Buckethead Pike Reviews
A Review of Pike 48 – Hide in the Pickling Jar by Buckethead, released February 7th 2014
Good evening everybody, today we're going back to bucketheadland to visit Buckethead's 48th Pike album 'Hide in the Pickling Jar'. So, let's begin. Woo!!
Pike 48 was released the same day alongside Pike 49 'Monument Valley' on February 7th 2014. As far the albums title, it's possibly a reference to the Pickle Jar that was accidentally glued to the Tower of Terror at Disneyland. Who knows.
The 4 track album kicks of with it's almost 9.5 minute title song 'Hide in the Pickling Jar'. Defining the genre of this song would be impossible, there's funk, jazz, rock, dark ambient, you name it. And that's just in the first 4 minutes. The 2nd half of the song locks onto more of a head banging beat and rides with it. An enjoyable jam track and a good opener.
Track 2 'Countersunk' is another jam track leading with slow heavy riffage played with some glorious phaser guitar. It's definitely not a song that will wow the listener, but it is one that will get your head bobbing and foot stomping. So, job well done.
Track 3 is the albums shortest track 'Squirrel on a Perch'. An enjoyable blues rock jam. It's well paced, has some glorious Hendrix-Stevie Ray Vaughan-eqsue licks and doesn't outstay its welcome. Buckethead's got the blues? Hell yeah.
The album concludes with it's longest track, the 10 minute long 'Sabertooth Saw'. What feels like an extension of track 2 'Countersunk', it leads with more heavy phaser style riffage, mixed with some delightful funk . It does go slightly too long towards the latter part of the track but still, an enjoyable jam. It also has a super addictive riff around 25 seconds in that sadly isn't repeated again.
Overall, Pike 48 is a pure jam album. It doesn't have a single solo but there's plenty of slow head banging riffage to make up for it. None of the songs are near 4 or 5 star classics, but don't let that put you off. If you like hearing Buckethead getting loose, jamming and having fun, then you'll like this one.
After adding up the rating I gave for each track, It came to exactly 65%, which I'd categorize as Good. And is also the only album so far in this review series where I gave every song the exact same rating.
You can find these ratings and song break down on our website natternet.com
So, what's your rating for Pike 48?
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 48 is 20 . Then times it by 100.
Pike 48 'Hide in the Pickling Jar' RATINGS (out of 5)
1. Hide in the Pickling Jar *** ¼ (3.25)
2. Countersunk *** ¼ (3.25)
3. Squirrel on a Perch *** ¼ (3.25)
4. Sabertooth Saw *** ¼ (3.25)
Album length: 30:54
Total = 13 out of 20 (Album = 65%, Good)
1-20 % = Poor
20- 40 % = Below Average
40-60 % = Average
60-80 % = Good
80-100 % = Awesome!
Buy the album HERE