New Buckethead Albums Released Since Mosh Started the Project: 1
http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/album/out-orbit
http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/album/out-orbit
Buckethead
- Thread starter CriedWhenBrucieLeft
- Start date
Enter the Chicken
This is another one I've heard of previously. I actually remember seeing the music video for We Are One on TV quite a bit at one point and actually vaguely remembered the song. I like hearing Buckethead collaborate so this album was among those I was most curious to hear going into this project. It also has the best album cover so far.
Favorite Songs
We Are One - I like Serj Tankian. I don't much about about his work outside of System Of a Down but I think he's one of the more unique Rock voices and has potential to be a Mike Patton-esque figure with a wide variety of projects. This is a good example of the great results you get when he goes outside the box. Oh yea, Buckethead is pretty good on this too.
Botnus - Pretty brutal for the most part but has quite a few shifts too. Some really unexpected moments. Buckethead also has more soloing opportunities here. Not too fond of the vocalist though, I think this would've been fine as an instrumental.
Three Fingers - This is some of the most unique rap I've heard in awhile. Saul Williams' flow is really good and blends perfectly with what Buckethead is doing.
Running From the Light - This is something different for Buckethead. Totally different vibe from what you usually get with his music. The way this starts mellow before an explosive chorus is great. And after that first chorus it still continues to build until coming all the way back down. Very nice female vocals too. The arrangement on this tune also elevates it. Under different hands this might be your generic nu-metal ballad, but the keyboards, drum beats, and vocal arrangement makes it far more interesting.
Waiting Here - Really like the way Serj and the female singer's voices blend. The groovy chorus is also unexpected. Buckethead's guitar tone during that section is very nice. Cool song.
Funbus - Pretty chaotic stuff here. I dig it.
Nottingham Lace - Was already familiar with this, one of his most famous songs. Definitely deserves the praise. Very cool song. Love the way the parts are layered.
The Verdict
Another fantastic album. Difference with this one is that it is more than a Buckethead album. His mark is definitely on all the songs, but he is rarely the center of attention, especially during the songs in the middle of the album. I consider this a positive though. The guitar isn't fighting the singers for the spotlight, instead it complements them just the right amount. A real show of restraint from Bucket. And AFAIK he still wrote the songs mostly, and these songs are very well written. Lots of variety on this album too. Probably the most varied one so far. There was not a single song I disliked here. Nottingham Lace was also the perfect finale, where he finally gets the spotlight. This is another one that I can easily see myself going back to. I might even seek this one out on CD.
9/10
Looking forward to the next one, on John Zorn's label with Zorn as executive producer.
This is another one I've heard of previously. I actually remember seeing the music video for We Are One on TV quite a bit at one point and actually vaguely remembered the song. I like hearing Buckethead collaborate so this album was among those I was most curious to hear going into this project. It also has the best album cover so far.
Favorite Songs
We Are One - I like Serj Tankian. I don't much about about his work outside of System Of a Down but I think he's one of the more unique Rock voices and has potential to be a Mike Patton-esque figure with a wide variety of projects. This is a good example of the great results you get when he goes outside the box. Oh yea, Buckethead is pretty good on this too.
Botnus - Pretty brutal for the most part but has quite a few shifts too. Some really unexpected moments. Buckethead also has more soloing opportunities here. Not too fond of the vocalist though, I think this would've been fine as an instrumental.
Three Fingers - This is some of the most unique rap I've heard in awhile. Saul Williams' flow is really good and blends perfectly with what Buckethead is doing.
Running From the Light - This is something different for Buckethead. Totally different vibe from what you usually get with his music. The way this starts mellow before an explosive chorus is great. And after that first chorus it still continues to build until coming all the way back down. Very nice female vocals too. The arrangement on this tune also elevates it. Under different hands this might be your generic nu-metal ballad, but the keyboards, drum beats, and vocal arrangement makes it far more interesting.
