Buckethead Pike Reviews
A review of Pike 126 - 'Tourist' by Buckethead, released April 10th 2015
Good evening everybody, today we're going on a trip to visit guitar hero Buckethead's 126th Pike album, Tourist. So, let's begin. Woo!!
Released April 10th 2015, Pike 126 Tourist was the 2nd of 9 albums to be released that month alone, in what was a crazy 2015 for Pike album releases.
The album kicks off with by far it's longest track, the 14 minute 'Glow Worm'.
A fantastic composition with perfect pacing that never slows itself down or gets stuck in the mud which for a 14 minute song would be easy to do. 'Glow Worm' is a highly enjoyable upbeat ride that doesn't have a single solo and really doesn't need it. Great stuff. Great start. And spoiler alert, it's the albums best track by a mile.
Track 2 is the title track 'Tourist' and is the albums shortest track at just under 2 minutes, and boy does it make use of those 2 minutes. Going from shred to funk and ending with rock. It's a short enjoyable track that obviously could've longer but probably didn't need to.
Track 3 'Ticket to Extinguish' is a glorious jam of funk and blues with Bucketheads guitar in all out effects mode. A nice change of tone for the album, it's another solid foot stomping track.
Track 4 'Bookend Alley' exchanges heavy riffage with shred guitar for the songs 4 minute duration. If you've never heard Buckethead shred then the speeds will blow you away, but if you're a long time fan of Buckethead it probably won't feel like you're hearing anything new.
Track 5 'Break for Slide' see's Buckethead picking up his acoustic for some noodling in what sounds like it was recorded in 1989 whilst young Buckethead is sitting in-front a waterfall. It's a fun listen and something different for the album, but not one you'll revisit anytime soon.
The album concludes with Track 6 'Storage'. In what feels like an extension of track 4's 'Bookend Alley'. Big B exchanges nasty metal riffage with shred guitar. The skill on display, especially toward the latter part of the track is definitely something to be admired, but as an enjoyable song you can listen to multiple times, not so much.
Overall, Tourist starts off strong with it's first 3 tracks before veering off course and getting lost somewhere between the countryside and inbred mountain. The opening track is fantastic, and tracks 2 & 3 are enjoyable. But the remaining 3 tracks are nothing we haven't heard before and not ones you'd revisit again, especially considering he's done far better in the same style many times before.
After adding up the rating I gave for each track, It came to exactly 55%, which I'd categorize as Average. And without track 1 it would have been far lower. You can find my individual song ratings and break down on our website natternet.com
So, what's your rating for Pike 126?
To work out what percentage you'd give the album, rate each song out of 5 stars, add up your total and divide it by the total score possible, which for Pike 126 is 30 . Then times it by 100.
So does Buckethead's Tourist lose it's way? What do you think?
Pike 126 'Tourist' RATINGS (out of 5)
1. Glow Worm ****¼ (4.25)
2. Tourist *** (3)
3. Ticket to Extinguish *** (3)
4. Bookend Alley **¼ (2.25)
5. Break for the Slide *¾ (1.75)
6. Storage **¼ (2.25)
Album length: 29:54
Total = 16.5 out of 30 (Album = 55%, Average)
1-20 % = Poor
20- 40 % = Below Average
40-60 % = Average
60-80 % = Good
80-100 % = Awesome!
Buy the album HERE