Source: Dawid Khats (Underground Press 27 August 2009)

Dawid Kahts on ST.J

Making a guitar album is a daunting task. Firstly, you need some solid guitar chops. Secondly, you need to have a solid understanding of music as a universal language because in the absence of vocals and lyrics, you need a strong sense of composition in order to entice the listener. Thirdly, instrumental guitar music is not renowned for having pop sensibility. I bet my sweetest Fender Stratocaster that most people who own Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai records are plectrum yielding maniacs themselves.

I salute anyone who undertakes the arduous task of creating an album where the guitar rules the roost with no other strings attached. (Excuse the pun). Does St. J – Prophesy Project succeed with this offering? Well he can certainly hold his own to the big guys. With wailing solos played with the ferocity and speed of Bruce Lee kicking ass and taking names, St. J can certainly use this album to acquire a teaching position at the GIT guitar university.

St J - Prophesy Project - Beginnings

The spiritual philosophy gives a welcome theme to the album and serves as a narrative in an almost Stravinsky-like fashion. There are a lot of different moods on the cd and it ensures that this instrumental guitar music does not fall into the trap of becoming yet another soundtrack for an extreme sport program on TV. A pleasant surprise is the use of keyboards. The tracks “Repentance” and “Forgiveness” features some very intelligent keyboard playing to add different colour to the compositions.

There is a very strong Joe Satriani influence in this album which both a good and a bad thing. It is a good thing because if you are likened to Satch it means that you can really play the instrument damn well and that you heeded Mr. Zappa’s advise to “Shut up and play your guitar”. The downside of having such a strong influence from one artist in particular is that you are in constant danger of sacrificing your own individuality. Not that St. J has no voice of his own but at times the Satriani influence is perhaps a wee bit too strong. Well I guess being an artist is like walking a tightrope and there needs to be a balance between acknowledging your influences and giving something of yourself. I am really interested to hear where St. John will take his music from here and anticipate the follow-up to this album.

In a nutshell: this really is a nice album and highly recommended to anyone who loves guitar music. If you don’t like guitar music piss off and go and listen to Lady Gaga.

St. J - Prophesy Project