Music mini-reviews

It's been too long since I posted some thoughts here. Today I'm summarizing my view on a few recent music purchases.

Joe Satriani - Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards

I hadn't owned any Satriani previously, and bought this latest album when it was released. It's actually a really solid collection of music, and doesn't become monotonous (as I think some instrumental albums do).

After owning this for a bit, I bought a few of Joe's best-selling tracks for comparison. I'd say most of the Wormhole album is better than the older stuff. This impression was borne out when I attended a January Satriani concert in Vancouver. I thought the Wormhole material was really solid and enjoyable and was the best music of the show.

I think the second tune on the album, Dream Song, might be my favorite. It opens with a cool riff on the wah pedal and is memorable. I've rated quite a few songs on the album as superior, with only a couple "average".

Rodrigo y Gabriela

I bought the eponymous CD from Rodrigo y Gabriela from a Borders store that was closing down while on a recent business trip to California. I was hoping it would be as good as their 11:11 album I reviewed earlier. After having given it a few listens, it's still growing on me. At first listen, it's pretty similar to 11:11. Perhaps just a bit less polished, though the playing is impressive. A few songs seem very similar to tunes on 11:11 that I take to be the origins of those later tunes.

If you haven't heard Rodrigo y Gabriela, they're a real treat, playing excellent Latin-influenced tunes on a pair of classical guitars. But these two are solidly rooted in rock music, and the all-instrumental album is very enjoyable.

I think my favorite tune on the disk is a cover of Stairway to Heaven. They carry the classic melody on the guitar and stray just far enough from the original to keep it fresh. And ripping throughout that famous solo on classical guitar is very cool.

Scarlet Runner -- Groove Thing

I had never heard of Scarlet Runner and just stumbled on this album while pulling a thread in the iTunes store, after looking up something else. Well, this is an enjoyable and surprisingly fulfilling rock album with a blues edge to it.

I'm less fond of the first few tracks, personally, but feel that the album becomes more and more awesome as it goes on. There are a lot of tracks on the album and most of them are really solid.

My favorite tune of the collection is the title track Groove Thing, which does in fact have a great groove. There's also a really solid cover of > Use Me Up. Overall a really enjoyable find!

Joe Bonamassa -- Dust Bowl

Joe's latest album was released a couple of days ago, and I didn't hesitate to buy it up. I had really enjoyed his previous disk, Black Rock, which I wrote about last year.

Now up front I have to say I'm not a big country fan, and I was a bit worried before hearing it that this album might have strayed too far in that direction for me. Not to worry, with one exception.

I've probably been listening to too much Bonamassa lately to give this as fresh a listen as I'd like. But I'm having trouble avoiding his most enjoyable rockin' blues guitar. I particularly thing that his "Stop!" is incredibly powerful, and have been enjoying both the studio and live versions (Live from the Royal Albert Hall).

Dust Bowl is more great playing from Joe on a bunch of solid and enjoyable songs. I have only one beef: the third track on the album is a pure country:bluegrass tune that I just can't seem to get into. I'm sure some others would appreciate it, and it's perhaps not a surprise since the album was partly recorded in Memphis.

Dust Bowl opens with a really interesting slow blues tune Slow Train. Nice effect to kick it off. The title track is next, and it's a memorable tune that leaves me feeling dusty.

I think my current favorite tune on the album is a really typical JB tune, The Meaning of the Blues. It's catchy and memorable and the guitar work is great.

Joe does a great job of letting you feel the strife of hard working folk in songs like Black Lung Heartache and the great ballad The Last Matador of Bayonne. It doesn't hurt that Joes guitar tones are mouth-watering and his singing voice just keeps getting better.

I convinced my brother to buy tickets to Joe's show next week in Toronto. Sadly I can't get there and sadder still there is no sign of the Dust Bowl tour coming near Vancouver. Great album and I know it would be amazing live.

Ok and one last one. I'm writing this on my phone while flying across the Atlantic, so I've got nothing better to do.

Al di Meola -- Pursuit of Radical Rhapsody

Another album release in the past week, and another really great one! This recording continues the World Symphonia mix of various cultural influences into a lovely whole. There is still quite a strong tango influence in the album

Al is playing both acoustic classical (and steel string, I think) and electric guitars on the album and it steams with lively guitar playing, really interesting beats and great accompaniments.

The most memorable song for me is a cover of Strawberry Fields, which is really pretty, and wanders between rather true to the Beatles approach, and then veering off in unanticipated directions.

There is also a gorgeous cover of one of my favorite songs of all time: Over the Rainbow. The whole album is beautiful, and I actually find it quite inspiring. And never boring. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise by now.

Ok that's it. With a touch of dawn on the horizon over Greenland and only 2200 miles to fly, what's playing on the soundtrack to your life tonight?