siLLy puPPy PIKE 109 - THE LEFT PANEL is the 9th album by BUCKETHEAD released in 2015. Like most offerings in the PIKE series this one skirts the thirty minute mark and is split into two tracks.

The 19:17 title track shows BUCKETHEAD’s mellow and melodic side which is similar in style and musical structure to albums like “Colma” and “Electric Tears” with a nice mellow guitar tone, slow tempo and drum beat set to sappy ballad. The tracks seems to be on a repetitive loop as it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and…….. on :/

“Strips Of Paper” at 10:39 is slightly more upbeat. The tempo is still as slow as molasses but the guitar playing is on blues mode albeit snail’s-pace blues mode. Although nothing new under the sun, this one is a bit more pleasant to listen to as there are a few more guitar tones, bends and squeals taking place and the pace does pick up a bit towards the end but just like the title track tends to go on and on and on a wee bit too long.

For me this is one of the highest scorers on the MEH-mometer. A nice relaxing care-free listening experience if you’ve just had a lobotomy or just find Air Supply too hard core, so unless you’re interested in a possible soundtrack for a lychee and raspberry crumble, i’d do well to skip this one, i would.