Surfing with the Alien
Surfing with the Alien makes its technical guitar playing easy to enjoy through clear melodies. Joe Satriani can move quickly across the instrument, but the strongest pieces give that speed a song to serve. The record has plenty of energy and a useful range of moods. Its polished production also places it firmly within its period, particularly in the stiff sound of the drums.
The title track gives the album a direct opening. The guitar moves between a memorable central idea and more forceful lead passages. Crushing Day develops another strong relationship between rhythm and lead, with the background playing giving the faster lines a clear setting.
Always with Me, Always with You is an especially effective contrast. The quieter rhythm leaves space for a simple, expressive melody, showing how much Satriani can communicate without a constant stream of fast notes. Its restraint gives the more energetic pieces something to work against.
Satch Boogie brings the quicker playing back with a lively boogie riff. The tapping and more dramatic guitar effects add excitement, but the recurring theme keeps the piece connected. Circles offers a different change of scale, moving from a gentler opening towards a much harder guitar response.
Midnight makes another clear impression through its two-handed tapping. The arrangement sounds fuller than its limited parts might suggest. Echo then allows the bass and lead guitar to work together in the closing performance.
The rhythm tracks are less involving than the lead instrument. Their rigid character can make the music feel carefully assembled rather than fully alive as a band performance. Some listeners may also find the brighter production too closely tied to the late eighties.
Those limits leave the main achievement intact. Surfing with the Alien turns difficult guitar playing into approachable instrumental songs. Satriani's melodies provide the connection, while the changes in pace keep his ability from becoming the only reason to pay attention.
