-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 00: Mission Statement
The genre of guitar virtuoso shred music is not a very popular one. However, the genre is rather populated in that there are quite a few musicians who pride themselves in showing that they are the best shredders on the planet, and they don’t need a silly band to back them up. Some of them get the respect they deserve, but never get the mainstream treatment, and some of them just fade off into obscurity because quite frankly nobody cares. Buckethead is probably in the middle ground. Most people I’ve talked to have never heard of him, but anyone who has heard even one of his albums usually agrees that he’s easily one of the most criminally underrated guitarists in history.
One of the big reasons for this is the sheer variety of his playing. A lot of shred guitarists are one trick ponies. Yngwie certainly falls into that category, even if he’ll pop out a ballad or a traditional metal song every now and then (granted, I love what he does but he’s certainly not varied in his ideas). Satch and Vai branch out quite a bit as well, but absolutely nobody does it quite like Buckethead. Do you want an instrumental metal album that will shred your jaws off? Cuckoo Clocks of Hell. Do you want a calm, relaxing experience? Colma. Do you want your eardrums to be completely and totally ravaged by the most insane music anyone has ever created? Inbred Mountain. Do you want to know what a shred guitarist would sound like if you gave him a banjo? Spinal Clock. He does it all, and most importantly, he does it well.
Anyway, the reason I’m talking about Buckethead hasn’t exactly been made clear. Since Buckethead is so underrated and unrecognized, and since everybody I’ve ever recommended him to has thanked me at some point, I intend to review every single album in this man’s impressive solo discography. 30 albums, and one 13 disc monolith box set that very few have survived through (and he‘ll probably release 3 more before I‘m done). I’m out to give this man the justice he deserves, and also to help improve my writing, since this is not going to be a short project. I’m expecting this to take the entire year, because trying to get through 50 discs of material in a short time frame is nothing short of suicide, and I’m not going to settle for stupid reviews that cover no ground and just say “it was cool, 3/5”. Every single album is going to get the same in-depth treatment, even if it kills me. That said, feel free to constructively criticize my writing, because I’m all about improvement.
I’ll be honest here, I’ve heard all of his albums, but I’m definitely not familiar enough with them to just run through them. Another reason I’ve decided to do this is to further explore the man’s discography myself. I’m looking forward to getting started on this project, and I hope at least a few people will follow this massive project.
Here is the list of the albums I'm reviewing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckethead#Discography (Note, KFC Skin Piles is not in my possession, and as such will not be reviewed).
The first review is done and will appear shortly. :)
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Bucketheadland
Genre: Avant Garde Metal
Year: 1992
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 01: Bucketheadland
Wel-come-to-buck-et-head-land
That pretty much sets the tone for the entire album, really. Buckethead slides his hand down the guitar and launches his MIDI band into action. Our hero whips up some of the coolest riffs I’ve ever heard. Several different, but equally amusing vocal samples lie on top of the music, giving some listeners their first dose of Buckethead’s history (Buckethead was raised in a chicken coop by chickens, for those who don’t know). The song continues on in traditional verse-chorus fare until the solo comes out of nowhere and tears your face right off. Personally, the solo on this song has a really interesting effect on me. The first time I heard it (this was one of the first songs I had ever heard from Buckethead) was an amazing experience. The way the opening note grinds in, followed by an absolute flurry of awesomeness absolutely defines Buckethead’s soloing, and it sort of sets the tone for his entire discography. The chord progression used here is used plenty of times in Buckethead’s later material. This song, and a good amount of later tracks absolutely reek of a young guitar player showing the world why they should be paying extra special attention to him. The solos are hell bent on being flashy, but never (okay, maybe sometimes) to the point of being self-indulgent and unnecessary. The riffs are awesome and heavy when they do pop up, but the main focus is obviously on the solos. There are a few tracks where the sole intention was to listen to a little vocal sample and then promptly have your brain melted by a shred festival, which I of course feel there’s nothing wrong with (See “Nosin‘” parts 1 and 2). The actual structured songs are few and far between, but they are easily the highlights of the album for me. Of course, one would be insane not to mention the classic, albeit far too short “I Love My Parents” which is probably one of the most fantastic soft songs Buckethead has ever recorded.
So, now that I’ve covered the guitar work (arguably the most important part), how’s the backing band? Well, the word I’d use is robotic. The drums are programmed, and I believe Buckethead also played the bass. The drums do well to set and maintain the atmosphere of the album. It all sounds wonderfully electronic. A lot of people really hate electronic drums (mostly drummers, go figure), but this is one of those albums where I feel that it really works and adds something to the songs. It’s definitely not for everybody though. The bass does a good job of making itself noticeable without overpowering the guitar. It’s definitely more present than in a ton of other metal albums, but it’s never up front except for one small solo in Computer Master. The other huge component of this album, and a few of his later albums, is the vocal samples. Since Buckethead’s music is largely instrumental, the vocal samples do great to add another dynamic to music which some would find stagnant.
The story of the album is quite simple. Buckethead is building an amusement park, and the album is split into sections representing the sections of the park. I admit, I don’t pay all that much attention to when one section is beginning or ending, since there’s never a real stylistic shift. It all comes back to the shred every time.
And now, the best song on the album: I choose Computer Master. It’s the longest track on the album, and it does an absolutely fantastic job of touching all the ground that the album covers without missing anything. It has the vocal samples, heavy riffs, shred, and even a quiet section to cover “I Love My Parents”.
For starting fans, it’s a really tough call. I started with this album, and I loved it, but I’ve always been kind of OCD about exploring discographies. There are definitely better albums to start with to give you a better picture of what Buckethead is capable of, but at the same time I think this one is as good of a starting point as any. It gives any willing listener a taste of the greatness that was to come, all the while introducing you to the magical world of Bucketheadland.
4.5/5 The album is fantastic, but better things were to come.
-
Bucketheadland is a fantastic album
-
I only just started listening to him so I might not comment much for now but as the year goes on I'll have more to add.
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Giant Robot
Genre: Avant Garde Metal
Year: 1994
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 02: Giant Robot
Giant Robot, Buckethead’s second solo album, is best described as difficult to describe. It’s not entirely clear if this is meant to be a re-imagining of Bucketheadland, or simply a continuation. It could also be perceived as a fresh start after what some might consider a weak first album (as we know, I consider it quite a good debut). Then again, it can also be viewed as a collection of odds and ends that Buckethead wanted to commit to tape before he really started to branch out. The main reason for the confusion is basically that a lot of these songs have been heard before. There’s a new version of “Intro - Park Theme” from the previous album, appropriately named “Welcome to Bucketheadland”. “I Come in Peace” is a direct reworking of a song by Buckethead’s first band, The Deli Creeps. Speaking of The Deli Creeps, there is also an instrumental version of an unreleased song of theirs called “Binge & Grab” (One of the album’s happier cuts). Again, there are some short tracks including a Willy Wonka vocoder song and a Star Wars ditty. To round off the repeats, there is an extended (and much improved) “I Love My Parents”. That said, it’s pretty obvious that this album is going to cover a myriad of different styles. As such, this is one of the perfect albums for a beginning Buckethead fan to check out.
The guitar sound on this album is extremely crunchy, and one of my favorite guitar tones on any of Buckethead’s works. Look no further than the main riff of “I Come in Peace” for the full crunch experience. The blistering solos are still here and as devastating as before. The opener, “Doomride”, treats listeners to a magnificent shred fest that echoes the feeling of “Intro - Park Theme” on Bucketheadland: a young guitarist who was obviously told to pick up a guitar and play something that will make people sit down and listen for the next 70 minutes. Yes, this is an extremely long album, especially by Buckethead standards. As mentioned before, there are tons of different styles at work here. “Post Office Buddy” has some of the most fearsome riffing we’ve heard out of Buckethead up to this point, and “Last Train to Bucketheadland” evokes a feeling of pure relaxation offset by a lunatic screaming his lungs out. There’s always something new happening, never a dull moment.
As far as our backup band, we have a little bit more interaction this time around. The drums are no longer MIDI, leaving them to sound much more authentic. Drums are obviously not the draw of the album, but they hit hard and do their job very well. The bass is handled by the outrageously talented Bootsy Collins on some tracks. He gives some of the best funky bass lines I’ve ever heard on “Buckethead’s Toy Store”. Both the bass and drums do excellently at keeping their place and letting Buckethead stretch out his shred whenever he deems necessary.