Waiting Here - Really like the way Serj and the female singer's voices blend. The groovy chorus is also unexpected. Buckethead's guitar tone during that section is very nice. Cool song.
Funbus - Pretty chaotic stuff here. I dig it.
Nottingham Lace - Was already familiar with this, one of his most famous songs. Definitely deserves the praise. Very cool song. Love the way the parts are layered.
The Verdict
Another fantastic album. Difference with this one is that it is more than a Buckethead album. His mark is definitely on all the songs, but he is rarely the center of attention, especially during the songs in the middle of the album. I consider this a positive though. The guitar isn't fighting the singers for the spotlight, instead it complements them just the right amount. A real show of restraint from Bucket. And AFAIK he still wrote the songs mostly, and these songs are very well written. Lots of variety on this album too. Probably the most varied one so far. There was not a single song I disliked here. Nottingham Lace was also the perfect finale, where he finally gets the spotlight. This is another one that I can easily see myself going back to. I might even seek this one out on CD.
9/10
Looking forward to the next one, on John Zorn's label with Zorn as executive producer.
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
It's basically a guitar master-class; he presses all the right buttons without ever going full-Buckethead on you.
Buckethead & Monti co-wrote every track on it; with Nottingham Lace being the stand alone track (aside from the Intro and Interlude), with no other contributors, that they wrote alone.
There was a re-release of this in 2008 (red cover, rather than yellow) that had an extra track after Nottingham Lace, called Shen Chi. It's decent but they should have left Nottingham Lace as the closer. I suppose it's just a "bonus" track.
Kaleidoscalp
I'm a big fan of John Zorn so I'm expecting something awesomely weird and brutal with this album. Interesting bit about how many of the instruments and effects were manipulated through circuit bending. The sounds on here so far are pretty unique.
Favorite Songs
Frankenseuss Laboratories - Off to a great start. This is some of the most chaotic stuff I've heard from Bucket in awhile. Love the sudden changes and syncopated riffing.
Music Box Innards - The circuit bending stuff here is awesome. I also like the sludgy riffing. This song has an almost Black Sabbath meets Frank Zappa feel.
Breakfast Cyborg - Nice breakdown toward the end of this track.
Last Ride of the Bozomobile - One of the creepier tracks. Love the switches between creepy clean guitar sections and brutal riffing. Would've liked to see this song expanded some, but it's great as it is too.
Rock Maintenance - The first of this was only OK, but the second half was awesome. The organ at the end is a nice texture.
Pylon Shift - Nice buildup on this tune.
She Sells Sea Shells... - I was disappointed that this wasn't actually an 11 minute tune, just a 3 minute tune with a bunch of silence before some hidden noises. But the actual song was cool.
The Verdict
Pretty interesting album. The theme, manipulating electronics, doesn't seem like it would for an entire album but there are varying levels of success here. Sometimes it really works well with the songs, other times it sounds more like Buckethead screwing around over a drum beat. The second half of the album drags at times, while still being mostly interesting. That's what happens when you experiment, some stuff is going to work and some inevitably doesn't work. Overall though there was some really cool stuff here and more hits than misses. I didn't love it, but it's still living up the standards Buckethead has set with his last few albums. I'm also impressed at how focused these last few albums have been.
7/10
I'm a big fan of John Zorn so I'm expecting something awesomely weird and brutal with this album. Interesting bit about how many of the instruments and effects were manipulated through circuit bending. The sounds on here so far are pretty unique.
Favorite Songs
Frankenseuss Laboratories - Off to a great start. This is some of the most chaotic stuff I've heard from Bucket in awhile. Love the sudden changes and syncopated riffing.
Music Box Innards - The circuit bending stuff here is awesome. I also like the sludgy riffing. This song has an almost Black Sabbath meets Frank Zappa feel.
Breakfast Cyborg - Nice breakdown toward the end of this track.
