Surfing With the Alien 4:20
Ice 9 4:08
Crushing Day 5:16
Always With Me, Always With You 3:20
Satch Boogie 3:10
Hill of the Skull 1:46
Circles 3:27
Lords of Karma 4:46
Midnight 1:42
Echo 5:38
OUR PERSONAL REVIEWS

MAK'S REVIEW: If there was any one album that put Joe on the map, Surfing with the Alien is definitely it. Selling over 2 million copies world-wide, the album established Joe as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Perhaps one of the greatest attributes of this album is that you don't have to be a guitar shredding freak to enjoy it. This isn't to say that there aren't some blindingly fast riffs on the album, but Joe seems to show preference to more melodic phrases rather than burning through the modes as fast as he can. There isn't a single bad song on this album. SWTA opens with the energetic title track and appropriately closes with "Echo", a slower song. The only reason I gave this album a 4.5 is the somewhat subpar sound quality...luckily, that aspect of the album is repaired on the remaster.

Star Rating (out of 5): **** 1/2

EVAN'S REVIEW: Surfing with the Alien is a great album to listen to whether you play guitar or not. This is one reason that it has sold so well, due to its wide appeal. Since SWTA was an early Joe release, it's production is not as good as some of his later work such as Crystal Planet, but that is mended in the remastered release. Surfing is Joe stripped down to his basics, and to guitar players everywhere it still stands as one of the greatest guitar albums of all time. Signature songs such as Satch Boogie and the title track show you why Joe practically conquered the world with this album. There isn't enough one can say about all of the songs, from Ice 9 with its incredibly complex solos, to Circles with its harmonized scales and extended tapping licks. Always With Me, Always With You is an instant classic, and Lords of Karma is a recording of the finished 15-year-long project. This album is great, and if you don't have it yet, you should strongly consider adding it to your collection.

Star Rating (Out of 5): *****

OTHER PEOPLE'S REVIEWS

Billboard (11/7/87)
An electric guitar fan's dream come true, instrumental set features the stellar fretwork of guitar-teacher-to-the-stars Satriani-who plays loud and fast and will appeal to admirers of Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, Eddie Van Halen, and Tony McAlpine. Instore play a must.

A review by James Rotondi of Amazon.com Joe Satriani surfed into the big time with this 1987 virtuoso rock breakthrough, the first instrumental record to crack the Billboard Top 200 in years. State-of-the-art guitar playing--complete with wang- bar dive-bombs, two-handed tapping à la Van Halen, and juicy blues bends--wrapped in heavily layered arrangements, Surfing is textbook "shred" guitar, the oft-imitated style perfected by Satriani's student Steve Vai but born from Eddie Van Halen's dynamic inventions. The swing-metal "Satch Boogie," the ballad "Always with Me, Always with You," and the driving "Ice 9" are the album's standout tracks, though "Echo" is probably the most interesting cut, graced with a wistful melody from Satriani, who for once slows down on this whiz-bang technical showcase.

A review by critic Jim White (© Emap Consumer Magazines Limited. For personal use only)
An extensive re-issue of work by the guitarist who, if he had sold an album every time a contemporary axeman had mentioned him as an inspiration, would have shifted, well, considerably more units than he has actually managed. The man has guested on Spinal Tap's last album, for goodness sake. He knows his Hendrix, has mastered the feedback, seems at home in a range of eclectic styles, and, as revealed on Flying In A Blue Dream (1990), he is a capable singer. Oh and he has the hair, the pout, and what appears to be a small rain-forest glued to his chest. All, you might think, the pre-requisites. Not Of This Earth (1986) was a self-financed affair when no-one else would back him, Surfing With The Alien (1987) his biggest seller and Flying In A Blue Dream his occasionally over-ambitious, hour-long megawork. Perhaps a little on the harsh side for those who prefer their guitar to be twanged George Benson style, perhaps a little soft-edged for those who prefer their metal intimidatory, this is nonetheless guitar-playing to be reckoned with. Maybe now it will sell. CMJ New Music Report
For guitar lovers only. Joe Satriani has taught some of the finest hard rock players their licks, but as usual, the teacher has one up on his students. Surfing with the Allen is a wild and wonderful album of rock instrumentals, each with Satriani burning through the center, soloing with a wicked smile on his face. He's a playful, inventive player who drains every bit of creative energy from his instrument. The album varies from full-tilt rockers to hard boogie to introspective mood pieces, exploring each (and more) with equal parts raw talent and blazing irreverence. To drop the needle on this disc is to be amazed. Top cuts: "Surfing with the Alien," "Circles," "Ice 9," "Midnight" and "Satch Boogie."

Some consumer reviews:
~A Masterpice of Metal, melody, feel, riff and rythm. Joe rules the instrumental world.

~Surfing With the Alien remains one of Joe Satriani's more simple, melodic, and versatile of his earlier albums. With such bone crunching hits including; "Crushing Day," and "Satch Boogie," as well as the blues-inspired, smoky bar sound of; "Always With You, Always With Me," Joe Satriani stands out as one of rock's premier musicians.

~Joe is by far the most innovative player and this recording has paved the way for others. When you get this recording, you will run back to the store for the others. Surfing is just the tip of the iceberg.

~Satriani is a master of his trade, a genuine artist if you will; he is to the guitar what van Gogh was to painting. This may well be his masterwork (although I also really love CRYSTAL PLANET). What can I say? There are no weak tracks, highly impressive music, and some strange and occasionally ominous imagery ("Hill of the Skull" and "Lords of Karma" bring to mind some dark thoughts, indeed). I think that, perhaps, the best track here is "Circles." It has a sort of soft intro before turning heavier and then softening up, and follows a very dynamic path throughout. It also has a modern-day Fates Warning-type sound, as if all you need add is Ray Alder on vocals and you've got it. Of course, it is not quite the same, but it is close. I also am truly impressed by "Crushing Day," "Ice 9," "Surfing With the Alien," and "Always With Me, Always With You." One amazing monolith of a record.

~IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A QUICK FIX FOR YOUR EARS TO EXPERIENCE A REAL GUITAR MASTER AT WORK AND YOU LIKE ROCK N ROLL, THEN I ADVISE YOU TO ADD THIS TO YOUR COLLECTION. IT IS OFTEN SOLD OUT AT THE REGULAR STANDS, THIS SAYS ALOT ABOUT IT. YOU WILL ENJOY THE SPEED THE SOUND AND THE VERSATILE DIFFERENCES IN EACH TITLE. LISTEN TO A LIVING LEGEND THAT IS STILL DISCOVERING THE ABILITIES OF HIS IBANEZ. I'VE MET JOE AND WATCHED HIM PLAY IN THE STUDIO AND HE'S JUST AS AWSOME UP CLOSE!!