PIK3 253 - COOP ERSTOWN

BUCKETHEAD (as Bucketheadland) / Pike 253 - Coop Erstown / 10th release of 2017 / All instrumental / Contains 5 tracks / Clocks in at 29minutes 44seconds / everything played by Buck-buck-buckethead

"Coop Erstown" (7:24) starts immediately with a frantic distorted guitar and a fast pace that feels a bit jittery and takes no time to erupt into a frenetic guitar solo that is sorta bluesy but also a little off kilter. After a bit more metal riffage also lollygagging through the land of distortion, it takes a turn into slightly off time sigs and more wild solos. Everything seems a bit off with this one but that's what gives it a unique personality as the style itself is fairly typical for BH and these offnesses are what keep it interesting for me

"Tinkertrack" (6:32) begins hard and heavy with crunchy metal riffage and a hella beefy bass. The riffs turn into a solo and alternates the two styles. The solos are very melodic and less jittery than the previous track but it does manage to create some off-kilter time sigs and slight dissonance at time. This is a frenetic track with craploads of energy being expended. The way this one is constructed is also of interest as it is slightly off in many ways but still highly accessible. Another interesting track for BH who keeps the bluesy alternative feel fresh all the way thru

"Quadruple Chicken Barn" (4:27) breaks out da funk, mon! Heavy bass but clean guitar that worships George Clinton but ratchets up the technical wizardry to BH levels. Tasty funky groove augmented with clever solos makes this a fun little number with a chicken stuttin' feel like none other

"Clay Hen" (3:42) takes things back into heavy metal territory with heavy crunchy riffs and alternates with more treble oriented licks and solos. Somewhat progressive chord progressions make this a little more interesting than other PIKEs that utilize this same type of style

"Rooms of Brooms" (7:40) slows things down a lot and delivers an echoey clean guitar effect with some sort of melody that reminds me of Christmas songs :/ Well, only a little. It remains clean with a bass and slow drumbeat and continues to repeat the melodic development that remains calm and placid for the most part but at the end is joined by a ever quickening guitar solo that provides the only break from the monotonous chord progressions. This one is fairly unexciting

Not a bad PIKE except for the last track but it's also not a blow-yer-socks-off one either. It's a pleasant enough listen but hardly the best eggs in the chicken coop