Last Ride of the Bozomobile - One of the creepier tracks. Love the switches between creepy clean guitar sections and brutal riffing. Would've liked to see this song expanded some, but it's great as it is too.
Rock Maintenance - The first of this was only OK, but the second half was awesome. The organ at the end is a nice texture.
Pylon Shift - Nice buildup on this tune.
She Sells Sea Shells... - I was disappointed that this wasn't actually an 11 minute tune, just a 3 minute tune with a bunch of silence before some hidden noises. But the actual song was cool.
The Verdict
Pretty interesting album. The theme, manipulating electronics, doesn't seem like it would for an entire album but there are varying levels of success here. Sometimes it really works well with the songs, other times it sounds more like Buckethead screwing around over a drum beat. The second half of the album drags at times, while still being mostly interesting. That's what happens when you experiment, some stuff is going to work and some inevitably doesn't work. Overall though there was some really cool stuff here and more hits than misses. I didn't love it, but it's still living up the standards Buckethead has set with his last few albums. I'm also impressed at how focused these last few albums have been.
7/10
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
Make that two!
http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/album/space-viking
Btw, this Pike is dedicated to Bernie Worrell, who died last year. Here's Bernie & Buckethead (& Brain & Laswell, as Praxis) playing at Bonnaroo in 2004. So good...
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Wow that was fast. Is this going to be another 2015 for him?
Inbred Mountain
The wiki article for this album is pretty brief, no idea what to expect with this. Some longer songs though, that should be interesting. Song titles also suggest a concept.
Favorite Songs
In Search of Inbred Mountain - Lots of weirdness but also some really cool riffs. I could imagine something like this being played during an amusement park ride. Lots of cool melodies/riffs and some unexpected twists. The heavy riff at around 2 minutes is awesome.
Lotus Island - This song is less manic but just as adventurous. Love the majestic opening. Very dynamic song too. Nice funky outro.
Advance to the Summit - Half of this song didn't do it for me, but some of the creepier parts are really cool. The banjo frenzy at the end is appreciated.
Plastination Station - It's nice to hear some of the moodier ideas from Colma and Electric Tears work their way into Buckethead's heavier work. Cool track.
The Verdict
Probably the most uneven album since Buckethead's electronic period in terms of song quality. It's another focused effort, but some songs feel more inspired than others. Some of the longer tracks seem like random jams strung together without much cohesion. Other songs, such as Lotus Island, are masterfully arranged and composed with some excellent guitar playing throughout. Otherwise the album is disappointing. The song titles suggest something more adventurous than what is actually contained. I expected Escape From Inbred Mountain to have more twists and turns, like In Search of Inbred Mountain. Overall, not a bad album but could've been a lot better.
6/10
Inbred Mountain
The wiki article for this album is pretty brief, no idea what to expect with this. Some longer songs though, that should be interesting. Song titles also suggest a concept.
Favorite Songs
In Search of Inbred Mountain - Lots of weirdness but also some really cool riffs. I could imagine something like this being played during an amusement park ride. Lots of cool melodies/riffs and some unexpected twists. The heavy riff at around 2 minutes is awesome.
Lotus Island - This song is less manic but just as adventurous. Love the majestic opening. Very dynamic song too. Nice funky outro.
Advance to the Summit - Half of this song didn't do it for me, but some of the creepier parts are really cool. The banjo frenzy at the end is appreciated.
Plastination Station - It's nice to hear some of the moodier ideas from Colma and Electric Tears work their way into Buckethead's heavier work. Cool track.
The Verdict
Probably the most uneven album since Buckethead's electronic period in terms of song quality. It's another focused effort, but some songs feel more inspired than others. Some of the longer tracks seem like random jams strung together without much cohesion. Other songs, such as Lotus Island, are masterfully arranged and composed with some excellent guitar playing throughout. Otherwise the album is disappointing. The song titles suggest something more adventurous than what is actually contained. I expected Escape From Inbred Mountain to have more twists and turns, like In Search of Inbred Mountain. Overall, not a bad album but could've been a lot better.
