Buckethead Pike Album Reviews
Pike 59 – Ydrapoej by Buckethead, released July 10th 2014
One of Buckethead's most Off-the-Wall and Erratic Albums
Good evening everybody, today we're back with another slice of guitar hero Buckethead's Pike album series, with Pike 59 'Ydrapoej'. So, let's begin. Woo!!
Released July 10th 2014, Pike 59 'Ydrapoej' was the 1st of 6 albums released that month, dropping out of sequence between Pikes 63 and 67. Of course.
The 10 track album kicks off with 'ID 1' and if you're wondering watch 'Ydrapoej' means? Its 'Jeopardy' spelt backwards, with the 15 first seconds of the track seeing Buckethead play the jeopardy theme song. After that, its complete lunacy. Changing tones, effects and beats every 20 seconds. It kinda works, but if experimental isn't your thing, good luck.
Track 2 'ID 2' is the albums longest track at just over 3.5 minutes and again, it's scattered, erratic and lunacy. There's good stuff in there, where you really wish he would've continued with, but after 15 seconds its on to the next and so on and so on. A nice collection of ideas.
'ID 3' is next and again it's like changing the channels of a radio, 15 seconds next bit, 15 seconds next bit. It's certainly not bad, but its more bits and pieces than a song or composition.
'ID 4' is the albums shortest track at just over 2 minutes, it's maybe not as scatty as the previous tracks and is the closest to an actual song so far. Albeit, a highly experimental crazy one.
'ID 5' is another scatterbrain fest, there's a lot of good stuff in there but again, it lasts 15 seconds and on to the next with no clear indication of a song or composition. More like outtakes of previous songs than an actual song.
For 'ID 6' its more of the same. A collage of ideas that would've probably made great songs but ended up glued together for this madness.
At this point, pretty much all that can be said about these tracks has been said, which is 15 seconds samples stitched together, a lot of cool riffs, great tones and licks but no really song or composition to be seen. So, here's samples of the remaining 4 tracks (listen above).
Overall, Pike 59 is arguably Buckethead's most off the wall, erratic and scattered album not just in the Pike series, but maybe of all his albums. It's beyond experimental. Like changing radio stations every 15 seconds and recording it for 3 minutes, 10 times. Whilst I'm glad it exists and certainly admire it for being different and creative like only Buckethead can be, does it work? For me, it doesn't and becomes quite a hard listen. But, in the famous words of Marty Mcfly “I guess you guys aren't ready for it yet”. And I'm probably not.
Unlike practically every Pike in the series, this one is impossible to rate each song individually, so as a whole I would say Pike 59 would fall below the 40% mark being in the range of poor to below average.
You can find my individual song ratings & breakdown on our website natternet.com
So, what's your rating for Pike 59? Be sure to let us know.
Pike 59 'Ydrapoej' RATINGS (out of 5)
1. ID 1 unrated
2. ID 2 unrated
3. ID 3 unrated
4. ID 4 unrated
5. ID 5 unrated
6. ID 6 unrated
7. ID 7 unrated
8. ID 8 unrated
9. ID 9 unrated
10. ID 10 unrated
Album length: 29:19
Total = Unrated (Album = 0-40%, Poor/ Below Average)
1-20 % = Poor
20- 40 % = Below Average
40-60 % = Average
60-80 % = Good
80-100 % = Awesome
Buy the album HERE