Joe Satriani: Engines Of Creation

Among the many lasting cultural changes wrought by alternative rock is a general public disdain for guitar gods, the axe-wielding superstars whose notes-per-second agility and technical prowess make tunefulness a secondary concern. The shift certainly didn't drive the likes of Steve Vai and his mentor Joe Satriani out of business, as both still record for major labels and play big theaters, but it forced them to reassess their sound in an attempt to stay current. The result has been underwhelming instrumental albums like Satriani's new Engines Of Creation, which de-emphasizes dexterous solos in favor of futuristic trickery and mushy fusion. There's a lot to be said for continually revising and refreshing your music—and Satriani did so to compelling effect on 1989's unpredictably playful Flying In A Blue Dream—but a whole bunch of noodly solos would have been preferable to the slick, flavorless soup he concocts on Engines Of Creation. Satriani pays admirable attention to detail, and he performs virtually every part here by himself, but he'd have done his fans a big favor by patching those meticulous ingredients into some memorable songs. He's done so quite a few times in the past, but not here.