6/10
Elephant Man's Alarm Clock
This one doesn't even have a wikipedia page. Any info on this, Cried? Mostly shorter songs here though and a multi-part piece.
Favorite Songs
Thai Fighter Swarm - Love the chaos here. This is already a completely different sound from what was on the previous album.
Final Wars - Something a little more mellow, but the energy level is still high. Great guitar playing here.
Lurker At The Threshold (Part 1-4) - All 4 parts feel pretty unified, not sure why they're broken up. Regardless, it's a cool piece with some really tasteful guitar.
Driod Assembly - Some cool riffing here with Buckethead's signature kill switch work.
Bird With A Hole In The Stomach - Nice bluesy tune. Love the buildups throughout the track.
The Verdict
I liked this album about the same as the previous one, but for different reasons. Some great playing throughout the album, but many of the songs are too brief. There are some cool ideas developing but he doesn't take any time to nurture them. There is something to be said for something short and to the point, but it feels more like these songs were cut short. For example take the end of the title track. There's an awesome bass groove happening that clearly wants to build into something explosive. But instead it is cut off and the song ends with some atonal shredding. I do like that unexpected side of Buckethead, but at times it feels like a tease. That being said, none of the music is bad. Oakridge Cake was the only tune I didn't care for, but everything else was cool. Just every song seems to end when I'm really getting into it.
6/10
This one doesn't even have a wikipedia page. Any info on this, Cried? Mostly shorter songs here though and a multi-part piece.
Favorite Songs
Thai Fighter Swarm - Love the chaos here. This is already a completely different sound from what was on the previous album.
Final Wars - Something a little more mellow, but the energy level is still high. Great guitar playing here.
Lurker At The Threshold (Part 1-4) - All 4 parts feel pretty unified, not sure why they're broken up. Regardless, it's a cool piece with some really tasteful guitar.
Driod Assembly - Some cool riffing here with Buckethead's signature kill switch work.
Bird With A Hole In The Stomach - Nice bluesy tune. Love the buildups throughout the track.
The Verdict
I liked this album about the same as the previous one, but for different reasons. Some great playing throughout the album, but many of the songs are too brief. There are some cool ideas developing but he doesn't take any time to nurture them. There is something to be said for something short and to the point, but it feels more like these songs were cut short. For example take the end of the title track. There's an awesome bass groove happening that clearly wants to build into something explosive. But instead it is cut off and the song ends with some atonal shredding. I do like that unexpected side of Buckethead, but at times it feels like a tease. That being said, none of the music is bad. Oakridge Cake was the only tune I didn't care for, but everything else was cool. Just every song seems to end when I'm really getting into it.
6/10
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
Think there's just some Wiki-war resulting in it's deletion. It's probably one Buckethead's better known albums, so no idea why it's not been restored.
I'm quite surprised at this rating, to be honest; I think EMAC is pretty well thought of. Your favourites constitute a fair bulk of the album; and when you consider that Baseball Furies and Gigan are pretty awesome (but you didn't like them!
) then overall you have a consistently high quality album. I'd rate this 7 or 8, if I rated albums in such a manner...
I liked Baseball Furies, just wasn't a favorite. It is a consistent album and maybe a 7 would be more fair, but I felt too many songs fell short of their potential. Maybe I'd give it a 6.5, but I only do whole numbers.
The rating system is pretty arbitrary anyway, anything above a 5 means I liked it. From there it's just a matter of how much.
The rating system is pretty arbitrary anyway, anything above a 5 means I liked it. From there it's just a matter of how much.
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
It's kind of hard to view it in the same overall status as Bermuda Triangle (which you also gave 6/10); it's vastly superior to that album I think. And inferior to Bucketheadland 2 and two whole ratings down from Island of Lost Minds and Cuckoo? Naw, that's crazy talk...
