Joe Satriani - Not Of This Earth (1986)

Not of This Earth was Joe Satriani's debut album and wow. This is an eclectic collection of songs. Since Satch didn't have a ton of money to make this recording the songs have simple drums/percussion and he plays bass on the tracks as well as the guitar.I don't think that those two things make a difference. This is simply one of the greatest debut albums by anybody period. The title track is simplistic but it is a good introduction to a guitarist with his own style."The Headless Horseman" is a technique driven tune but it is also a lot of fun. One can picture the title character riding through the night creating mayhem. "Rubina" is dedicated to his wife and contains a great use of mood in the intro, a nice melody and one of the most emotional solos ever recorded. "The Snake" is Satch at his funky best. "Driving at Night" is the tune that, even if you didn't know the title of the song, would be the one to listen to on the expressway. Joe shows that he is an artist by painting a musical picture of pounding the pedal to the floor. He does break out some blinding licks but the song isn't about technique it is all about creating a picture through sound. This is one of Joe's best songs and it is dissapointing that he hasn't played it live since the first tour."The Enigmatic" is named after the mode that it uses. Joe sounds like Holdsworth at times but he does add his own flavor to the legato laced tune. This is one of Joe's wildest creations. This disc shows how music can give mental pictures from the audio. Joe is an artist in every sense of the word on this Cd and any guitarist or musician that doesn't own it should buy it immediately.

This is one of my favorite Joe Satriani cds. This was Joe's first album and sounds just as good as his second album Surfing With The Alien. Joe plays guitars,bass,and keyboards on all the songs. Joe's guitar work is top notch from start to finish; as usual. Some of the best songs include;RUBINA,DRIVING AT NIGHT,THE SNAKE,NOT OF THIS ЕARTH,and HORDES OF LOCUST. A must own for Satriani fans.

Joe states, "Not Of This Earth was recorded in early 1985. The music reflects a collection of ideas I'd been working on at the time. My goal was to make a "guitar-record" that would be enjoyed by all; not just a "guitar-chops-record" but one with real music on it. It took 107 hours to record and mix all of the material. The pace was brisk but exhiliarating. And with the help of John Cuniberti and Jeff Campitelli each composition developed into a unique statement of texture, emotion and style. Not Of This Earth on CD can be an amazing audio experience, so turn it up!"

Track Listing

Not of this Earth 3:55
The Snake 4:40
Rubina 5:50
Memories 4:00
Brother John 2:07
The Enigmatic 3:25
Driving at Night 3:30
Hordes of Locusts 4:55
New Day 3:56
Headless Horseman 1:50

Relativity Records (Studio Recording)

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY
JOE SATRIANI

PRODUCED BY
JOE SATRIANI AND JOHN CUNIBERTI

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