Buckethead Deep Dive #21

Amazing. Pepper’s Ghost is an absolutely incredible project (until the last 5 tracks) that completely blew me away. Here we get to see more of the punchy, crisp, and riff-heavy style that Buckethead utilized throughout this era. It really helps give the album an identity, allowing it to stand out for the listener. Here we get to see a unique twist on this style as well, blending in elements of Prog Rock and Math Rock/Funk, creating a truly remarkable sound. The ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #20

Crime Slunk Scene is one of the most recognizable and memorable projects from Buckethead, especially when it contains a song as legendary as “Soothsayer”. This album has some beautiful and emotional moments, while still tying in the classic experimental and heavy metal riffs that Buckethead is known for. This seems like a cohesive and complete project; it flows really well and doesn’t contain the gimmicky skits or experiments that have really dragged ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #19

In my opinion, The Elephant Man’s Alarm Clock is an immensely underrated project. Sure, it has its flaws, but it wouldn’t be a Buckethead project without them. This album blends together heavy riffs, amazing hooks, and an overall clean guitar sound. The blend of Experimental Rock and Prog Rock sounds incredible, giving some unique sounding songs while still hitting hard. The Lurker at the Threshold tetralogy sounds absolutely fantastic, completely ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #18

Inbred Mountain is an interesting project. What is really strange is the immense swing in song quality and how listenable it is. The “duds” in the project highlight the experimental and incoherent side of Buckethead, with erratic and jarring guitar, creating a bizarre and confusing experience. Then, all of the sudden, we have some beautiful songs like “Lotus Island”, “Flocks of Slunks”, and “Planistation Station”, ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #17

Kaleidoscalp is the embodiment of a computer absolutely melting down. This project has a signature “computer glitch” sound, designed to embody a cyborg-like effect. This project is fairly experimental, dipping more into that unusual and unique, but harsh listening, rather than the completely unlistenable side that Buckethead’s more experimental projects have proved to be. Some of these songs have a decent structure and some insane riffs, which really ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #16

Not a dull moment in this deep dive. Here we Buckethead do a complete pivot of musical direction, again. This time, we get the unique opportunity to see how Buckethead’s music flows with other musicians and vocalists, and it’s great. This was one of the very first projects that really got me hooked on Buckethead’s sound, and its just as good as I remember. The guitar playing is top notch from Buckethead, with some insanely technical solos and some ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #15

The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell is a pure Metal album from Buckethead. Here we have no skits or storylines, just pure riffs and sound. This album follows a pretty loose structure, allowing for Buckethead’s freedom to absolutely shred. This album has some absolutely amazing technical skill and general guitar playing from, really proving his deep-rooted skill. There are some insane moments in this album, with a blend of Math Metal and Prog Metal, while still ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #14

Oh. My. God. Genuinely what is happening right now. Population Override is such an amazing and unique experience and has a sensational sound. Somehow, this album blends together Jazz Fusion, Prog Rock, and Funk elements into a cohesive and incredible sound. This album is perfect. The ambiance and atmosphere this project creates is truly one-of-a-kind, as the project takes you on this funky and groovy journey. It delivers such depth and emotion while still maintaining ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #13

Ow my fucking ears. Wow this project was terrible. On Island of Lost Minds we see get the absolute pleasure of Buckethead’s most experimental, disjointed, and incoherent side. The tracks on this project are so out there and strays well over the line of actually listenable experimental music. The tracks have no structure, no melody, and no redeeming qualities. Even “Shock Therapy Side Show”, the “best” song from this project, has only some ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #12

First and foremost, happy birthday Buckethead! Bucketheadland 2 is interesting, to say the least. First and foremost most, it is miles better in the production category compared to the original; the guitar gets the sound it deserves and the drums sound very well mixed. Actually, the entire project sounds well mixed and balanced. Here we get to see some more technical skill for Buckethead, really solidifying his sound and proving very comfortable with his guitar. ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #11

