Engines of Creation is the eighth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on March 14, 2000, through Epic Records.[2] The album reached No. 90 on the U.S. Billboard 200[3] and remained on that chart for three weeks,[4] as well as reaching the top 100 in three other countries.[5] "Until We Say Goodbye" was released as a single and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards,[6] Satriani's tenth such nomination.
| Engines of Creation | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 14, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999 | |||
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 53:27 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Joe Satriani, Eric Caudieux, Kevin Shirley | |||
| Joe Satriani chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Engines of Creation | ||||
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Release and tour
editMixing for Engines of Creation took place in June–July 1999[7] and the title was revealed on December 13.[8] A limited edition EP, Additional Creations, was released free of charge alongside the album in some stores.[2][9] Worldwide touring began in the U.S. in April–May 2000, followed by Europe in June–July, Central and South America in August, and concluding in the U.S. in December.[10]
Style and composition
editIn a unique and notable departure from Satriani's usual style, Engines of Creation mainly features experimentation with electronic and techno music[11][12] rather than the straightforward instrumental rock heard on his previous albums; Satriani has described the album as "completely techno."[13] With the exception of "Until We Say Goodbye", all tracks were made using guitars recorded and mixed non-traditionally on computer platforms, as well as being digitally manipulated using synthesizers and computer software.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Engines of Creation three stars out of five, calling it "the biggest stylistic shift [Satriani has] made yet" and "a brave and sporadically successful experiment". He suggested that longtime fans of Satriani's regular material may be disappointed, as well as those who dislike electronic sounds in guitar-based music, but praised Satriani for challenging himself to "find ways of coaxing totally new sounds from his guitar", and that "his melodies and main themes have rarely been this angular and off-kilter, meaning that exploring this music has indeed helped Satriani refresh and re-imagine his signature sound."[11]
Track listing
editAll music is composed by Joe Satriani
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Devil's Slide" | 5:10 |
| 2. | "Flavor Crystal 7" | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Borg Sex" | 5:27 |
| 4. | "Until We Say Goodbye" | 4:31 |
| 5. | "Attack" | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Champagne?" | 6:04 |
| 7. | "Clouds Race Across the Sky" | 6:14 |
| 8. | "The Power Cosmic 2000-Part I" | 2:09 |
| 9. | "The Power Cosmic 2000-Part II" | 4:23 |
| 10. | "Slow and Easy" | 4:44 |
| 11. | "Engines of Creation" | 5:57 |
| Total length: | 53:27 | |
Personnel
edit- Joe Satriani – guitar, keyboard, programming, arrangement, production
- Eric Caudieux – keyboard, programming, bass, arrangement, editing, engineering, mixing, production
- Anton Fig – drums
- Pat Thrall – bass
- Enrique Gonzalez – engineering assistance
- Mike Pilar – engineering assistance
- Mike Fraser – mixing
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
- Kevin Shirley – production
Chart performance
edit| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Billboard Top Internet Albums | 12[3] |
| French albums chart | 37[5] | |
| Swiss albums chart | 86[5] | |
| Dutch albums chart | 79[5] | |
| Billboard 200 | 90[3] |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | 111,851[14] |
Awards
edit| Event | Title | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Grammys | "Until We Say Goodbye" | Best Rock Instrumental Performance | Nominated[6] |
References
edit- ^ "Joe Satriani – Until We Say Goodbye". Discogs. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ a b "Engines of Creation". satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ a b c "Engines of Creation - Joe Satriani | Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ "Joe Satriani - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ a b c d "Joe Satriani - Engines Of Creation (album)". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
- ^ a b "43rd Grammy Awards - 2001". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ Satriani, Joe (1999-06-24). "News" Archived 2014-03-23 at the Wayback Machine. satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ Satriani, Joe (1999-12-13). "News". satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ "Additional Creations". satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ "engines of creation 2000". satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-24.
- ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Engines of Creation - Joe Satriani". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ "Fire up your Engines: Joe Satriani, The Master of Creation" Archived 2016-03-29 at the Wayback Machine. guitar.com. 2000. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
- ^ AskMen Editors (2002). "Interview: Joe Satriani" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. AskMen. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ "Sludge Scans For August 2001". www.metalsludge.tv. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
External links
edit- In Review: Joe Satriani "Engines Of Creation" at Guitar Nine Records