Track Listing

1. Flying in a Blue Dream
2. Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing
3. Can't Slow Down
4. Headless
5. Strange
6. I Believe
7. One Big Rush
8. Big Bad Moon
9. Feeling
10. Phone Call
11. Day at the Beach (New Rays from an Ancient Sun)
12. Back to Shalla-Bal
13. Ride
14. Forgotten, Pt. 1
15. Forgotten, Pt. 2
16. Bells of Lal, Pt. 1
17. Bells of Lal, Pt. 2
18. Into the Light

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6353 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 1997-05-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

The "vocal" album is pure poetry.
Guitar wizard Joe Satriani sings? Yes, sir/madam! "Big Bad Moon" is one of six vocal selections and is regarded by many as one of his finest songs. It's an extremely hard rockin' blues number that never lets up. A classic. He also uses different styles for his songs. There are serious "I Believe," and humorous "The Phone Call." He's a decent singer, but obviously it's at guitar shredding that he really shines. Every song on this one is cool, but as far as I'm concerned, "The Forgotten (Parts 1&2) are worth the whole price alone. This two part number is unbelievable and is beautiful in a heavy, sad kind of way. This album has to be heard to be believed, so why don't you stop reading and buy it?

First Class Album
This CD really rocks. The title track is one of Joe's best songs he's ever done. Joe's guitar playing is bone chilling and beautiful. He even sings on a few songs such as I BELIEVE; which is a very good song. Joe plays all the instruments, except the drums. Nobody plays instrumental hard rock like Joe does. There isn't a bad song on this CD. Joe's guitar playing is worth the price of this recording.

Probably Satch's best work.
I have heard all of Satch's albums (minus 'Time machine') and for me this is probably the greatest album he has ever done. If you've heard 'Surfing with the alien', this album will be no different, but Satch has many more different, interesting songs here. Straight-ahead shred-rock ('Back to shalla-bal' and 'One big rush'), some funk ('Bells of lal part 2' and 'Strange'), a bit of folk/country ('The feeling' and 'Phone call') and a bit of 80s metal ('Big bad moon'). Don't worry, 'cause Satch still uses great guitaring and solos. For me Satch is great at making amazing solos, but also making them very musical, and not just a load of notes thrown together. He is very talented at composing songs, as well as being a great guitarist. He also includes his famous double handed tapping tecnique in the beautiful 'Day at the beach' and the not-so-good 'Headless', and the complex 'hand-holding-the-neck and hammer-on' tecnique in the fantastic 'Mystical potato head groove thing'.

But also, Satch does a bit of singing now. Some may not like the idea of that and I wasn't sure if i'd like it at first, but I found some of the vocal tracks to be just as enjoyable, from the punky 'Can't slow down' to the ballad of 'I believe' they are all great, but one of my favourites is the mid-tempo rocker 'Ride'. He also sings in 'Phone call', 'Big bad moon' and 'Strange'. Satch's voice isn't exactly fantastic, but it's not as bad as everyone says, his voice is suited to the songs (maybe with the exception of 'I believe', as he sometimes goes a bit flat in it). You can still sing the songs, no matter who sings them.

So, if you want to listen to Joe Satriani, i'd try 'Surfing with the alien' first, but this is also a good album to try as well and my favourite of Satriani. It just has a wide variety of songs and it's a great 70-minute listen. If you're a fan of guitar or just rock music in general, you will definately enjoy this album. This is Satch at is very best.