Incidentally, did you read with a few of these albums that these were tour only CDs to begin with, before getting proper releases?
I really hope not, btw.
IM, on the other hand, is a bit up-and-down; 6/10 seems pretty fair.
Incidentally, did you read with a few of these albums that these were tour only CDs to begin with, before getting proper releases?
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That is the problem with the rating system. I definitely agree it's better than Bermuda Triangle. Bucketheadland 2 is a tough one. I really liked the flow of that album and the variety was appreciated. Although yes, that rating is making me reconsider my rating of Alarm Clock, as they were very close.
Island of Lost Minds and Cuckoo were both far superior though IMO. Much more fully realized and interesting music.
Island of Lost Minds and Cuckoo were both far superior though IMO. Much more fully realized and interesting music.
Crime Slunk Scene
This has one of his most famous songs, Soothsayer, so I'm expecting something high quality. Production is really good so far.
Favorite Songs
King James - Very melodic tune. Off to a nice start.
Gory Head Stump 2006 - The creepy main riff is cool. Great buildup during the solo. Nice funky/bluesy but playing from Bucket with his own signature twist.
The Fairy and the Devil - This one is more on the mellow side and a great showcase for Buckethead's more melodic style of playing. Great buildup toward the end.
Soothsayer - Great song, a classic for good reason. Fantastic guitar playing and some really effective dynamics.
We Can Rebuild Him - Love the funky main riff and the crazy intro.
Electronic Slight of Hand - This is a great example of Buckethead's ability to blend his more manic style with great riffs and guitar playing. This tune is weird but also catchy.
The Verdict
The best songs on this album are the ones that combine Buckethead's signature weirdness with catchy heavy riffs and grooves. Other songs focus on either one or the other and aren't nearly as effective. Those tracks are in the minority though and for the most part this album is great. I'm really surprised and impressed at how long he managed to pump out albums with very little (if any) filler. Even the weakest album since his electronic period (Elephant Man's Alarm Clock) is very strong. I was under the impression that his pre-Pike discography would be very inconsistent, but I'm nearly 20 albums in and the majority is worth at least checking out. The streak continues with this album and I'm looking forward to more.
7/10
This has one of his most famous songs, Soothsayer, so I'm expecting something high quality. Production is really good so far.
Favorite Songs
King James - Very melodic tune. Off to a nice start.
Gory Head Stump 2006 - The creepy main riff is cool. Great buildup during the solo. Nice funky/bluesy but playing from Bucket with his own signature twist.
The Fairy and the Devil - This one is more on the mellow side and a great showcase for Buckethead's more melodic style of playing. Great buildup toward the end.
Soothsayer - Great song, a classic for good reason. Fantastic guitar playing and some really effective dynamics.
We Can Rebuild Him - Love the funky main riff and the crazy intro.
Electronic Slight of Hand - This is a great example of Buckethead's ability to blend his more manic style with great riffs and guitar playing. This tune is weird but also catchy.
The Verdict
The best songs on this album are the ones that combine Buckethead's signature weirdness with catchy heavy riffs and grooves. Other songs focus on either one or the other and aren't nearly as effective. Those tracks are in the minority though and for the most part this album is great. I'm really surprised and impressed at how long he managed to pump out albums with very little (if any) filler. Even the weakest album since his electronic period (Elephant Man's Alarm Clock) is very strong. I was under the impression that his pre-Pike discography would be very inconsistent, but I'm nearly 20 albums in and the majority is worth at least checking out. The streak continues with this album and I'm looking forward to more.
7/10
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
Look at how much else he was involved in over this period too. Countless other albums, that were either full collaborations or simply side-projects. We're talking another 20+ albums and some.
Pepper's Ghost
Sounds like this one is in the same vein as the last few albums. Fine by me. The direction has worked to varying levels of success for me but it has been a cool style so far.
