Deborah Woehr

I was first introduced to Joe Satriani’s music back in 1988 when I heard Crush of Love on the radio. Although I liked this song, I never bought an album of his because, at the time, instrumental rock wasn’t my thing. And, his other songs during that period didn’t compel me to spend the money on an album.

Fast forward twenty years. My music collection is horribly dated and uninspiring. The radio stations out here don’t offer much but the Top 40 and some alternative rock. So, last weekend, I spent several hours exploring Amazon’s music section and discovered Satriani’s new album, Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock. That title a mouthful, isn’t it?

One of the things I enjoy about Amazon is the ability to listen to the music before you decide to buy the album. Well . . . you have 30 seconds to decide whether or not you like the songs on the track. I liked the driving, upbeat rhythm of Satriani’s music, especially his guitar ballads. I’ve listed my favorite songs off this album in the order that I liked them.

• Andalusia
• Revelation
• Out of the Sunrise
• Musterion
• Come On Baby
• Overdriver
• Asik Veysel

My ultimate favorite is Andalusia. The introduction of this song reminded me of something I would listen to while watching a movie, somewhat melancholy and forlorn. I pictured a scene where someone is sitting in a restaurant, dealing with some kind of loss. While I couldn’t see the person’s face, I saw them sitting next to a window that overlooked a body of water at dusk. I’ve never experienced spontaneous imagery like that while listening to music. The song revs up after that, churning with emotion that held me captive.

The rest of the album was very good, although there were a couple of songs I could live without, such as I Just Wanna Rock. Music snobs have criticized this album for not “pushing new ground.” As a mainstream listener, I enjoyed this album and what it had to offer. Satriani is an incredibly talented musician.