Other than his previous solo band Squares, who he recorded one album with, this is Joe’s second album released back in ’86. Joe opened the door for all guitarists to release solo instrumental albums and brought them into the mainstream.
Not as commercial sounding as Alien, as there are moments of what I call fusion, this album is still a huge leap forward in terms of style. Joe has a great sense of melody to his playing which really appeals to me, and on tracks like Rubina (which I think is dedicated to his wife) the emotion he creates is jaw dropping. Then again, on The Enigmatic he is channeling his inner Robert Fripp, as this reminds me of King Crimson. Driving At Night is superb with its very eighties drum machine, keyboards, and killer guitar. Hordes Of Locusts is more of what we’d get on the next album with the same vibe and sound, and some serious fretboard gymnastics. Of course Joe is now at the top of the tree but this was a huge gamble when it first came out.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