Favorite Songs
Pepper's Ghost - Some really good riffing and energy on this. Also really cool odd time signature use and quick mood changes. I like this type of song where there's no shredding moments, just an onslaught of great riffs, melodies, and grooves. It's like a well orchestrated jam.
Carpal Tunnel Slug
Magua's Scalp
Goblin Shark
Brewer In the Air
Callbox
The Verdict
Now that I'm back in school I don't have as much time for this so I'm listening to these more as background music while doing other things. So I won't be as in depth with my reviews and I'm also not going to give a numbered rating anymore since I don't think I could really give a fair grade without giving the albums more attention. I can just say whether I liked it or not and some details. I liked this album. It was very melodic and featured great guitar playing. I am still surprised at how melodic Buckethead's playing can be. Not a lot of highly technical stuff, it's almost all riffs and grooves. He has a lot of feel to his playing that wasn't apparent to me when I was first discovering him back in middle school or whatever. His technical playing is astounding, but his great songwriting is going to keep me coming back to these albums. These songs were also concise. Nice and short with no fluff. That made it hard to follow when picking favorites, but it made for a thoroughly enjoyable album.
Sounds like this one is in the same vein as the last few albums. Fine by me. The direction has worked to varying levels of success for me but it has been a cool style so far.
Favorite Songs
Pepper's Ghost - Some really good riffing and energy on this. Also really cool odd time signature use and quick mood changes. I like this type of song where there's no shredding moments, just an onslaught of great riffs, melodies, and grooves. It's like a well orchestrated jam.
Carpal Tunnel Slug
Magua's Scalp
Goblin Shark
Brewer In the Air
Callbox
The Verdict
Now that I'm back in school I don't have as much time for this so I'm listening to these more as background music while doing other things. So I won't be as in depth with my reviews and I'm also not going to give a numbered rating anymore since I don't think I could really give a fair grade without giving the albums more attention. I can just say whether I liked it or not and some details. I liked this album. It was very melodic and featured great guitar playing. I am still surprised at how melodic Buckethead's playing can be. Not a lot of highly technical stuff, it's almost all riffs and grooves. He has a lot of feel to his playing that wasn't apparent to me when I was first discovering him back in middle school or whatever. His technical playing is astounding, but his great songwriting is going to keep me coming back to these albums. These songs were also concise. Nice and short with no fluff. That made it hard to follow when picking favorites, but it made for a thoroughly enjoyable album.
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
Make that three!
> Pike #246 Nettle
Oh, btw, there is a sale on again!
Pikes 1-240 are on sale for $2 each in the download store.
http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/
Sale ends February 1st...
@Forostar
@SixesAlltheway
@Mosh
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Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot
This seems to be in a similar style to the previous album, which is fine by me. Production is noticeably worse so far though.
Favorite songs
Materializing The Disembodied
Ghost Host
Killing Cone
Circarama
Stretching Lighthouse
Hall of Scalding Vats
Sail On Soothsayer
The Verdict
Production aside, I liked this one more than the previous album. Similar style of music but this album had more variety. Less emphasis on grooves and more emphasis on captivating melodies and even some mellow moments. Very good stuff here.
This seems to be in a similar style to the previous album, which is fine by me. Production is noticeably worse so far though.
Favorite songs
Materializing The Disembodied
Ghost Host
Killing Cone
Circarama
Stretching Lighthouse
Hall of Scalding Vats
Sail On Soothsayer
The Verdict
Production aside, I liked this one more than the previous album. Similar style of music but this album had more variety. Less emphasis on grooves and more emphasis on captivating melodies and even some mellow moments. Very good stuff here.
Cyborg Slunks
Excited for this. Interested to see what he does with some longer songs.
