"Electric Joy" was Richie Kotzen's 3rd album for Shrapnel Records too documents his incredible increase every bit a musician. The album delivered a collection of master copy instrumental compositions rich inwards tasteful melodies too contemporary guitar techniques, that farther cemented hs seat inwards the music globe every bit a guitarist's guitarist. For the initiatory of all time, Kotzen was inwards the studio producing himself alongside consummate creative control. Since he was preparing a vocal tape for Interscope to a greater extent than or less the same time, he chose to brand this an all instrumental record. Kotzen's favorite songs from "Electric Joy" are "Slow Blues" too "Electric Toy".
His debut album was a striking alongside the shredders, but iii albums in, Kotzen had already delivered iii completely dissimilar pieces of work. Electric Joy has some of the playfulness of the debut, but is to a greater extent than oftentimes than non a jaw-dropping collection of intricately composed pieces that skirt multiple genres including funk, country, bluegrass, jazz, fusion, too blues. If I had to alternative out an influence, I would tell that Electric Joy sounds similar Richie had been listening to a lot of the “two Steves”: Vai too Morse. His technique is top-notch.
“B Funk” opens the album alongside some light-speed bluegrass-y licks, but it keeps changing, from a funked upwards rocker alongside shredding, to a melodic “chorus” section. Then it’s dorsum to the bluegrass from space.
At this betoken I’ll betoken out that Kotzen plays all the instruments except drums, himself. That’s Richie’s standby Atma Anur on drums. What this agency is, that incredibly dexterous bassline you’re hearing on “B Funk” is also performed past times Kotzen! And it’s virtually every flake every bit stunning every bit the guitar!
“Electric Toy” begins ballady, alongside some lyrical Vai-like moments. Of course, Kotzen can’t help but practice what he does, thence at that spot are dissimilar sections, some at lickity-split tempos. This is followed past times “Shufina”, which is essentially a blues jam. Kotzen’s deep bends are appropriate, but earlier besides long he’s harmonizing alongside himself on some unconventional melodies.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 smoking hot riff ignites “Acid Lips”, lilliputian lightning licks flicker inwards too out, but this 1 has a corporation groove. (It can’t endure slow grooving alongside yourself on bass.) “Slow Blues” contains some of Richie’s most lyrical Pb work. If y'all tin imagine the Pb guitar taking on the utilisation of a singer, too thence “Slow Blues” is in all likelihood the most accessible vocal on the album.
The side past times side vocal “High Wire” is uncatagorizable, suffice to tell that similar all of Electric Joy it combines quirky notes alongside shreddery, funk too groove. My favourite vocal is “Dr. Glee”. It sounds similar it seems it should – gleeful. I discovery this pleasant tune to endure real summery. Kotzen guitar has thence many dissimilar sounds too shades, fifty-fifty only inside this 1 song.
“Hot Rails” is some other 1 that sounds similar advertized…a educate racing downwards the track. Kotzen’s slide move is anything but simple. This one’s thence fast it’s difficult to move on rails of all the cool dissimilar guitar parts. It virtually sounds similar Kotzen wrote a blues shuffle, too and thence decided to striking fast frontwards on his tape deck too larn it at that speed!
Electric Joy closes alongside “The Deece Song”, which thankfully is mid-tempo allowing us to select grip of our collective breath. It’s some other nifty performance, similar inwards way to “Dr. Glee”. It has its sweeping Satriani moments every bit well.
This 1 is past times far the best Richie Kotzen instrumental album to date. The opener Shufina too the next vocal Electric Toy are plenty to seat this album inwards the want listing of every guitar lover. The entire album past times the way is extremely consistent from its offset to its end. The music is a form of blues fusion type of thing. There are truthful songs, Richie doesn't demonstrate off hither for the sake of. He plays his trademark legato licks alongside heart too ask heed too the music inwards the destination is genuinely gratifying. There is solely 1 vocal that I don't similar which it happens to endure the 1 earlier the final one. Too confused. But apart from this one, a perfect bright album.
I'm a huge fan of technical music. I beloved Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Shawn Lane, Steve Morse, etc. The employment alongside some of the shredders out at that spot is the music is boring. Not thence alongside this album. Richie sheds his previous neoclassical stylings for a bluesy funk fusion. His tone on hither is superb, too the melodies are great. If y'all similar high calibre guitar playing alongside proficient TASTE, purchase this.
Recorded at Richie`s House too Prarie Lord's Day Studios, Cotati, CA. This cloth was originally recorded on 1/4 inch 8 rails too subsequently transferred to 24 rails for all drum overdubs too mix.
Track listing
All songs written too composed past times Richie Kotzen.
1. "B Funk" 4:18
2. "Electric Toy" 5:01
3. "Shufina" 5:02
4. "Acid Lips" 4:45
5. "Slow Blues" 4:21
6. "High Wire" 5:41
7. "Dr. Glee" 4:11
8. "Hot Rails" 3:34
9. "The Deece Song" 5:12
Total length: 42:05
Personnel:
Richie Kotzen – guitar, bass, tubular bell, arrangement, engineering, mixing, production
Atma Anur – drums, percussion
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