Again, this album has vocal bits much like its predecessor. The main difference here is that the album is much more song oriented, so the short songs with a sample and a shred-take are more or less absent. The vocal bits are spliced into the songs, making the songs and samples feel much more cohesive. This combined with the fact that the vocalizations are just plain more entertaining this time around makes for a huge improvement.
And now, the long awaited Song of the Album: I have to go with “Post Office Buddy”, a lyrical riff festival that paints a perfect picture of a madman at home lusting after a girl who supposedly gave him her number. As the man grows more and more frustrated at his being ignored, the song’s intensity picks up. The riffs here are some of Buckethead’s best, without a doubt. I won’t spoil anything about the vocals, but know that this is the absolute pinnacle of old Buckethead insanity.
Unfortunately, even though this album sounds like the perfect blend of Buckethead’s many styles, some sections tend to drag quite a bit. Warweb and Aquabot come to mind. If the album was perhaps missing those songs, it would without a doubt be a perfect score. Sadly, it will just have to settle for being the ultimate introduction to Buckethead’s instrumental madness.
4.5/5
-
This is a truly great album.
-
Bucketheadland is a pretty great debut album. I mean, it's got all of the things I love about Buckethead. But the production bothers me a tad. It's not bad, but distracting. Though you got Giant Robot just about spot on for me. I fucking love that album to death.
-
I really don't mind the production on the album. It's not good enough for me to mention, but it's not bad enough for me to mention either. :P
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Day of the Robot
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 1996
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 03: Day of the Robot
And so we’ve arrived at Day of the Robot. This album, while the title may seem like a sequel of sorts to the previous album, is Buckethead’s first major stylistic shifts. However, unlike the examples we are to see later, this one was never revisited. This album is a lot more serious than its predecessors. It’s much more focused on its songs rather than the vocal bits and general insanity from the previous two projects. There’s not a single vocal sample on the entire album, leaving Buckethead’s riffs and solos to fill up most of the musical space. This time around, instead of hiring what seemed like a whole family tree of contributors, Buckethead sticks with Ninj on the bass, drums, and keyboards and Bill Laswell on drums and “low bass”.
By this point, it’s already pretty easy to guess that the guitar playing on this album is top-notch. Buckethead never fails to impress in the riff department, the first 3 minutes of Destroyer give great credence to that statement. As far as his solos are concerned, I am again amazed at the sheer speed and technicality that Buckethead plays with. To top it all off, he’s still clean as a whistle. No note seems like it was played by accident, and even in the midst of the insane shredding, every single tone cuts through like a dagger.
Many Buckethead fans refer to this album affectionately as his “jungle” album, and it’s quite obvious why. Ninj and Laswell use their tools to their full advantage, creating a unique blend of avant-garde metal and drum and bass. However strange this marriage may sound on paper, it actually works surprisingly well. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly well versed in electronic music, but I know good music when I hear it. This new dimension is something I enjoy quite a bit. The background effects tend to take up more space as the album progresses, leading up to one of the coolest bass riffs I’ve ever heard on Collision. Personally, I’m a sucker for progression when it comes to an album, and this one does it right.
Now, as for the best song, I have to give the award to Destroyer. This song does everything an intro needs to do. It sets the groundwork with some absolutely delicious riffs, giving off the impression that this might be an album similar to Giant Robot, but more mature and serious. Then, halfway through the song, the drums and bass come in and do very well to show off the new sound. The soloing is flawless and jaw-dropping, as expected.
I don’t really have a lot of specific complaints with this one. I mean, it’s all great music, but some of the sections could have used a bit of a trim (whole songs really, not a whole lot of in-song progression), and the drum bits can get quite repetitive.
Overall, this album is a great experiment that produced some good music, but it’s not too hard to see why this direction hasn’t been explored further.
4/5
-
I've actually never really cared for Day of the Robot all that much. It's one of those albums, at least to me, where he completely delved into the realm of experimentation in order to create one big trip. Though I must say, I do enjoy Flying Guillotine and Quantum Crash quite a bit.
-
Definitely agreed there. I think a big part of enjoying the album is if you've had a history of enjoying techno in the past, which I have.
-
Definitely agreed there. I think a big part of enjoying the album is if you've had a history of enjoying techno in the past, which I have.
I totally don't have a history of techno appreciation. lol
I don't think this is a good BH album to be frank.
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Colma
Genre: Avant-Garde
Year: 1998
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 04: Colma
At this point on our musical excursion, we’ve heard three albums all very focused on metal and general insanity. Colma brings us another stylistic shift to smooth jazz and an overall relaxed atmosphere. The album has a very emotional vibe through and through, being that Buckethead recorded the album for his mother who was recovering from cancer at the time. Indeed, it’s very difficult not to get lost in this album’s simple beauty. Even while I’m writing this review, the soothing melodies are making me zone out in an almost hypnotic state. It’s really incredible how Buckethead can make an album with so much space, so open, and still have it be every bit as interesting as when he’s playing 20 notes per second. I feel that is the trademark of a truly skilled musician. This album could easily be recommended as a beginner’s album, and definitely the first “quiet” album that fans should hear.
As you’ve probably figured out by now, the guitar work on this album is not overtly shredtastic like many of Buckethead’s other albums. The guitar is very much focused on melody and not so much on the riffs. The vast majority of the album is nothing short of completely gorgeous. That’s not to say Buckethead doesn’t show off his chops. Big Sur Moon is about a minute and a half of acoustic shredding, an absolute masterpiece in Buckethead’s catalog. Buckethead accomplishes more in a minute with a clean tone and some delay than most guitar players can hope to reach in their lifetimes. Miraculously, the entire album goes by without once feeling like it’s meandering or becoming too self-indulgent, another trademark of a skilled guitarist.
The rhythm section is very minimalist this time, to fit in snugly with the beautiful guitar work. For the most part, it sounds great and doesn’t overpower the guitar. There are a few spots where I think the drums could have been turned down a touch, but it’s not nearly bad enough to hurt the overall quality of the album.
The best song on this album is literally impossible to pick. I will feel terrible about leaving the other out either way, so the song of the album is: For Mom and Hills of Eternity. Both of these songs perfectly capture the emotion and the general vibe that is Colma. The melodies are simple, infectious, and packed with the kind of beauty that you can only get with a guitar. These songs are a part of Buckethead’s God tier of music, and will stay there forever.
The only remotely negative thing I can think about with this album is the title track. It’s not a calm, soothing beauty like the rest of the songs. It’s an ambient track with some bursts of sound effects that some listeners might find off-putting. Since I don’t necessarily have a problem with the song, the overall rating is actually quite simple to decide.
5/5
-
Excellent review :tup. Hills of Eternity is easily one of my favourite Buckethead songs. I also am extremely fond of Big Sur Moon. Particularly because it's one of those songs where with the right atmosphere will put you on the most perfect euphoric state of all time (even though the song only lasts about a minute). Example, one time at a friends house we were having a bonfire, and I decided to play Colma on the speakers we brought outside. When Big Sur Moon hit, I found myself looking upwards at the sky and stars. For that minute, everything was okay. Everything.
-
It's moments like that which tend to make a song resonate with you forever. I wish I had more of them.
-
Only album of his I have but it's begging for another listen. I really dug it the first time around.
-
Drums could've been better imo. Whitewash & Hills of Eternity share almost identical drum tracks, just different tempos.
Amazing album though, best relax album ever.
-
The drums felt like a secondary thing anyway. They were simply there to develop a rhythm.
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Monsters & Robots
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 1999
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 05: Monsters & Robots
This is one of the albums that really defines Buckethead’s overall sound, for me. Every style he’s touched on in the past (from the electronic/dance vibe on Day of the Robot to the soothing sounds of Colma) is well represented here. This album is more like Giant Robot in that it doesn’t have much of an over-arching theme. Indeed, it’s more of a collection of high quality songs. Even though it might sound like a grab bag, the album flows well and it doesn’t seem like the transitions were too forced. Beautiful, brutal, and shred-tacular, Monsters & Robots delivers on all fronts.