Favorite songs in bold
Sneak Attack - Nice shredding to start this off, even an Eddie Van Halen quote! Sounds like he's also revisiting some electronics. After a long string of music consisting mostly just guitar and drums, I'm ok with this as long as he keeps it interesting. This is pretty much a noodles track, but there are some interesting sounds and licks. I didn't hate it, but I hope the whole album isn't like this. Lets hear a real song now.
Reopening of the Scapula Factory - ...and this is pretty much the same thing but with an acoustic guitar. It's cool to hear Buckethead shred on acoustic but it overstays its welcome fast. There are some flashes of brilliance though. The electronic and guitar interact at times suggesting there is a method to Bucket's madness, but as a whole the thing is pretty uneven. Don't get me wrong, I like the more experimental noisy stuff when done right, but it isn't working here. Overall better than the previous song, but still leaves a lot to be desired.
Infiltration - Now this is more like it. Some tasty licks and a nice backing track.
Aunt Suzie - Some really nice playing on this, but again it overstays its welcome. It is the same repeated riff through the entire song with no variation and the guitar solo doesn't really have any sense of direction. It's enjoyable to listen to at times, but also gets annoying quickly. He could've done a lot more with this.
A New War Is Underway - And we're back to noodling. Except this time it sounds like he's playing inside of a tin can.
The Verdict
Yikes. This was the first miss in a very long time. Not sure what the story behind the album is, but it sounds like he spent a day noodling and released it. Sign of things to come with Pikes? Some nice playing scattered throughout and some interesting moments, but you could skip the entire album and you wouldn't miss anything.
2/10
Excited for this. Interested to see what he does with some longer songs.
Favorite songs in bold
Sneak Attack - Nice shredding to start this off, even an Eddie Van Halen quote! Sounds like he's also revisiting some electronics. After a long string of music consisting mostly just guitar and drums, I'm ok with this as long as he keeps it interesting. This is pretty much a noodles track, but there are some interesting sounds and licks. I didn't hate it, but I hope the whole album isn't like this. Lets hear a real song now.
Reopening of the Scapula Factory - ...and this is pretty much the same thing but with an acoustic guitar. It's cool to hear Buckethead shred on acoustic but it overstays its welcome fast. There are some flashes of brilliance though. The electronic and guitar interact at times suggesting there is a method to Bucket's madness, but as a whole the thing is pretty uneven. Don't get me wrong, I like the more experimental noisy stuff when done right, but it isn't working here. Overall better than the previous song, but still leaves a lot to be desired.
Infiltration - Now this is more like it. Some tasty licks and a nice backing track.
Aunt Suzie - Some really nice playing on this, but again it overstays its welcome. It is the same repeated riff through the entire song with no variation and the guitar solo doesn't really have any sense of direction. It's enjoyable to listen to at times, but also gets annoying quickly. He could've done a lot more with this.
A New War Is Underway - And we're back to noodling. Except this time it sounds like he's playing inside of a tin can.
The Verdict
Yikes. This was the first miss in a very long time. Not sure what the story behind the album is, but it sounds like he spent a day noodling and released it. Sign of things to come with Pikes? Some nice playing scattered throughout and some interesting moments, but you could skip the entire album and you wouldn't miss anything.
2/10
Albino Slug
Hoping this is better. Travis Dickerson is involved so that is a good sign.
Favorite Songs
The Redeem Team - The first minute of this is far superior to anything on the previous album. Love how he alternates between mellow arpeggiated stuff and heavy riffing. Great buildup to a heavy expanded version of the arpeggiated intro. Lots of different changes but it's all so seamless. The great flow on this song immediately following the previous album makes it even more of a WTF moment.
Seige Engine - This one is groovier but also has more shreddy moments. BTW, I mentioned early on in this project that it seemed like Buckethead albums were either heavy or soft, he rarely combined the two. He's doing that a lot more now and it's great. Some really dynamic tunes lately. This is one. Really explosive soloing in this song. The sort of thing I was expecting Aunt Suzie to eventually build into, but it never did. This song feels ever so slightly long, but the great guitar playing makes up for that. I wish he would do more with his backing tracks sometimes, but at the same time it forces all the attention on his soloing.
