BUCKETHEADLAND BLUEPRINTS

BUCKETHEADLAND BLUEPRINTS is a nebulous release by the masked one. This is really nothing more than a demo that claims to be released in 1991 on cassette only but others claim that it was never readily available to the public at large until the remastered version emerged in 2007. Well, matters it not to me one way or the other. This is very much a demo of different ideas that hadn't yet fully developed that would be incorporated on future full official releases. Most tracks are short and close to the two minute mark but a few are over the five.

Most of the sounds that would evolve are in their nascent forms here. We get samplings and other plunderphonics mixed with electronica and funk metal guitar and scorching solos including much of BUCKETHEAD's avant-garde trademarks. There is really no cohesion to this bunch of tracks at all and they are simply ideas that seem random and never meant for public consumption. While the album as a whole is lackluster it is clear that BUCKETHEAD was an emerging talent from the musical variations and virtuosic ingenuity.

This is truly one for the most dedicated completists. This is probably one that was better left in the chicken coop but since BUCKETHEAD's marketing strategy is similar to Frank Zappa's meaning that he releases every single thing ever recorded no matter how good or bad, it is no surprise that this saw the light of day despite it not being the tastiest two dozen eggs minus one from the hatchery. Not horrible but definitely not even remotely essential.