The guitar playing on this album, as we’ve come to expect, is astounding, jaw-dropping, insane. Every superlative I use isn’t doing the man a service. He’s a fabulous player, and if you still don’t think so, quite frankly, you’re wrong. The riffs on this album are nice and heavy in songs like Revenge of the Double-Man and Jowls. The guitar tone on the record isn’t quite as crunchy as his earlier material, but I’ve always preferred his smoother tones, and this disc is a fine example of why. These songs just feel good. They’re fun to listen to, and they never really get stale because of the stylistic jumping. The solos are incredibly shreddy. Almost every song has a section devoted to the master doing what he does best. Personally, I find this to be one of the album’s biggest draws, but if you’re looking for more melodic playing, it’s certainly here, but you may want to stick with Colma. There is one particularly beautiful moment on the song “Who Me?”. This song echoes the aforementioned Colma in every sense of the definition, and almost sounds like it was intended for Colma instead. It fits in rather well here, serving as almost an intermission between the two insane halves of the album.
The backing band on this outing sounds phenomenal. The drums give the songs a nice, driving beat, almost giving off a dance vibe. I could certainly picture a song like Jump Man or Night of the Slunk playing at a club on a late night (then again, I‘m a wishful thinker). The bass isn’t quite as prevalent on this record, but there’s certainly spots where it’s allowed to jump out of the mix and shine. The keyboards and effects on this album are nothing short of awesome. They do exactly what they’re meant to. They add a bunch of texture and atmosphere to a song, without taking the focus away from Buckethead’s playing. A song like Stick Pit wouldn’t be the same without those blips and bloops. Special mention must be given to The Ballad of Buckethead, one of the only Buckethead songs to predominately feature vocals. The vocals and bass on the track are played by Les Claypool, so you can figure out right away that this is going to sound like a Primus song with a Buckethead solo, and it certainly does. It’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s probably my least favorite here.
The vocal bits are back on this album, whether you missed them or not. Personally, I love them. They add a great touch to the album, and keeps it very interesting. Most of the songs have samples, and they definitely make the songs seem more like songs rather than random jamming. My favorite bit has to be in Jowls with the maniacal screaming of “SAVE ME THE SLUNK!!!” before Buckethead tears it up.
The coveted song of the album award goes straight to Night of the Slunk, no questions asked. It’s one of the ultimate Buckethead songs, for me at least. It starts off with a great clean riff, before the keyboard comes in and makes things interesting. Later, it breaks off into a great heavy riff, jumping back and forth until the spotlight is shifted to one of my all time favorite Buckethead solos. Totally flawless.
If you’ve never heard a Buckethead album before, this is the one you need to hear. It gives a crash course in all of his many styles, and manages to be an extremely entertaining, mostly instrumental album. Quite a feat, indeed.
5/5
-
Night of the Slunk is easily my favourite track from M&R as well. Though, Jump Man and The Shape vs. Buckethead are fairly close behind. Also, am I the only person who thinks that there are a lot of bits and pieces to this album that have very...Jordan-esque moments? Like, riffs and pedal usage that sound a lot like moments in the song Jordan. Maybe it's just me.
-
Night of the Slunk is easily my favourite track from M&R as well. Though, Jump Man and The Shape vs. Buckethead are fairly close behind. Also, am I the only person who thinks that there are a lot of bits and pieces to this album that have very...Jordan-esque moments? Like, riffs and pedal usage that sound a lot like moments in the song Jordan. Maybe it's just me.
Absolutely. I believe the "Bucket-tapping" first showed up in Jump Man, which is heavily featured in Jordan. That, and Jordan has a very similar main riff. It wouldn't surprise me if those songs were written close together.
-
This album is epically funky and awesome. Good review man...
Edit: No, he's not using pedals for the Jordan effect :facepalm:
He's using a killswitch, it kills the guitar temporarily so no sound is transfered to the amplifier when the button is held down. It's quite easy to construct. It's simiilar to pulling your cable out and putting it back in, but with less effort.
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 2001
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 06: Somewhere Over the Slaugherhouse
Starting off with a slightly twisted rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, it becomes quite apparent that this album is going to be a goofy trip. However, this album differs slightly in that it’s not goofy in the sense of his previous works. Albums like Giant Robot and Monsters & Robots were goofy in the sense of the vocal bits and the general madness pervading the intricate music. This album is more goofy in that it’s focused much more on the electronic backing than the man we know and love. This gives it a decidedly “Day of the Robot” feel, only much more focused. Some of the songs get a little repetitive, but overall this is a fairly consistent outing.
There’s not much shred to be found in the guitar work this time around. The only real shred comes around the album’s midpoint, particularly in Burlap’s Curtain, seemingly just to remind us that Buckethead can still shred with the best of them, and is just taking a bit of a break, a shred siesta, if you will. The heavy riffage isn’t nearly as prevalent either, but when it appears it’s all the more enjoyable. The riffs in Help Me fit right in with the slightly uncomfortable background, and makes the song better. A good chunk of the album is littered with clean playing. My Sheetz, one of the better songs on the album, is chock full of Big Sur Moon-esque delay and mesmerizing playing. Overall, the guitar playing is quite varied, and it keeps the album interesting.
The backing band is…there. Personally, I find myself focusing more on the electronic ambience more than anything else with this one. Sure, the bass and drums are there, but the keyboard patches are what give this album the atmosphere and the flavoring to make it work so well. As mentioned above, some of the songs are pretty unsettling, and it wouldn’t be anywhere near the same without the keyboards. I might even go so far as to say the keyboards are actually more important than the guitar on this one.
As far as the best song on the album, I’ll have to give it to Help Me. The looped sampling of, what a surprise, “Help Me”, combined with the drum beats and the main keyboard loop, give the song a great vibe. Then, the heavy, down-tuned (This might be the first time Buckethead went lower than standard E on an album. I’ll have to look into that) riffs jump in every once in a while. It provides great contrast, and makes the song instantly memorable. The riff that breaks half-way through the song is insanely good as well.
Again, here I go singing an album’s praises, making it look like there’s not all that much wrong with it. Sadly, ‘tis not the case. The songs can get incredibly repetitive, and even with the consistently changing styles, they tend to run together. It’s definitely not for new Buckethead fans, either, as it’s not at all representative of the majority of his output. I’d say this is more for the hardcore fan who enjoyed Day of the Robot and wants to hear what else Buckethead could do within the realm of electronic music.
3.5/5
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Funnel Weaver
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 2002
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 07: Funnel Weaver
If an artist as majestically eclectic as Buckethead could have an album worthy of being called a black sheep, Funnel Weaver would probably be my first pick. This isn’t so much an album as it is a collection of songs, and it’s not so much a collection of songs as it is a collection of ideas. To me, this album reads more as an assembly of ideas that never got off the ground. Not a single song is longer than 3 minutes, and as such, the album can tend to run together. There is good to be found on this album if you feel like sifting through the graveyard, truly a challenge to even the most hardcore of fan boys.
This review has already taken on a slightly negative tone, but there’s definitely something to love here, particularly in the guitar department. If you were a fan of the riffs you heard on earlier albums like Giant Robot, you’ll find plenty of those here. Most songs seem like they could be an intro section to something much greater. Take the song Combat Shadow for example. It’s a delightfully chunky riff, that repeats a few times as the listener begins to get anxious for the next bit. Then, it’s over, and another little intro starts up. It’s kind of a disappointment. Take that feeling, multiply it by 49, and you’ve got the album in a nutshell. There’s not a whole lot of shredding or even melodic soloing to be found here, since the songs are never around long enough to establish a catchy motif. But, there are a few songs that have a bit of melody to them, and it feels like a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen nearly enough to warrant any more than a few listens.
As far as the backing band is concerned, if there’s not enough time to establish a melody, there’s certainly not enough time to listen to what’s going on behind it. There’s not much to miss, anyway. A lot of the songs feel like they have the exact same drum beat. Probably the album’s biggest strength is the sampling and the effects used periodically throughout the album. The Worm Turns, a very experimental ditty, would not have been out of place on Buckethead’s previous album, Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse. It’s quite electronic, and the effects add quite a bit of atmosphere to the mix. Sadly, like all the other cool bits on the album, it is gone as quickly as one can grow to like it.
