Joe Satriani kicks off the new year with a brand new album. Slated for release on April 8, The Elephants Of Mars marks the legendary guitarist’s 19th studio album in more than 35 years in music. This album also marks the start of his new label partnership with earMUSIC, the international rock label of entertainment group Edel.
In a new interview with Sonic Perspectives, Satriani discusses the new album, as well as his first public foray as a touring visual artist with upcoming screenings debuting at two Wentworth Gallery locations. Watch below:
Pre-orders for The Elephants Of Mars are available now and include a special limited digital pack CD featuring seven double-sided cards of original Satriani artwork depicting each song from the album. Additionally, several colored vinyl options will also be available for pre-order, including an orange, pink (D2C only), and purple version. The video for the first single, “Sahara”, directed by ZZ Satriani, can be viewed below.
Joe Satriani had an admirably productive working vacation, with a pandemic forced off the road, which ultimately gave him and his touring band all recording remotely in separate parts of the world. during lockdown, the ability to deliver an album-length journey that never gets boring. The Elephants Of Mars crackles with exciting new energy, traveling fast through stylistic routes that feel freshly updated when seen through new eyes.
The guitarist challenged himself to create a “new standard” for instrumental guitar albums, one that would operate from a “new platform of his own design”, as he calls it. “I want to show people that an instrumental guitar album can contain a lot more creative and entertaining elements than what I think people are using right now.”
From the gripping sci-fi madness of “Through A Mother’s Day Darkly,” to the isolation felt in a decaying cityscape, as exemplified by debut single “Sahara,” to the general endorphin levels that peak when elephants finally roar in the title track, The Elephants Of Mars will rush through your mind, leaving a sonic imprint that won’t fade.
In 2020, with all time constraints removed, The Elephants Of Mars truly represents the album Satriani himself hoped he could deliver with his band. “We have done everything. We tried the craziest ideas. And we entertained all the ideas we had about flipping something upside down, seeing what might happen.
With this new album, Satriani joins the eclectic and exciting list of earMUSIC. Managing Director Max Vaccaro said: “A few years ago we were fortunate enough to be Joe Satriani’s chosen label for the very lucky Chickenfoot project. It was impossible not to notice and admire the monstrous dedication, work ethic and talent in the recording studio and on stage. We knew, however, that he had the same “home” for his solo music for decades and that for him, being signed to a record company meant loyalty and belonging. “It is with great joy and a sense of responsibility that now, a few years later, we welcome Joe to his first solo work with earMUSIC. We thank him for writing and recording very special music that will delight all many fans, and we like to think this will be the first of many great albums to come.
Size:
– CD case
– Cover Ltd. CD Digi (incl. 14 images created by the artist himself)
– 2LP Gatefold
– Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Orange
– Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Purple
– Ltd. 2LP Gatefold Pink
– Digital
Pre-order here.
Track list:
“Sahara”
“The Elephants of March”
“Without a face”
“Blue Foot Groovy”
“Tension and Release”
“Sailing the Seas of Ganymede”
“The Gates of Perception”
“E 104th St NYC”
“Pumpkin'”
“The Spore Dance”
“Night Scene”
“Through a Dark Mother’s Day”
“22 memory lanes”
“Desolation”
Video “Sahara”:
Behind the scenes video of “Sahara”:
Video “Sahara” piece by piece:
Satriani is about to embark on her first fine art tour. He prepared unique pieces for a special exhibition including original canvases and hand-painted guitars.
Join Joe at two Wentworth Gallery locations: Friday, January 28, 7-10 p.m. at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and Saturday, January 29, 5-8 p.m. location of Boca Raton to celebrate its visual art.
“Not only do you see the universe through Joe’s eyes, but you also contemplate our place in it.” – Christian O’Mahony, director of the Wentworth Gallery
For more information, visit goneworthgallery.com. Watch a video trailer below:
(Photo – Eduardo Pena Dolhun)