Let me get this out of the way to open the review, I am a Buckethead fan. He has produced many great albums over the years spanning a range of genres. To me, Population Override is his best album, and there will be a review of that at some point. Anyway, I have to say, as much as I enjoy most of what he does, this album just doesn’t pull me in. Don’t get me wrong, the guitar playing is great, but at the same time, the record just doesn’t seem like a cohesive unit, more like a collection of songs. It was released in 1999 on CyberOctave Records.This album is an example of Buckethead’s more metal-influenced side. “Jump Man” opens the album, and it is probably the top song on it. It is pretty much a kind of summery of his career to date. It contains some great guitar work with plenty of studio influenced effects. I haven’t heard the song live, however it probably wouldn’t sound like the studio version. That’s not a bad thing, as he improvises during every show, so no two shows are completely the same.
The most disappointing song for me on the album is definitely “Who Me?” It starts out as a very quiet acoustic guitar piece, not unlike anything off his album Colma. Then it sounds as if he breaks a string, and makes an odd noise that is quite offsetting like a high-pitched “uh”. Very weird and it throws off what has the potential to have been one of the top cuts on the album.
Another song that should be mentioned is “The Ballad of Buckethead”. That song is unlike anything you’re going to hear on any of his other albums. Pretty much it tells the “story of Buckethead” (with vocals by Primus’s Les Claypool) which mentions how he was raised in a cage with chickens. For those not in the know, Buckethead’s website discusses how he was raised with chickens in a cage (hence the song title/lyrics)
Grade- C-
Carl, I have never heard this album but I have something to say about your reviews. When reading them, I am enjoying them because they are somewhat well written and informative. But what kills me is how you say everything great about the album and then I get to your review and its a lot lower than what you perceive it to be. Take this album, you give two good examples about how you like that album and then 1 thing you don't like. So when reading this I think your going to give it a B+. I need more about why you gave it the score you did. Like with Never mind, you gave a clear explanation about why you have it thew score you did. This one kind of surprised me.
ReplyDeleteVery good point. It's hard since I DO like this album. It's more of a issue with the album based on how it fits into Buckethead's discography.
ReplyDeleteThe album as mentioned, lacks flow. That is my biggest gripe and it's a big one since an album that is pretty much instrumentals needs to have an idenity through the music. This album lacks that, there isn't a real "feel" to the record as a whole in my opinion.
Thanks for the comment! Next time, leave your name!!!
MORE BUCKETHEAD!!!! PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteWell James, if you keep checking out my Blog and following, you may just get your wish. If your lucky I might review REO (How you spell it??) Speedwagen
ReplyDelete