There’s not very many candidates for song of the album on this one, partially because there’s no traditional songs on the disc. If Buckethead came into my house right now, and said that if I picked my favorite track from Funnel Weaver, he’d give me private guitar lessons for the rest of my life, I’d probably go with Bantam Rising. It’s got one of the few melodies on the album, and it’s got that classic Buckethead feel to it. It’s pretty easily the strongest moment on the album, if only it lasted a bit longer.
It might seem like I really don’t like this album, and that’s definitely a solid conclusion. However, there’s certainly potential here. The reason I don’t care for the album is not for the music, it’s more for the album as a whole. It’s extremely cumbersome, and almost impossible to listen to in one sitting. One of the things that’s so frustrating about this album is that it could have been an insanely good collection of music had the songs been fleshed out and given the full-length treatment. To this day, I anxiously await the day that Buckethead decides to take all the riffs from Funnel Weaver and make them into full songs. I’d say we could end up with at least 5 albums worth of material. Until then, we’ll have to settle for this brief teaser of what is (hopefully) to come.
2/5
-
I've never been able to fully listen to the entire album in one sitting. I feel as though the album is on it's own level of Buckethead, completely different than anything else he has ever done. Just looking at 49 songs, albeit all of them short, is daunting and I really don't feel like doing listening to any of them.
I guess one day I'll actually have to have a full listen through the albums entirety... Joy.
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Bermuda Triangle
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 2002
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 08: Bermuda Triangle
The intro track of this album warns us that we are about to go into one of the strangest places known to man. While I wouldn’t go that far when it comes to Buckethead’s discography, which is already pretty out there to begin with, I will admit that this is one of the lesser known outings. In fact, the run of this and the last two albums tends to not be popular among some fans (myself included). It’s not really that we don’t like the albums, it’s that they’re wedged between Monsters & Robots and the upcoming Electric Tears. I don’t blame anybody for forgetting about this one, but it does contain some great moments. The album, like the previous Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse, is largely based on electronica. The riffs are still there, the shredding still shows up when it feels the need, and if you wanted another Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse, well here it is.
The guitar playing on this album is quite similar to Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse (You’ll be seeing that album’s name dropped many times, so get used to it). There are a few moments of superbly divine heaviness, and a couple instances of god-like shredding, but a vast majority of this album focuses on atmosphere. Entire songs are based on a single effect and a drum loop. Casual Buckethead fans may not appreciate them, and even hardcore fans might be wondering why they exist. Personally, I don’t have a problem with it, but they can become grating as I typically prefer to listen to Buckethead so that my ears can be graced with pure guitar genius.
The backing band doesn’t make itself known very often at all. Any bass on the album is nearly completely forgettable, and even the more interesting drum beats tend to loop around quite a bit. The saving graces are the vocal samples and the keyboards. They provide some color to the songs and create an interesting listening experience. The only problem is Buckethead had already made an album like this, not one year earlier, and the material is definitely starting to sound a bit tired and worn out.
As far as my song pick for this album, it has to be Sea of Expanding Shapes. The guitar work in it is just great. It’s the main focus of the song, and the shredding towards the end is just killer.
It really almost bothers me that I don’t have much good to say about this album. The albums that follow this one blossom into one of the strongest runs of Buckethead’s entire career, so one could view this album as being a bit of a stumbling block to bring out the necessary goodness. Again, it’s not that this one is particularly bad, it’s just that when Buckethead is on the cusp of something so good, he decided to jump into this electronic stuff for a bit and got a bit of a mixed reaction. However, if this album was necessary to bring out the best of the man, then I award it points for that alone.
3/5
-
I really like Bermuda Triangle. It might not be a "great" album, but it is definitely solid. I would agree on your choice for the favourite song, but I love Masoleum Door just a bit more.
Great review though, I totally agree with most of what you said.
-
Great review though, I totally agree with most of what you said.
This shocks and amazes me.
-
Bermuda Triangle is a good album, but it doesn't get very many listens from me, as nothing special sticks out about it. I'll have to agree with UMH, and go with Sea of Expanding Shapes to be the best song on the album.
Can't wait to hear Electric Tears' review!
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Electric Tears
Genre: Avant-Garde
Year: 2002
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 09: Electric Tears
As stated before, the guitar virtuoso genre is filled to the brim with one-trick-ponies who can shred with the best of them, but fall flat when it comes to playing a truly heartfelt song. Fortunately (as I’m sure we’re all aware of by now), Buckethead is one huge exception to this stereotype. On his second “mellow” album, Electric Tears, Buckethead does away with the bass and drums entirely, leaving his beautiful guitar melodies to entertain listeners for over 70 minutes. It takes some serious confidence to even think about producing an album like this, but it requires a whole other level of skill to make it interesting enough to keep people’s attention. I never had any doubts, of course, but for any who may be questioning the merits of this recording, fear not. This album is undoubtedly one of Buckethead’s greatest accomplishments.
The guitar on this album, as noted, is not the focal point. Nay, it’s the only point. There is not a single drum hit nor bass groove on the entirety of this recording. Every melody Buckethead plays carries the listener into another dimension, one where everybody sleeps on clouds, drinks champagne, and chats idly about the universe. I know I’m going a bit crazy with the descriptions, but this album truly takes you somewhere. Colma was an absolute masterpiece of the instrument, but with Electric Tears the guitar is turned into every single role in the song, and Buckethead makes it work splendidly. My favorite aspect of the playing on this album is it’s not all acoustic. The electric guitar comes in on the more soul-cutting melodies, the ones that just rip into your heart and twist it around a good bit. Most of the backing rhythms consist of repeating arpeggios, but the songs never stick around long enough for them to become boring.
As far as the best song on this album, any Buckethead fan knows it has to be Padmasana. This is an 11 and a half minute journey into Buckethead’s softer side. The rhythm is extremely repetitive, but the melodies and soloing turn it into one of the most incredible songs I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. The song never gets boring, even though the rhythmic motif never changes.
For introductory purposes, it might be wise to go with Colma instead. Padmasana may be a little bit too much to handle for new listeners, and Colma is overall slightly more accessible (though both albums are as accessible as Buckethead can get). For listeners already accustomed to Buckethead’s playing, you really can’t go wrong with this one.
5/5
-
I am fond of Baptism of Solitude on that album. Padmasana is still #1 though, easily.
:tup :tup :tup
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Bucketheadland 2
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 2003
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 10: Bucketheadland 2
10 years after releasing the massive, eclectic monster known as Bucketheadland, we have arrived at the sequel. A fitting tribute to where Buckethead’s been, and where he’s going, this album serves as a crossroads for the man’s entire discography. This album was definitely a turning point in his career. The songs have been getting a bit heavier with each album (aside from the masterful soft albums, of course), and this one is no exception. The riffs surge forward with full force, and the random bursts of insane shredding just add color to the madness of Buckethead’s flagship theme park. One of the coolest things about this album is it’s not very coherent at all. The hired guns of the park like to interrupt the songs with little anecdotes about the park. This gives the album an inherently choppy nature that may turn off listeners, but anyone who knows what Buckethead is about should be well aware that this is just how he works.
As stated above, the guitar playing on this album is just amazing, as is par for the course with a Buckethead album. The guitars are tuned way down for this album, where they give so much more crush to the sound. The solos pop up with little to no warning, always giving a very pleasant surprise. Buckethead’s shredding identity continues to grow. Strangely enough, it almost feels like the guitar is not the main focus of this album. It does what it needs to in order to drive the songs forward, but that’s about it. The short acoustic bits in Albert’s songs and planted in other random areas are cool for a bit of a break.
The backing band is pretty much the same as the last few heavy albums. There was nothing wrong with the sound then, and there’s nothing wrong with it now. The bass gives a good boost to the already bottomed-out guitar sound, and the drums drive the freight-train riffs full steam ahead.
