Elemental Journey

On Elemental Journey, Sonny Landreth takes a side trip from his usual Deep South musical environs as he delivers a batch of modern rock instrumentals showcasing his prowess as an electric guitarist and composer. For three decades, this native Louisianan has typically applied his outstanding slide guitar abilities to tunes with a blues or Cajun flavor. This time, Landreth puts aside his penchant for writing Southern-rooted words and music in favor of letting his playing speak without a regional accent. “Gaia Tribe” (a team-up with fellow fret wizard Joe Satriani), “Passionola” (featuring Texas guitar hero Eric Johnson), and “Heavy Heart Rising” are rooted in ’70-era classic rock, grounding their instrumental flourishes in cogent and memorable melodies. The rhythmic glide and sleekness of “For You and Forever” add a hint of jazz fusion to the mix. There’s a lighthearted quality to the playing here, heard in the bubbly riffs of “Reckless Beauty” and the balmy Caribbean mood of “Forgotten Story.” Everyone from steel drum player Robert Greenidge to the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra contributes to Elemental Journey’s eclectic tracks.