Pink Eye - Lots of variety on this album already. A much heavier riff driven tune. Great drums on this. After a song that was very much focused on Buckethead's skill as a guitarist, this song gets right to the point. No frills, just great riffing.
Dawn At the Deuce - This could easily be on Colma. Similar mellow guitar + drum groove deal. I'm a sucker for Bucket's mellow side so it comes as no surprise that I really dig this track.
Symmetrical Slug - Starts pretty basic with some Zeppelin styled riffing, but eventually grows into something much more interesting. Some really unexpected changes. Short song but packed with content.
Spooner Arks - This has a very infectious main riff. The stuff in between isn't too bad either. Love how it switches gears halfway through.
Electric Bell Blanket - Short but a ton of fun. Wish this side of Bucket came out more.
The Verdict
Well the slump didn't last long at all. This is the best album I've heard from Bucket in awhile. The first four tracks alone are brilliant and cover such a wide range of his styles. Even the songs I didn't list as favorites were enjoyable. Not a single dud on here. I was a little apprehensive when seeing how brief some of the songs were, as those sometimes come out rushed, but he manages to pack them all with interesting music and nothing feels incomplete. Even Electric Bell Blanket feels just the right length. This was actually a decent "entry level" Buckethead album.
8/10
Hoping this is better. Travis Dickerson is involved so that is a good sign.
Favorite Songs
The Redeem Team - The first minute of this is far superior to anything on the previous album. Love how he alternates between mellow arpeggiated stuff and heavy riffing. Great buildup to a heavy expanded version of the arpeggiated intro. Lots of different changes but it's all so seamless. The great flow on this song immediately following the previous album makes it even more of a WTF moment.
Seige Engine - This one is groovier but also has more shreddy moments. BTW, I mentioned early on in this project that it seemed like Buckethead albums were either heavy or soft, he rarely combined the two. He's doing that a lot more now and it's great. Some really dynamic tunes lately. This is one. Really explosive soloing in this song. The sort of thing I was expecting Aunt Suzie to eventually build into, but it never did. This song feels ever so slightly long, but the great guitar playing makes up for that. I wish he would do more with his backing tracks sometimes, but at the same time it forces all the attention on his soloing.
Pink Eye - Lots of variety on this album already. A much heavier riff driven tune. Great drums on this. After a song that was very much focused on Buckethead's skill as a guitarist, this song gets right to the point. No frills, just great riffing.
Dawn At the Deuce - This could easily be on Colma. Similar mellow guitar + drum groove deal. I'm a sucker for Bucket's mellow side so it comes as no surprise that I really dig this track.
Symmetrical Slug - Starts pretty basic with some Zeppelin styled riffing, but eventually grows into something much more interesting. Some really unexpected changes. Short song but packed with content.
Spooner Arks - This has a very infectious main riff. The stuff in between isn't too bad either. Love how it switches gears halfway through.
Electric Bell Blanket - Short but a ton of fun. Wish this side of Bucket came out more.
The Verdict
Well the slump didn't last long at all. This is the best album I've heard from Bucket in awhile. The first four tracks alone are brilliant and cover such a wide range of his styles. Even the songs I didn't list as favorites were enjoyable. Not a single dud on here. I was a little apprehensive when seeing how brief some of the songs were, as those sometimes come out rushed, but he manages to pack them all with interesting music and nothing feels incomplete. Even Electric Bell Blanket feels just the right length. This was actually a decent "entry level" Buckethead album.
8/10
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
And we're only seven away from the first of the Pikes! In fact only eight non-Pikes albums remain...
Do you think you'll get up-to-date by the end of this year, Mosh?
Three album releases on the same day, all different?
Kinda...
Do you think you'll get up-to-date by the end of this year, Mosh?
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