Now, one of the most defining characteristics of the original Bucketheadland was its immense focus on the vocal samples that would take place between the songs. There would be someone talking about the typical Buckethead mythology, and then a shred solo from hell would jump out of nowhere. This time around, Buckethead decided to just have random interjections from various characters in the middle of the songs. It’s all up to personal opinion which approach is better, but I feel it works extremely well with the insane, out of control nature that the album has already. There are a few recurring characters, such as Albert, who gives the most demented ramblings I’ve ever heard committed to tape. Seriously, I won’t do it any justice by describing it, it needs to be listened to.
The song of the album is an easy pick, Frozen Brains Tell No Tales. One of my favorite Buckethead songs, it has an awesome main riff, which turns into one of the greatest riffs anyone has ever written. It meanders around some more before Bootsy Collins screams out “HE’S GOT A BUCKET ON HIS HEAAAAAD” letting Buckethead rip into the most heartfelt solo on the album. Excellent tune, indeed.
Overall, this is an album for the people who stuck with Buckethead through his years of experimentation. 2 electronic albums, an album of introductions, and 2 soft albums, it was definitely time to bring the classic insanity that Buckethead had been veering away from. I’d say it’s not the best album for a new fan, but I listened to it fairly early, and now I’m writing reviews for everything the man has produced, so who the hell am I to judge?
5/5
-
Best. Buckethead. Album. Ever. I might have to listen to it again now. It's been a while.
-
Never heard his music but it certainly sounds interesting, pick an album for me to try please!
-
Monsters & Robots
-
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Island of Lost Minds
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal
Year: 2004
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 11: Island of Lost Minds
After our last adventure to the terrifying amusement park of Bucketheadland, we are treated once again to a batch of insane music from our good friend, Buckethead. This album is definitely one of his more twisted musical excursions. The guitar melodies plod around with dissonance over extremely heavy riffs, leaving an overall chaotic feeling that permeates most of the album. One thing’s for sure, this album is not a boring experience. There’s not much in the way of variety, but the sheer jarring nature of this album can make it one of Buckethead’s more interesting experiments.
As stated above, the guitar work on this album can be best summed up in two sections. First, we’ve got the rhythm guitar work crunching away with riffs that sound like they could have fit right in on Bucketheadland 2. The guitars are again tuned very low for extra darkness. Second, we’ve got the lead work, mainly consisting of little ditties that wouldn’t be out of place as an opening theme to a 90s TV show. Most of them sound like 2 guitars are playing them, but occasionally one of the guitars will miss a note, hit something else, or maybe just not bend the note as long, leading to a very unsettling melody. Obviously, this aspect of the album was intentional. We’ve already proven that Buckethead’s chops are nothing to be scoffed at, so I can appreciate the “mistakes” as artistic integrity. They can be very off-putting at first, but those who stick with it will ultimately be rewarded with the guitar work on this album. Buckethead still takes the time to blow our minds with a complicated lick or solo, such as the bridge of Mud of the Gutter.
The backing band is going for a more minimalist approach on this album. The drums pound away with a nearly danceable beat, while the bass will typically mimic the rhythm guitars very closely. The bass does have a few moments where it will jump forward and take some lead, but gone are the slapping interludes from Bootsy Collins. Full focus is brought onto the guitar work. Whether this is a good decision or a bad decision is entirely subjective. Of course, as a fellow axe-grinder I tend to enjoy the “guitars up front” attitude that this album and most of Buckethead’s other albums tend to display.
Sampling is almost nowhere to be found. To make up for this, Buckethead went absolutely insane with his guitar effects. Pick scraping, pinch harmonics, tremolo picking, you name it, there’s a good chance it was toyed with on this album. As such, this album can prove to be a worthwhile listen just to listen to all the goofy things that Buckethead is capable of.
The best song on the album is kind of a tough choice. Honestly, I’d say Dream Darts is the most interesting song here. It follows the same pattern as the other songs, but it’s probably the most memorable of the album. Most of the songs are pretty consistent as far as quality is concerned.
Unfortunately, the album is not without flaws. While it is overall an enjoyable album, the songs can tend to run together pretty badly. The pattern of “heavy riff-weird melody-heavy riff-weird melody-fade out” can become fairly monotonous rather quickly if you’re not focused. The twisted nursery rhyme style of some of the melodies can be kind of annoying if you’re up for a more serious listen. It’s definitely not an album I’d recommend to a beginning Buckethead fan, but the diehards owe it to themselves to give this album a try.
4/5
-
Nice review. Got to give props to Korova Binge Bar, Laser Lobotomy.
-
Just wanted to thank you Ultimetalhead for the help in introducing me to this wonderful musician. Before you started this mammoth task I'd never heard a note as was put off by the bucket to be honest. I've picked up a few of these albums but I've just heard the rather beautiful Padmasana and I'm in love. I can't think of any other words for it but beautiful. Listening again.
-
Glad to hear it. :tup One of these days I'll be so bored that I can't think of anything else to do and I'll start this up again.
Like, right now actually.
Artist: Buckethead
Album: Population Override
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2004
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 012: Population Override
For an artist like Buckethead, no ground he covers should be “surprising”. We’ve had several albums full of instrumental metal, a few melodic albums, some avant-garde experimentation, and even some techno. What else could Buckethead possibly do to secure his title as the ultimate guitar player? The obvious answer is jazz rock. This album is 10 songs with some of Buckethead’s most creative soloing ever. There’s not much in the way of shred on this album, more melodic, soul-filled playing. The variety on this chapter of Buckethead’s discography is truly one of the strongest aspects. Starting out with a rocking jazz song in Unrestrained Growth, the next song is the melancholic, emotionally charged Too Many Humans. The balance is nothing short of perfect.
It’s honestly quite difficult to describe this album in words. It’s what I’d consider the bridge between Buckethead’s heavier material and his soft stuff. It’s not Electric Tears, but it’s definitely not Bucketheadland 2 either. The guitar playing is clearly 100% improvised, in true blues nature. The truly amazing thing about this album is Buckethead manages to play a solo for the vast majority of it, and it never even once feels like he’s played any section twice. The solo changes with the music, which keeps it interesting and an absolute joy to listen to. Blues guitar playing sometimes gets a bad rap because it can become far too self-indulgent for anyone who doesn’t have a pre-existing appreciation for it. Fortunately, with Buckethead’s immense creativity and penchant for effects such as the killswitch, we are treated to the most unique blues soloing ever recorded.
The backing band, like in most blues based excursions, is tasked with keeping the song from falling apart while the guitar player goes nuts. No problems there. However, one of the key additions to this album is the keyboard played by Travis Dickerson, who is in charge of the label that releases most of Buckethead’s music. The keyboard maintains the atmosphere in the slower songs, and jumps in for a quick solo right when it seems like the guitar sound might start grating on the listener’s nerves. It’s one of the twists that keeps the album interesting throughout its 55 minute run-time.
The best song on this album is ridiculously difficult to choose, because while there is a marked change in style between each song, most of them follow the same formula. Like in most blues, there is a backing track which the soloist(s) plays over. That said, each song is still easily differentiated between. They don’t run together at all. I’ll have to give the honor to Unrestrained Growth though. It was the first song I heard from Buckethead that truly gave me an appreciation for how seasoned of a player he is. Before, I figured he was just like every other shredder on the planet who can play fast and nothing else. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
For beginners to Buckethead’s music, this is definitely a good starting point. I’ve gotten numerous people who absolutely despise metal into this album, and they eventually warm up to the metal side. Though, if someone’s expecting some jaw-dropping shredding, they may want to look elsewhere. Overall, this album is one of the highest points in Buckethead’s extensive discography, and it deserves to be heard by anybody who is a fan of the instrument.
5/5
-
One of my top 5 BH albums, an epic one indeed.
-
The one album I bought and found at a local Hastings. I was expecting some, weird crazyness and I got a chill easy listening album.
This gets me in a calm mood and is real relaxing, with a bit of energy to it.
My favorite has to be Earth Heals Herself.
-
Completely disregarded this thread, my bad. Island of Lost Minds is a very cool album, but it doesn't get many listens from me because it kind of seems like standard Buckethead insanity, if there ever was such a thing.
As for Population Override, it might just be one of the best chill albums ever. It's basically a collection of long jam sessions. And the opening track is easily my favourite. Groovy.
