not as consistent as some of his other albums for me. I do love the guy however(no homo).

Personally prefer 'Always with me, always with you', 'Circles. Also love 'Midnight' Wasn't sure whether t0o go for 'Surfing' or 'Crystal Planet' Which was the first Satriani album I bought. Many moons ago.

Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

8/10

Really enjoyed that, can see it getting regular plays.

Experimental Audio Research - The Koner Experiment: 7/10

The whole ambient thing doesn't work for me during the day but tis great at night when lying up and relaxing in me pit.

dmin wrote:Experimental Audio Research - The Koner Experiment: 7/10

The whole ambient thing doesn't work for me during the day but tis great at night when lying up and relaxing in me pit.

That is when I listen to it. Doesn't make sense listening to it during the day.

I should have put that as a requirement before they posted their scores

*only review this album after having listened to it under the following conditions: a.) having a spliff or b.) on headphones, at night, lying in bed, going to sleep.

Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

I was made to listen to this by my mate when it was first released. I thought it was awful. 25 years later it is still awful. I really can not stand guitar wanking. And this is seminal guitar wanking.

Sure, he has talent, but wanking with a guitar is not the way to show it off. If anything this should get a minus score for a criminal display of wasted talent.

As it is, it gets 1/10. The 1 is for having a Kurt Vonnegut Jnr reference.

Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
I've heard a few of his songs but never listened to a full album before. I really liked it and shall be sure to listen again, as well as check out his other albums.

9/10

OnlyShallow wrote:Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

I was made to listen to this by my mate when it was first released. I thought it was awful. 25 years later it is still awful. I really can not stand guitar wanking. And this is seminal guitar wanking.

Sure, he has talent, but wanking with a guitar is not the way to show it off. If anything this should get a minus score for a criminal display of wasted talent.

As it is, it gets 1/10. The 1 is for having a Kurt Vonnegut Jnr reference.

How is it a waste? Surely if you're a great guitarist, the purest way to show that off is to create music focused solely on that?

The Crimson Clown wrote:

OnlyShallow wrote:Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

I was made to listen to this by my mate when it was first released. I thought it was awful. 25 years later it is still awful. I really can not stand guitar wanking. And this is seminal guitar wanking.

Sure, he has talent, but wanking with a guitar is not the way to show it off. If anything this should get a minus score for a criminal display of wasted talent.

As it is, it gets 1/10. The 1 is for having a Kurt Vonnegut Jnr reference.

How is it a waste? Surely if you're a great guitarist, the purest way to show that off is to create music focused solely on that?

No it isn't. Look at Jimi Hendrix. Arguably the greatest ever electric guitarist. He was a guitarist in a band, they created songs and he then incorporated his genius into them. Take the guitar out of them and they are still great songs. He just elevated them into another realm.

Do the same with this and you are left with a pile of shite. It is the twiddly self indulgent glitter on a turd. A turd made of 1980's big hair metal.

OnlyShallow wrote:

The Crimson Clown wrote:

OnlyShallow wrote:Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

I was made to listen to this by my mate when it was first released. I thought it was awful. 25 years later it is still awful. I really can not stand guitar wanking. And this is seminal guitar wanking.

Sure, he has talent, but wanking with a guitar is not the way to show it off. If anything this should get a minus score for a criminal display of wasted talent.

As it is, it gets 1/10. The 1 is for having a Kurt Vonnegut Jnr reference.

How is it a waste? Surely if you're a great guitarist, the purest way to show that off is to create music focused solely on that?

No it isn't. Look at Jimi Hendrix. Arguably the greatest ever electric guitarist. He was a guitarist in a band, they created songs and he then incorporated his genius into them. Take the guitar out of them and they are still great songs. He just elevated them into another realm.

Do the same with this and you are left with a pile of shite. It is the twiddly self indulgent glitter on a turd. A turd made of 1980's big hair metal.

I don't see why music has to be a collaboration with other people.

Music with one person and one instrument is just as valid as a band with five different guys all doing different things. One dude and one instrument doesn't by default make it worthless, which is what you seem to be saying.

The Crimson Clown wrote:

OnlyShallow wrote:

The Crimson Clown wrote:

OnlyShallow wrote:Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

I was made to listen to this by my mate when it was first released. I thought it was awful. 25 years later it is still awful. I really can not stand guitar wanking. And this is seminal guitar wanking.

Sure, he has talent, but wanking with a guitar is not the way to show it off. If anything this should get a minus score for a criminal display of wasted talent.

As it is, it gets 1/10. The 1 is for having a Kurt Vonnegut Jnr reference.

How is it a waste? Surely if you're a great guitarist, the purest way to show that off is to create music focused solely on that?

No it isn't. Look at Jimi Hendrix. Arguably the greatest ever electric guitarist. He was a guitarist in a band, they created songs and he then incorporated his genius into them. Take the guitar out of them and they are still great songs. He just elevated them into another realm.

Do the same with this and you are left with a pile of shite. It is the twiddly self indulgent glitter on a turd. A turd made of 1980's big hair metal.

I don't see why music has to be a collaboration with other people.

Music with one person and one instrument is just as valid as a band with five different guys all doing different things. One dude and one instrument doesn't by default make it worthless, which is what you seem to be saying.

It gives it a purpose.

Ok, lets use football as an analogy. One guy is gooseberry fool hot at keepy uppy and doing tricks and gooseberry fool. There he is, out on a pitch, doing bizarre things with a ball. After 5 minutes you have seen it all and it is starting to get a bit boring. The only point of it is to see how strawberry floating special he thinks he is. You get the funny feeling that he can't actually play football. Put him in a team and he wouldn't pass the ball. All his ball control counts for nothing if he can't make the pass.

There is no substance to this, it's just a guy playing with his balls. In my opinion.

Though we know Joe satriani plays well with others and has been in bands, like Deep Purple, and also it goes to show how good he is, when he taught other people like Steve Vai (who's also amazing) and Kirk Hammett, you can also include the 3G gigs he's done, with a variety of other guitarists. And the music isn't exactly just him playing his solos, there's also good backing tracks to each song.

Edit: He also does his live stuff with people like Stu Hamm.

Rather bizarrely, I was decorating the other half of the kitchen today and told the Mrs I was having to listen to this. Her words: "oh, that's a great album, I love it. I saw him live years ago".

Never thought I'd say this but..... I agree with OnlyShallow!

This is horribly indulgent guitar wankery at it's worst. It sounds like the soundtrack to some terrible 80's arcade Beat-em-up. Technically gifted the guy may be, but that doesn't make it an enjoyable listen. All I could picture as I forced myself to listen to the first half of the record was an impossible wiggly Guitar Hero line of notes that would make my hands hurt.

2/10.

I think music might the most divisive of all the arts, I don't think we've had one unanimously agreed upon choice yet. (with the exception maybe of Hendrix)

Pretty fascinating really.

I think we all agreed on the Coffinworm album.

The first couple of tracks of Surfing With the Alien are really good and show that Satriani is a talented guitarist but there's definitely something lacking in a lot of the later tracks despite the technical excellence of the guitar work.

5/10

Btw, is it too late for me to join in?

more heat than light wrote:I think we all agreed on the Coffinworm album.

Yeah, true I suppose.

Ironhide wrote:The first couple of tracks of Surfing With the Alien are really good and show that Satriani is a talented guitarist but there's definitely something lacking in a lot of the later tracks despite the technical excellence of the guitar work.

5/10

Btw, is it too late for me to join in?

Of course not, the more the merrier. New picks are chosen based on who has reviewed the most, so you'll probably want to have a go at the rest of the albums as soon as you can. I'll edit you in next time I update the OP.