Uli John Roth's Electric Sun
Earthquake

On a boring autumn afternoon, tired of my usual record collection, I decide to venture in search of new artists, but I avoid looking for the usual unknown artists, those who have released maybe 2 albums and sold 2 copies.

This time I play it safe and come across a big name: Ulrich Roth, known as Uli Jon Roth. Not the Roth of the Scorpions, though, but the one from his solo project called Electric Sun.

In 1978, the guitarist left the German band that was slowly and inexorably moving towards a more commercial and catchy sound.

Uli decided to start from scratch, this time completely free to express himself to the fullest and showcase his magnificent technical virtuosity. For the few who don't know him, Uli Jon Roth is a six-string wizard, with technical skills deeply influenced by another guitar genius: Jimi Hendrix.

With these foundations, it seems almost obvious to expect great work, and the hopes are well placed. "Earthquake" was released in 1979, after nearly 4 months of recording (from October '78 to January '79). The album features the typical sounds to which Roth had accustomed us during his time with the Scorpions: a blues-rock sound with deep acid and psychedelic influences. The band consisted of three members (almost a call back to the Jimi Hendrix Experience): in addition to the Düsseldorf artist (also vocalist), there were also Clive Edwards on the drums and Ule Ritgen on electric bass.

The protagonist is, of course, Roth's guitar. As often happens in the solo projects of guitar heroes, there is ample room for improvisation. Here, all the ideas matured by the German, who couldn't play with Rudolf Schenker's Scorpions, are collected.

The 8 tracks of this album are a true "earthquake" of sounds, psychedelic and fusion atmospheres, combined with the solidity of hard rock and the blues solutions experimented by the group. Powerful and decisive tracks alternate with calmer and more dreamy melodies.

The rousing "Electric Sun" kicks things off, with Roth's voice scratching like his guitar; "Burning Wheels Turning" starts with a playful rhythm, then leads to a solemn interlude, and finally picks up the initial chords again. On the same wavelength are "Sundown" and "Still So Many Lives Away", the latter resonating with the Scorpions' sound and characterized by a magnificent vocal performance. Of course, there are guitar solos galore, characterized by all possible variations that only a great guitarist knows how to use.

To counterbalance these true rock bombs, the album's more experimental and fascinating tracks make up the difference: the psychedelic "Liliac", the dreamy "Japanese Dream" (sung in German), the neo-classical "Winterdays", and the masterpiece of the album, the instrumental "Earthquake". The latter, lasting well over 10 minutes, represents the pinnacle of experimentation: the noisy intro, the powerful yet melodic central part, concluding with a crescendo recalling classic solutions and arpeggios of all kinds.

On a boring autumn afternoon, tired of the same old record collection, discovering the beauty of this artist makes the evening more enjoyable.