-
One of the best threads I have read here. Agree with just about everything you have said about every album. Buckethead is just awesome, case closed.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 013: The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell
After the brilliant jazz-fusion odyssey, Population Override, Buckethead clearly wanted to prove that he can still shred with the best of them. His mission brought out one of his most insane albums yet, even more than Island of Lost Minds. Making anything more insane than that is an exercise in pure mayhem, but Buckethead of course makes it seem effortless. Buckle up, strap your balls down, and hold on. We're in for quite a ride with this one.
The guitar work on this album is incredibly frantic, especially on the first two tracks. Due to the overall maddening pace of the album, the songs are quite short, rarely lasting more than 3 and a half minutes. When the guitars aren't pummeling away with the drums, melodies are sometimes played that harken back to the aforementioned Islands of Lost Minds. That twisted sense of melody is what we've come to expect from Buckethead at this point in our journey. Every lick, riff, or solo on this album is executed with surgical precision, and every little bit of insanity seems like it was intended that way. One must wonder if Buckethead simply improvises, or if he sits with nerd glasses over his mask meticulously planning each psychotic episode. That said, the album isn't all 100% insanity. There's a beautiful solo in The Treeman before the drums take off again, but it's not really long enough to make much of an impact.
The backup instruments serve their purpose to keep the madness moving forward quite well. The blast beats compliment Buckethead's frantic riffing very well, and the bass is condemned to mirror the guitar. I wish there was more to talk about with the drums and bass, but the main focus is obviously the guitar work.
In my mind, the best song on the album is The Treeman. As I mentioned, it has an absurdly gorgeous, albeit quick, solo. I feel it also contains the most variety out of all the songs. It's the most interesting song on an album full of speed metal.
Sadly, I have a few problems with this album. The sheer intensity of this album can become annoying after a while. There's often just not enough time to catch one's breath before the next slice of crazy pops up. Because the album has a bit of a stop-start nature, the songs can run together very easily if you're not paying attention. I definitely wouldn't recommend this album to beginners, simply because it only really focuses on one aspect of Buckethead's playing.
3.5/5
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 013: The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell
After the brilliant jazz-fusion odyssey, Population Override, Buckethead clearly wanted to prove that he can still shred with the best of them. His mission brought out one of his most insane albums yet, even more than Island of Lost Minds. Making anything more insane than that is an exercise in pure mayhem, but Buckethead of course makes it seem effortless. Buckle up, strap your balls down, and hold on. We're in for quite a ride with this one.
The guitar work on this album is incredibly frantic, especially on the first two tracks. Due to the overall maddening pace of the album, the songs are quite short, rarely lasting more than 3 and a half minutes. When the guitars aren't pummeling away with the drums, melodies are sometimes played that harken back to the aforementioned Islands of Lost Minds. That twisted sense of melody is what we've come to expect from Buckethead at this point in our journey. Every lick, riff, or solo on this album is executed with surgical precision, and every little bit of insanity seems like it was intended that way. One must wonder if Buckethead simply improvises, or if he sits with nerd glasses over his mask meticulously planning each psychotic episode. That said, the album isn't all 100% insanity. There's a beautiful solo in The Treeman before the drums take off again, but it's not really long enough to make much of an impact.
The backup instruments serve their purpose to keep the madness moving forward quite well. The blast beats compliment Buckethead's frantic riffing very well, and the bass is condemned to mirror the guitar. I wish there was more to talk about with the drums and bass, but the main focus is obviously the guitar work.
In my mind, the best song on the album is The Treeman. As I mentioned, it has an absurdly gorgeous, albeit quick, solo. I feel it also contains the most variety out of all the songs. It's the most interesting song on an album full of speed metal.
Sadly, I have a few problems with this album. The sheer intensity of this album can become annoying after a while. There's often just not enough time to catch one's breath before the next slice of crazy pops up. Because the album has a bit of a stop-start nature, the songs can run together very easily if you're not paying attention. I definitely wouldn't recommend this album to beginners, simply because it only really focuses on one aspect of Buckethead's playing.
3.5/5
I totally agree 100% with you on this one. Some of the riffs in this album are just in your face the whole time and are just awesome in a godly level.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 014: Enter the Chicken
So, after our journey into the more psychotic side of Buckethead's music, Enter the Chicken offers something no other Buckethead album has: Songs, with actual vocals. Indeed, this may be Buckethead's most cohesive work to date, the vocals really do help make the album more interesting. Back in the early days, the samples did enough to keep the music entertaining, but as Buckethead gradually fell out of love with sampling, the quality of the music suffered ever so slightly. With this album, we are given a taste of what would happen if Buckethead suddenly turned into Arjen Lucassen and put together a cast of singers to add another dynamic to his music. It is, for the most part, a huge success.
The guitar is very nearly pushed away in favor of the vocal guests this time around. However, there are still many spots for Buckethead to stretch out his fingers and melt the mind with ferocious soloing. In fact, the lack of solos on this album make the guitar feature song, Nottingham Lace, the best song on the album by far. Buckethead still riffs with the best of them, and the vocalists seem to breathe new life into them. This may come as a bit of a disappointment to some Buckethead fans since he's arguably not the main attraction here, but I feel it was a good experiment that needed to happen.
For the first and last time in this epically long review series, I'm dedicating a paragraph to vocals. This isn't exactly what one would consider a cast of all-star vocalists. Aside from the well-known Serj Tankian, most of the vocalists here are new faces that have worked with Buckethead in the past on various projects. For the most part, the cast is very good. While I don't like the hardcore vocals of Efrem Schulz, they actually work here because they're not over your typical boring metalcore riff. Buckethead can really make anything sound good. For all the Deli Creeps fans out there (all 4 of us), Maximum Bob makes a suitably hilarious appearance.
The backing instrumentalists are shoved even further back with the vocal additions, but it's nothing to complain about really. They do their job of sitting back and letting the true masters of the craft make their stamp on the music. No bass or drum solos here, just good ol' fashioned guitar and vocals.
As I said earlier, the best song on this album is Nottingham Lace. One of the few instrumentals on the album, the song is a stomping ground for Buckethead to lay it all down and show everyone that he hasn't lost his touch (it seems like there's at least one song like this on every experimental album, even Population Override had a shred piece). It's an absolute joy to listen to, and I recommend it highly even if the thought of Buckethead with vocals makes you want to puke out of every orifice of your body. Seriously, it's a gem.
All this praise, and there's really not very many negative things I can say about this one. I already touched on how the purists may not appreciate the vocal approach taking away from their precious Buckethead riffs, but they're not bombastic enough to detract too much anyway. Even the metalcore vocals sound good, so you've got an A+ album in my opinion. It's probably one of the best beginning albums one can experience as well. It's a no-brainer that an album with vocals is far more accessible than one without. Overall, this is not a Buckethead album to be missed. It's one of a kind in his extensive discography, and everyone should hear it at least once.
4.5/5
-
@ Cuckoo Clocks - I basically agree with all of it. Surprise, surprise.
@ Enter the Chicken - I am kind of weird about this album, personally. There are only like...3 tracks I ever feel like going out of my way to listen to. Other than that, I hardly listen to it.
-
I think you should add me to that number 4 of Deli Creep fans out there because I like them as well. Also Enter the Chicken has some really good songs as well and the vocals go really well as also which means I agree with your review hah.
-
3 reviews in one day? I must have found my work ethic overnight.
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 015: Kaleidoscalp
Fans who embraced the chaos and general musical insanity of The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell and Island of Lost Minds can collectively rejoice. This album is yet another foray into the twisted world of Buckethead. However, this album presents an entirely different array of craziness. On Kaleidoscalp, his 15th studio album, Buckethead decided to add a new twist to his music: circuit bending. Some of the sounds on this album are downright frightening, but they fit so amazingly well with the riffs that the man creates that one may wonder why such experiments weren't made earlier.
The guitar playing on this wedge is very similar to the style of Island of Lost Minds. The wacked-out melodies still take the forefront when the heavy riffing isn't already in the way. The big change here is with the guitar effects. Everything just feels fresher with some psychotic mechanical sound effects. My biggest problem with this album is how to discuss the effects. They sound very much like keyboard, but a part of me feels like the guitar is being patched through the circuit bender. Either way, it sounds great, and since it's the lead instrument when it pops up, I'll just discuss it wherever the hell I want.
