Having sold ten million records, guitar star Joe Satriani is the world’s most popular solo guitar instrumentalist. Satriani shredded his way into mainstream popularity with 1987s Surfing with the Alien and its Top 40 hit, “Satch Boogie.” His eighteenth album, Shapeshifting, reveals that his musical imagination and technical mastery continue to evolve.

Instrumentalists rarely penetrate pop music, but Satriani accomplished that feat by creating hook-lined songs without words. He expands his guitar-executed verses and choruses through a wide repertoire of sounds and effects and multi-sectioned compositions that transcend typical pop songwriting. Satriani plays prog rock for the 21st century, minus the self-indulgence—and it’s always accessible. 

Change is Satriani’s theme for Shapeshifting. From track to track, and within single tracks, he varies tone and technique enough to be a roomful of guitarists. Examples of his sonic variety show include the title song’s guitar-produced screaming and laughter. His stylistic shifts include the arena-rousing classic rock of “Big Distortion.” But Satriani’s guitar rules the spotlight, not some strutting rock star in spandex.

“Ali Farka, Dick Dale, an Alien and Me” expresses multiple musical characters, including surf guitarist Dale (roaring glissandos and tremolo) and Malian multi-instrumentalist Ali Ibrahim “Ali Farka” Touré (traditional African music meets American blues). Satriani also goes country-blues with “Perfect Dust” and new wave (with a dash of Eddie Van Halen) in “Nineteen Eighty.” Shapeshifting shows the reigning guitar god keeps his chops manicured and ears open.