Not of This Earth (Joe Satriani album)
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
Not of This Earth is the first studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released in 1986 through Relativity Records[1] and reissued on June 16, 2008 through Epic Records as part of the Joe Satriani Original Album Classics box set.[4]
Overview
In the liner notes, Satriani provides a brief introduction to himself and the background behind Not of This Earth. He states that his 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." He also mentions the recording of a follow-up album which he promises "will turn heads, drop jaws and create world peace in our lifetime!";[2] this would become his 1987 breakthrough smash hit Surfing with the Alien.
The album uses electronic drums rather than acoustic drums. The title track utilizes a unique compositional technique described by Satriani as pitch axis theory, which consists of shifting modes underneath a pedal tone (in this case, E). "The Enigmatic" uses the enigmatic scale.[5] "Rubina" is one of two tracks named after his wife, the other being "Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness" on The Extremist (1992). "The Headless Horseman" is performed entirely using a two-handed tapping technique, and was revisited in the form of "Headless" on Flying in a Blue Dream (1989).
The original cover art used for the first vinyl edition of the album was lost early on, having since been replaced with an alternative cover; the latter has been used for all CD releases since 1987. Also of note is the guitar, an Ibanez 540P, with which Satriani is pictured on this second edition cover: it was never actually used by him, and was instead "a promo shot that got too much press".[6]
Track listing
All music is composed by Joe Satriani
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not of This Earth" | 4:04 |
| 2. | "The Snake" | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Rubina" | 5:56 |
| 4. | "Memories" | 4:06 |
| 5. | "Brother John" | 2:10 |
| 6. | "The Enigmatic" | 3:26 |
| 7. | "Driving at Night" | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Hordes of Locusts" | 4:59 |
| 9. | "New Day" | 3:52 |
| 10. | "The Headless Horseman" | 1:53 |
| Total length: | 38:42 | |
Personnel
- Joe Satriani – guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass, production
- John Cuniberti – vocals (track 10), percussion, engineering, mixing, production
- Jeff Campitelli – drums, percussion, DX, whistle
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
References
- ^ a b "Not Of This Earth". satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ a b Not of This Earth CD edition liner notes.
- ^ Carter, Phil. "Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ "Original Album Classics - Joe Satriani". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
- ^ Fischer, Peter (2000). Rock Guitar Secrets, p. 162. ISBN 3-927190-62-4.
- ^ Chat Transcript: 12/5/00. Musictoyz. 2000-12-05. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
External links
- In Review: Joe Satriani "Not Of This Earth" at Guitar Nine Records