The backing band is fairly limited to the role it took up with Cuckoo Clocks, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Keeping some sense of order on an album that is so chaotic is important. It helps the lead instrument (guitar, keyboard, whatever it is) stand out even more. Nothing new to talk about there.
My favorite song on the album is difficult to choose. The stronger tracks are all incredibly good. If I was forced to pick one, I'd most likely go with The Bronze Bat. It stuck out more to me on this listen than any other, specifically the circuit bending solo towards the end. It compliments the riff quite nicely.
There's not much to complain about with this album. The songs can run together if you're not paying attention, but that's a common plague with all instrumental albums. Some listeners could be frightened or made uncomfortable by the spontaneity of the mechanical sounds, and I know a few people who just plain don't like the futuristic noises that are so prominent here.
Overall, I'm not sure if I'd recommend this to a Buckethead beginner, since it's pretty wild. One may need a slightly more accessible entry before jumping into this wacky stuff. This was definitely an example of Buckethead's more successful experiments, and it would be revisited frequently for many albums to come. Buckethead was clearly looking for ways to keep his music fresh and exciting, and well, let's just say he really struck gold with the next one.
4/5
-
You have just turned into one of my favorite reviewers of all time. :hefdaddy
-
Glad to hear it, I've still got about 35 more to go. :p
By the way, you can probably expect the Inbred Mountain review tonight as well, because I'll be honest and say I fucking LOVE Inbred Mountain.
-
Well I am very much looking towards reading those other 35 reviews.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 016: Inbred Mountain
I'm going to be straight with everyone here and say that I absolutely adore this album. It's easily in my top 5 Buckethead albums. Expect plenty of blatant worship, and very very little complaining. It'd probably be easier to just say, "Get this album right now. 5/5" and be done, but that wouldn't be fair, and to be honest, I've been looking forward to this one. The best Buckethead albums, in my opinion, are the ones that take the listener on a journey. Both of the Bucketheadland albums accomplish this goal nicely, but it's the ones that have no vocals or samples at all that really impress me. The entire story is told through the song titles, and it makes the music paint such a vivid picture. So far, the only album we've heard that accomplished this was Population Override, which is another one of my all-time favorites. The album title alone draws visions of a young scientist, perhaps a modern day Charles Darwin, searching for a legendary mountain where many unheard of species of beast reside, and very narrowly escaping with his life.
Unbelievable. The guitar work on this album absolutely decimates every other Buckethead recording we've heard so far. Within the first four minutes of the album, we're treated to what I call "organized chaos". Albums like Cuckoo Clocks and Island of Lost Minds suffered from a lack of direction. Inbred Mountain has a firm agenda, and it makes the album into a true masterpiece. Nearly every aspect of Buckethead's playing is touched upon here. The shredding is his best yet, the riffs are insane, but not so crazy as to not make sense, and the stylistic shifts are flawlessly executed (Seriously, there's a seamless transition into a banjo solo at the end of Advance to the Summit, a BANJO SOLO). There's a word for this kind of musicianship: genius.
The backing band isn't as decorated as the guitar playing, but that's a small price to pay for a flawless piece of music. The keyboard effects are the most prominenet background music, and they compliment the guitar perfectly. This was no doubt a result of the lessons learned from Kaleidoscalp. The drums do sound more authentic in spots, but they still seem like they were programmed. Still, the quality of this album is so high that no small issue can detract from its aura of pure godliness.
Picking a favorite song on this album is like picking a favorite child. You know you like one just a little bit more than the others, but it honestly hurts to acknowledge it. Regardless, that song is the opener, In Search of Inbred Mountain.While the other songs all have great variety, this song packs it all into one without feeling too choppy. Great musicians have struggled their entire lives to compose something this good, and Buckethead makes it seem like he crapped this whole album out in a weekend.
I'm trying so hard to come up with something to complain about, but it's just not coming to me. I guess, if you're not in the mood for awesome music, you won't like this too much. Buckethead noobs and the diehards both need this album desperately. It is without a doubt one of the greatest Buckethead albums, and possibly one of the best of all time.
5/5
-
I don't think I have really ever paid or heard that much from this album but I will certaintely listen to it now especially after seeing how much you worship it. Also Buckethead could write albums like this on a daily basis if he wanted to. I'm just letting you guys know.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 017: The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock
After the brilliant Inbred Mountain comes a more song-oriented album with similar tendencies. While our last journey was a cohesive piece, and one of the only Buckethead albums that doesn't feel like a collection of songs, this album manages to be just as interesting while being more accessible. The album contains a suite of four short songs very highly regarded in Buckethead's fanbase, Lurker at the Threshold. Lurker would end up seeming like an Inbred Mountain b-side if it was spliced into one track. One of Buckethead's most popular songs, Final Wars, is also here. So, let's dig in.
Guitar playing on this album is quite varied, much like Inbred Mountain. As such, I tend to enjoy it a hell of a lot. Songs like Final Wars are absolutely shredtastic with little bits of beauty spread about, while songs like the rip-roaring opener Thai Fighter Swarm are immensely heavy with lots of musical twists. Buckethead's shredding on Baseball Furies is especially impressive. The most interesting guitar song here is most likely the title track. It retains the intensity of Cuckoo Clocks while giving room to air out (like most of the Cuckoo Clocks songs should have). Overall, fnas of Buckethead's previous heavy work will be extremely satisfied.
The backing band has a bit more prominence this time around, even going so far as to have a quick bass/drum jam culminating in a bass solo during the title track. Other than these moments, the drums keep everything together nicely, while the bass typically mirrors the rhythm lines. The little moments where the background parts jump forward are what makes the album though. Bits and pieces of the Lurker suite really shine in that regard.
My favorite song here is Final Wars, no doubt, but special mention must be made for the rest of the album. This album marked the start of a trend where each Buckethead album would be rather short. These decisions led to a noticeably stronger album, where weak moments were just not found. If the Lurker suite was one piece, this album would have ten songs, which is indeed quite short for a Buckethead album. It's also worth noting that if the Lurker suite was considered one song, it would easily be the best on the album. I consider it as separate tracks though, because that's how they're listed. It seems absurd not to make it all one track, but I respect the big man's decisions.
Not much negative to say about this one. Even the fans who only like Colma, Electric Tears, and Population Override will find plenty to love here. This album is a great picture of what Buckethead's modern material would bring, and is a very good choice for a beginning fan. It remains one of my favorites to date.
5/5
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 018: Crime Slunk Scene
Our chicken-loving friend has released 2 flawless albums right in a row within a year's time. Can he get another piece of perfection out in such a short time?
Well, not quite, but it comes pretty damned close.
This album seems like a more melodic Elephant Man, at least for the first half. The second half amps up the heaviness a little bit, but this album feels mostly like a natural progression to more accessible material.
The guitar playing on this album is just as impressive as one would expect from a mask-wearing guitar player who's released 17 albums within 15 years, that is to say, pretty impressive. There's enough shred to satisfy people like me, and the riffs aren't continuously pummeling. The rest of the solos can be extremely melodic at times. There is, of course, one solo on this album which clearly stands out as one of the best of Buckethead's extensive career, but I'll get to that later.
The background instruments are ever so slightly more limited in their roles here than in Elephant Man. There's not very many moments where they are given the spotlight. It's pretty much 100% guitar all the time. With a talent like Buckethead, this is obviously not a bad thing.
So, the best song on the album should be pretty much universally agreed upon. This song is the 9 minute epic, Soothsayer. Dedicated to whom I assume is Buckethead's passed Aunt, Soothsayer is easily one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. From the soothing, ambient verses to the heavy chorus, and then to the 5 minutes of emotional shredding, this song delivers on every conceivable level. Within Buckethead's rewarding discography, if one song stood out as the true gem, Soothsayer would be it.
That said, this album feels very much like a slightly watered down Elephant Man. While the album it emulates was flawless, I tend to have issues with attempting to recapture the same vibe twice, within the same year no less. The album is still great, but listening to it right after Elephant Man can be draining.
Overall, this album is definitely one of the higher tiered albums, as long as one hasn't heard Elephant Man first. Even so, Soothsayer is a must-hear.
