Joe Satriani - Unstoppable Momentum 2013

Joe Satriani has been giving us consistent music ever since. We got the guarantee of guitar playing with the same vibes, same feel and same high quality in every albums. Most especially in newer albums,as started from Crystal Planet up to Black Swans. This flow only interrupted by his two 'specific' albums as in "Joe Satriani" (blues) and "Engines of Creation  / Recreation" (electronic). 2013's Unstoppable Momentum is in the same league as any previous Joe Satriani album. If any else to speak, this album perhaps Joe's most minimalist and straightforward album, after the more ambitious Super Collosal (trying to capture live spirit) and Professor Satchafunkilus (complex composition), with the last Black Swans....  maybe the closest in similarity with our 2013 album, Unstoppable Momentum.

The album started with song titled Unstoppable Momentum, which is immediately got that out-of-space licks kicks in. Joe speaks that they used the six or seven take for this song, so it definitely one tunes where worked out in the studio with the thematic riff composed earlier. Can't Go Back is more upbeat song, the standard Joe Satriani one pedal rhythm and a strict pentatonic scale in. The song is associated with Chickenfoot producer Carter that passed away and thus Joe called the song Can't Go Back. Lies And Truths is more experimental, Joe said the song reflect the two side of Lies and Truth so the music something like a Yin and Yang thing. Three Sheets To The Wind is easy hummable melody, with a piano backing and have the "Texas" moments. I'll Put A Stone On Your Cairn is a slow, requiem like tunes, which Joe himself found difficulty to find the right title for the song. In A Door Into Summer, although the intro started mysteriously with church organ but the song is upbeat, typical Joe Satriani melody. The trivia for this song is the other Satriani hit, Summer Song was actually titled as A Door Into Summer. Shine On American Dreamer is a happy, American downstrokes riff, very minimalist and developed nicely. Jumpin' In is a good song if it make it into Chickenfoot catalog,  same to Jumpin' Out. Both got that Sacth Boogie thing. The Weight Of The World is yet another simple chord riff get into developed song. A Celebration is the last perfect closing tunes, Joe speaks that the movie Lincoln, Vampire Killer as one of the inspiration.

So that's all, here the Joe Satriani album that free of 'vocal' song. Quite consistent from the start until finish. The guitar sounds also consistent, that Ibanez JS2400, Big Bad Wah and some other Satriani signature effect. The album easy to listen, perhaps a little bit too easy, but hey, that's is Satriani. Supporting team make up the best behind the scenes team, with Campitelli and Mke Keneally being the co-composer in charge. Bassist Allen Whitman is new member to Satriani I guess, he added the bass line which never overwhelming Satriani's simple melody, yet giving each song a soul. My favortite tunes, Can't Go Back and I'll Put AStone.... Grab this fast.

Metal Harem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Joe Satriani - Unstoppable Momentum 2013
Buy it HERE 

01. Unstoppable Momentum
02. Can't Go Back
03. Lies And Truths
04. Three Sheets To The Wind
05. I'll Put A Stone On Your Cairn
06. A Door Into Summer
07. Shine On American Dreamer
08. Jumpin' In
09. Jumpin' Out
10. The Weight Of The World
11. A Celebration

Line-up
Mike Keneally - keyboards
Joe "Satch" Satriani - guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, percussion
Jeff Campitelli - drums, percussion
Allen Whitman - bass

Session musicians
John Cuniberti - percussion

Joe Satriani Unstoppable Momentum album review