siLLy puPPy PIKE 146 - CARROTCATURE is the 45th album released by BUCKETHEAD in 2015. Keeping in line with the PIKES, this one is all instrumental with everything played by BUCKETHEAD and clocks near the half hour mark at 28:54. This is another one of those PIKES that has all the tracks with the same name “C-ret” followed by a number: 1-8.

This one sounds kind of familiar but also kind of weird. “C-ret 1” starts things off fairly standard with the much used funk sound. We get a bass line and drums but we also get a metal guitar riff. So i’m thinking this is going to be one of those boring ones then there’s an electronic induced guitar section that changes up the effects of the distortion and time sig changes, then a weird chord sliding section. Hmmm. I’m liking this one. Different effects drop in and out and although the tempo is constant, the riffs change it up with different distortion filters processing varied flavors of guitar possibilities.

Like the other PIKES that have the same title for all the tracks followed by a number, CARROTCATURE has all the tracks seamlessly blend into each other like DJ music with the beginning of the new ones simply changing it up slightly. The rest of the tracks continue the process of alternating riffs, sound effects for the guitar, solos, more riffs etc. Only the drum track remains constant.

This one has a certain sound to it that is different than the other PIKES. It is the staccato type of drum beat and how the bass and drums are syncopated in a certain way. The guitar has different styles of filtered distortion and the overall mood is sort of a doomy funk. There are surprises like an acoustic sounding arpeggio section as well as pure electronic noise melodies, highly aggressive metal outbursts and other variations but basically the general sound remains the same that simply alternates with the variations.

This one is interesting but not outstanding. While i find myself liking the overall sound and feel of this album, there is a fair bit of repetition and the staccato drum machine sound does wear a little thin as it would be much more interesting to have a really talented drummer jazzing things up. Good enough for 3 stars though.