Joe Hodgson - The Grass Is Greener/Shapeshifting

Joe Hodgson

The Grass Is Greener/Shapeshifting
self-released; 2025

By Matt Jensen

After a four-year absence spent traveling, writing, and recording, Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson returns with a new double A-side instrumental release: "The Grass Is Greener" and "Shapeshifting." It’s a welcome reintroduction, a reminder of Hodgson’s deep technical chops and his instinct for shaping melodies that feel lived-in rather than labored over.

"The Grass Is Greener" kicks off with a rolling drum pattern, clean guitar picking, and a bassline that quickly clears the path for a soaring lead guitar solo. Hodgson’s playing immediately evokes shades of Joe Satriani—not just in technical precision, but in the way he stitches emotion into every phrase. There are flashes of Eddie Van Halen too, with moments of hammer-ons and tapping that feel flashy without slipping into excess. Rather than building to a relentless crescendo, the track finds a steady dynamic and leans into it, eventually easing into a more restrained, almost reflective close that feels earned.

"Shapeshifting" takes a different approach, launching into a full-speed sprint that feels nearly double-timed compared to its counterpart. Hodgson’s lead guitar darts and dances with a jam-band looseness, at times hinting at a flamenco undercurrent that never fully emerges but lingers at the edges. One of the song’s standout moments comes during a breakdown where the tone shifts so drastically it almost sounds like a banjo—whether through clever effects or an actual instrument swap, the surprise lands perfectly. In just over two minutes, Hodgson manages to cram in an astonishing number of notes, without ever sounding cluttered.

Both tracks showcase different sides of Hodgson’s playing, but together they underline a single truth: few guitarists can marry speed, soul, and melodic intuition the way he does. His return feels less like a comeback and more like a quiet assertion that the fire never really went out.

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