Wow. I am actually speechless. When I started this deep dive, I never imagined I would be giving an album a perfect score, let alone this early on. Electric Tears is perfect. This project is beautiful. I've always said that Buckethead is able to portray emotion through his music flawlessly, and here we see it on full display. Each song is so emotional, atmospheric, and blissful, like an hour-long meditation. There isn't a single song I would skip here, even ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #10

I know I’m deviating from the chronological flow and order that this deep dive has been using, but I saw this project and just had to listen. This album really surprised me. I was not expecting the quality and obvious effort put into this album. This joint album from Buckethead and Travis Dickerson brings out the best of both, with some great production and writing elements from both sides. The vibe just fits, the pacing is incredible, and the skills of both ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #9

Bermuda Triangle is an Electronic, Hip Hop, and Metal fusion created by Buckethead with help from Extrakd. Here we see the culmination of all the experimentation Buckethead had done up until this point, finally constructing a decently cohesive project with a unique sound. The production of this project is pretty good, with some help from Extrakd’s chunky and groovy elements that really give this project a unique twist. However, I will say that some tracks feel ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #8

Endurance maxing. Wow this is a long project. The whole concept of this album is a large collection of short little experiments from Buckethead. Honestly, this is just pure bloat. All of these songs are average to above average, and just make this project feel super long. Nothing really stands out to you, and the little excerpts just feel very run-of-the-mill. I guess there are a few moments where Buckethead shows some technical skill and innovative moments, but it ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #7

Welp, here we are. We’ve arrived at the first project that I can safely call a “dud” in this deep dive. Somewhere Over The Slaughterhouse is a bit of a messy and confusing project. Here Buckethead goes all in on the Experimental Rock elements, which doesn’t capture the same charm or uniqueness that his other experimental projects have. This album does feel like a chore to listen to. It’s too raw, too weird, and too “out there”. ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #6

Monsters and Robots is, to me, one of Buckethead's most recognizable projects to date. This album is what really caused me to fall in love with Buckethead's sound. The mixing on this project is top-notch, finally reaching the potential that Buckethead's music should have, and overall bringing out each instrument's sound in a unique way. I really love the Les Claypool influences throughout this album, adding some more of those "Funk" ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #5

The Day of the Robot is about as experimental as it gets. Here we see some insane genre-mashing from Buckethead, somehow fusing Metal, Drum and Bass, and Jungle into one chaotic and experimental mixture. This album definitely highlights the experimental and innovative side of Buckethead, creating some crazy atmospheric and interesting sounding tracks. All of the tracks here are over 6 minutes long, giving Buckethead plenty of time to create a soundscape for the ... read more

Happy 10 Years!

Wow. This is a great project. House music and its subgenres are not necessarily my strong suit, but I enjoy the occasional listen. 99.9% is a great take on House music, mixing in elements of R&B, Funk, and even Hip Hop. The samples and sounds of this project are awesome, really adding to your experience as a listener. The production is very good, with a sort of chill but lively atmosphere, overall creating a very enjoyable listen. The features are pretty good on here as ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #4

Wow. This was weird. To be honest, this album is kind of a chaotic mess. Bucketheadland (1992) fully realizes Buckethead’s idea for his theme park, trying to engross the listener into joining him on a tour. Here we see the same technical skill and pure talent that Buckethead has always displayed, although it does come through a bit rough at times. The album carries over Buckethead’s genre blending, taking on many different forms in this project. The mixing ... read more

Buckethead Deep Dive #3

The beginning of it all. Giant Robot (1991) is a demo tape that truly feels like watching an architect lay out their blueprints. Here, we get to see Buckethead in his early and raw form, complete with crunchy, muddled, and rough sounding music. Even in this early form, Buckethead still carries the same impressive playing, albeit a bit unrefined, and still manages to capture me as an audience. Here we see Brain on the drums, providing the same amazing accompaniment that ... read more