Joe’s latest albums haven’t really been anything special. In fact, I didn’t take issue with Strange Beautiful Music because I expected him to come back with something that would really blow my mind. Unfortunately, the wait has resulted in a bit of an anticlimax as I am sorry to report that Is There Love In Space? is one of those rare things – a mediocre Joe Satriani album. There are melodies and riffs on this record that could have been on Crystal Planet, and that was like… 6 years ago or something. Employing a seven-string guitar is not particularly innovative and I’m sure that we’ve all come to expect more of Joe. With the exception of the title track and the wonderful flourish of If I Could Fly, the rest of the songs seem, well, a bit lost. It may just be the effects of middle-age and fatherhood taking place, but this reminds me of Bush aping Nirvana riffs, just that Joe apes his own.
Even if he brought out something totally nuts, like he did with Engines of Creation, or he released a record that was a departure from his previous ones, like his self-titled album, at least he would be bringing something new to the table. Something unique, something with a flavour of its own. This record is just lost and I honestly can’t find this album’s identity, not like the avant-garde of Not Of This Earth or the eclecticism of Time Machine. I wish I could come away with a more favourable review, but as it stands, I can’t.
6/10
:::::Track Listings:::::
1. Gnaahh
2. Up in Flames
3. Hands in the Air
4. Lifestyle
5. Is There Love In Space?
6. If I Could Fly
7. The Souls of Distortion
8. Just Look Up
9. I Like the Rain
10. Searching
11. Bamboo
www.satriani.com