..:: audio-music dot info ::..


Main Page      The Desert Island      Copyright Notice
 Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz


Joe Satriani: Surfing with the Alien

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Relativity Records
Released: 1987.10.15
Time:
 37:37
Category: Instrumental Rock
Producer(s): Joe Satriani, John Cuniberti
Rating:
Media type: CD
Web address: www.satriani.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2012
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Surfing with the Alien (J.Satriani) - 4:25
[2] Ice 9 (J.Satriani) - 4:00
[3] Crushing Day (J.Satriani) - 5:14
[4] Always with Me, Always with You (J.Satriani) - 3:22
[5] Satch Boogie (J.Satriani) - 3:13
[6] Hill of the Skull (J.Satriani) - 1:48
[7] Circles (J.Satriani) - 3:28
[8] Lords of Karma (J.Satriani) - 4:48
[9] Midnight (J.Satriani) - 1:42
[10] Echo (J.Satriani) - 5:37

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Joe Satriani - Guitar, Keyboard, Drum Programming, Percussion, Bass, Arrangement, Producer

John Cuniberti - Percussion, Engineering, Reissue Remastering, Producer
Bongo Bob Smith - Drum Programming, Percussion, Sound Design
Jeff Campitelli - Drums, Percussion
Stuart Hamm - Bass Guitar
Jonathan Mover - Drums
Jeff Kreegar - Pre-Production Programming, Sound Design

Bernie Grundman - Mastering
George Marino - Mastering
David Bett - Art Direction
Christine Wilson - Design
Neil Zlozower - Photography
Jim Kozlowski - Cover Art Concept
Mick Brigden - Direction
Fred Duffin - Management
Flip Holahan - Photography
Arnie Pustilnik - Direction
Matt Resnicoff  - Liner Notes

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded and mixed at Alpha and Omega Recording and Hyde Street Studios, San Francisco, CA.



Surfing with the Alien belongs to its era like Are You Experienced? belongs to its own - perhaps it doesn't transcend its time the way the Jimi Hendrix Experience's 1967 debut does, but Joe Satriani's 1987 breakthrough can be seen as the gold standard for guitar playing of the mid- to late '80s, an album that captures everything that was good about the glory days of shred. Certainly, Satriani was unique among his peers in that his playing was so fluid that his technical skills never seemed like showboating - something that was somewhat true of his 1986 debut, Not of This Earth, but on Surfing with the Alien he married this dexterity to a true sense of melodic songcraft, a gift that helped him be that rare thing: a guitar virtuoso who ordinary listeners enjoyed. Nowhere is this more true than on "Always with Me, Always with You," a genuine ballad - not beefed up with muscular power chords but rather sighing gently with its melody - but this knack was also evident on the ZZ Top homage "Satch Boogie" and the title track itself, both of which turned into rock radio hits. This melodic facility, plus his fondness for a good old-fashioned three-chord rock, separated Satriani from his shredding peers in 1987, many of whom were quite literally his students. But he was no throwback: he equaled his former students Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett in sweep picking and fretboard acrobatics and he had a sparkling, spacy quality to some of his songs - particularly the closing stretch of the Middle Eastern-flavored "Lords of Karma," the twinkling "Midnight," and "Echo" - that was thoroughly modern for 1987. The production of Surfing with the Alien is also thoroughly of its year - stiff drumbeats, sparkling productions - so much so that it can seem a bit like a relic from another era, but it's fine that it doesn't transcend its time: it captures the best of its era and is still impressive in that regard.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine - All Music Guide



Surfing with the Alien is the second studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on October 15, 1987 through Relativity Records. The album is one of Satriani's most successful to date and contributed greatly to establishing his reputation as a respected rock guitarist. It is his third highest-charting album on the U.S. Billboard 200, reaching No. 29 and remaining on that chart for 75 weeks, the longest of any of his releases. It is also notable for being the first instrumental rock album to reach the Billboard Top 40 chart; Satriani's subsequent album Flying in a Blue Dream (1989) would chart higher, at No. 23. Surfing with the Alien was certified Gold on February 17, 1989 and Platinum on February 3, 1992; this being Satriani's first release to achieve either accolade, and his only studio album to go Platinum.

Two singles from the album reached Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart: "Satch Boogie" at No. 22 and "Surfing with the Alien" at No. 37. A third single, "Always with Me, Always with You", received a nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, while the album itself was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the same event; these being Satriani's first two of many such awards. Live versions of "Always with Me, Always with You" would later be nominated for Best Rock Instrumental twice more, at the 2002 and 2008 Grammys.

The album contains fast and complex songs such as the title track and "Satch Boogie", which helped to further popularize shred guitar during that time, in addition to the strange-sounding "Crushing Day" and "Lords of Karma". By contrast slower, melodic songs such as "Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo" provide a change of pace. "Midnight" utilizes the technique of two-handed tapping at high tempo, evoking a Spanish fingerstyle effect. There are also Nashville-tuned guitars ("Echo") and key changes ("Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo") for variation. "Ice 9" references the fictional apocalyptic substance from Kurt Vonnegut's 1963 novel Cat's Cradle.

The title track was made available as downloadable content in the music video games Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (2007) and Guitar Hero Arcade (2009). "Satch Boogie" is available as a playable track in Guitar Hero III's sequel Guitar Hero World Tour (2008), and as a bonus track in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades (2008). Additionally, both "Satch Boogie" and "Surfing with the Alien" are downloadable tracks for the Rock Band series.

"Satch Boogie" was used in the 1991 film Problem Child 2.

The cover art depicts the Marvel Comics character Silver Surfer on the front, with the hand of Galactus on the inside cover. The artwork is taken directly from Silver Surfer #1 (1982). The artist, John Byrne, has noted that the image was used without his permission and that he has never received payment for its use. However, the album's back cover lists a Marvel Characters, Inc. copyright statement.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic gave Surfing with the Alien 4.5 stars out of five, saying that it "can be seen as the gold standard for guitar playing of the mid- to late '80s, an album that captures everything that was good about the glory days of shred."

Wikipedia.org
 

 L y r i c s


Currently no Lyrics available!

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


Currently no Samples available!