Joe Satriani Releases “The Elephants of Mars” with Bryan Beller

Guitar wizard Joe Satriani has returned with a new album called The Elephants of Mars, marking his 19th studio album. The instrumental album, which was made over the pandemic, was created to set a new standard for guitar albums.

“I want to show people that an instrumental guitar album can contain far more creative and entertaining elements than I think people are using right now,” Satriani states. “We did everything. We tried the craziest ideas. And we entertained every notion we had about turning something backwards, upside down, seeing what could happen.”

The album features band members Kenny Aronoff, Rai Thistlethwayte, Eric Caudieux, and Bryan Beller as well as spoken word by Ned Evett. Beller, who has worked with Satriani for many years, tailored his bass sound to fit the sounds of Satriani’s demos.

Check out that sound in context with the video for “Sahara”:

The Elephants of Mars is available now on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

The Elephants of Mars Track List:

1. Sahara
2. The Elephants of Mars
3. Faceless
4. Blue Foot Groovy
5. Tension and Release
6. Sailing the Seas of Ganymede
7. Doors of Perception
8. E 104th St NYC 1973
9. Pumpin’
10. Dance of the Spores
11. Night Scene
12. Through a Mother’s Day Darkly
13. 22 Memory Lane
14. Desolation