4.5/5
-
Final Wars and Soothsayer are one the greatest songs ever made in my opinion. I have never been able to get tired of Sotthsayer no matter how many times I listen to it.
-
Ulti, you're costing me a fortune here! Just got Elephant Man and Inbred on you're glowing praise. Already acquired CSS earlier and yes, Soothsayer is everything you said. This was the track that convinced me this guy was the real thing and not (just) some weirdo with an acute case of shyness.
-
Ulti, you're costing me a fortune here! Just got Elephant Man and Inbred on you're glowing praise. Already acquired CSS earlier and yes, Soothsayer is everything you said. This was the track that convinced me this guy was the real thing and not (just) some weirdo with an acute case of shyness.
Hell yeah man. Soothsayer is just awesome in so many ways, I just can't beleive it.
-
First chance I've had to listen to my new acquisitions so first up is Elephant Man. My my, Final Wars is just incredible. Baseball Furries is very good too. This is going well.
-
Gotta shout out some more love for Inbred Mountain.
Lotus Island is one the best instrumental rock tracks ever.
-
I've just been listening to Spinal Clock and I have to say that that album is really something. Hopefully you'll get far enough to review that album so I can read what you have to say about it.
-
I was originally going to review all of In Search of The, but I have absolutely nothing to say about it. :lol Pepper's Ghost is up next.
-
Did you give up???
-
Did you give up???
I'm offended that you would think such a thing. Of course not. Just taking a bit of a break. Reviews will start popping up soon, I'm sure.
-
They better, or I will send killer tires to blow up your head.
-
Did you give up???
I'm offended that you would think such a thing. Of course not. Just taking a bit of a break. Reviews will start popping up soon, I'm sure.
Good. I was starting to get bored.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 019: Pepper's Ghost
After experimenting with an album (or at least a half-album) of semi-accessible songs with Crime Slunk Scene, and creating his most inaccessible project (the 13 disc box set, In Search of The), Buckethead finally fell into a bit of a niche with 2007's Pepper's Ghost. This album gave birth to what I refer to as modern Buckethead. There are three distinct periods of Bucket, in my opinion. From Bucketheadland to Funnel Weaver is old Bucket, middle Bucket is from Bucketheadland 2 until this one. While it may not seem very different, this album started a trend in Buckethead's music that has yet to be stopped (barring a few exceptions). The music is less focused on outright insanity, and more on creating catchy, accessible instrumental rock/metal. While this outing may get a bit samey, this is a formula that would be perfected in due time.
The guitar playing on this album is just as varied as Buckethead's previous efforts. It's not as out there as Inbred Mountain, though. There's plenty of soft sections sprinkled between the classic Buckethead riffing. Speaking of the riffs, this album feels like a lighter version of Cuckoo Clocks in some places, and like a distortion filled Electric Tears in others. This is a great example of all that Buckethead has to offer. If there's not a gorgeous melody over a riff, there's a good chance the riff itself is the melody. Almost any instrumental shred guitarist uses riffs as a backdrop for the shredding. What Buckethead has done here is combined the two. Indeed, many of the riffs on this album are more complicated than any lay-guitariasts most complex solo.
The backing band won't be having much of a presence for the next several albums, so I'll be eschewing this paragraph until further notice. Both the bass and drums compliment the guitar perfectly. Of course, with guitar wizardry from Buckethead, the last thing anybody would care about is the drumming.
My favorite song on the album is Brewer in the Air. It's a great riff fest populated with what most fans call "chicken picking", a staccato feel with very intricate playing. No guitarist has mastered this technique as flawlessly as Buckethead.
This is definitely one of the best starter albums any aspiring Buckethead fan can pick. It's a great introduction to Buckethead's modern material, while still being interesting enough for the fans who have been with the masked marvel since the beginning. The only problem I can find with it is it loses a bit of steam towards the end. Thankfully, this problem would be eliminated on future albums.
4/5
-
Well now, finally we got something. I agree that it does tend to sound reprtetive towards the end and that's why I mostly only listen to lets say the first half of the album, but it's still one of my favorite albums from him no doubt.
-
Buckethead in a Year: The Reviews Project
Part 020: Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot
After a 13-disc box set and another great album in the same year, one would have to assume that this bucket-toting guitar wizard might take a break for a few years. Of course, like clockwork, Buckethead released yet another album in 2007, and it most definitely holds up to its predecessors. I really can't fathom how Buckethead manages to keep his music interesting with how many new albums he puts out in a year. If there's one thing I've learned to appreciate on my journey so far, it's Buckethead's passion for music. It just conjures an image in my mind of a fiercely creative individual who just can't stop making awesome music. Anyway, enough sentimental ranting, back to the album. This one channels a similar vibe to Pepper's Ghost, but it's a bit faster (not as intense as Cuckoo Clocks though, more Elepahant Man than anything). Still, there's plenty of chilled out moments to accent the shreddy moments even more.
The guitar work on this album should be pretty easy to guess without even hearing the album (If you've been following these reviews, anyway). At any given moment, in can be frantic riffing and shredding, beautiful melodies over a catchy riff, or even a chilling clean tone setting up the stage for a guitar solo master-class. Buckethead's fascination with the octave jump becomes more present (This becomes a rather large component of the next few albums). If you don't know what an octave jump is, listen to Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song". The main riff is exactly what I'm talking about. Another great aspect of this album is how seamlessly it shifts gears. The transitions don't seem choppy at all, and every second of music feels like it belongs (not an ounce of filler to be found). Any guitarist (or aspiring guitarist) is going to find plenty to love here.
The backing band is becoming much less of a focus as we delve deeper into Buckethead's career, and that's alright with me. I don't know a lot of people who listen to Buckethead for the drums (though there are some great double bass moments that really add to the chaos). The drum and bass work was much more prominent on the early albums, and it gives them a unique flair that the newer releases don't have. That's not to say the rest of the band isn't bad here. They're doing their job of keeping the beat and making sure the songs don't fall apart.
There's not a lot in the way of extra effects here. There's some nice electronic stuff (similar to Kaleidoscalp) every now and then, and it's a great change of pace when they pop up. This album is pretty stripped down, focused on the guitar and not much else. But really, why else would you be listening?
The album is very consistent, so picking a favorite track is a bit difficult. In the end, I have to go with Ghost Host. It conveys an eerie mood like a lot of Buckethead songs, but there's just something about this one that I really enjoy. I can't put my finger on it.
Beginners and old-timers alike will feel right at home with this album. It's Buckethead doing what he does best. It won't change your opinion if instrumental metal isn't your thing. This is just another great album to reward the faithful fans who would buy a nugget of poop if it had the man's name on it.
4.5/5
-
Come on Ultimetalhead. 30 albums released this year by the man and your behind!!!!!
-
Yeah, this is pretty much fucked. :lol I might end up reviewing the albums up to the Pikes series, but there's just no fucking way I can sit through all of those.
-
Yeah, this is pretty much fucked. :lol I might end up reviewing the albums up to the Pikes series, but there's just no fucking way I can sit through all of those.
That is a pretty impressive body of work over a short period. I've Youtube-d a few and they all seem pretty fantastic. The rocking tracks seem focussed and still melodic and the calmer stuff is beautiful. How the hell do you keep up with that though?
-
Unfortunately, there's not a lot of variation among the albums. There's just no way for anyone to write upwards of 30 albums in a year and have them be even remotely consistent.
-
Mr Carlin, these reviews are very nice. Bucket fan here! :metal
-
it's incredibly amusing to me that buckethead has released over 200 albums since this thread was started :lol
-
Oh yeah, this was a thing. Every now and then, I get on a Buckethead kick and think I should finish this out, at least up until the utter fucking shitshow of Pikes madness.
-
He's released 50 more albums in the time it took me to post this ! :P
-
He released a nice one yesterday! First half; beauty second half; heavy and proggy as fuck :hefdaddy
-
^^
Yeah Mirror Realms is great.
A lot of the post Halloween run abortion Pikes are great.
-
He's released 50 more albums in the time it took me to post this ! :P
-
I'm choosing to believe the reason for the onslaught of Pikes albums is because Buckethead found this thread and got scared because I was catching up.
-
Releasing an album a week / day can't be good for quality control.