siLLy puPPy PIKE 8 - RACKS is the 8th album released by BUCKETHEAD in the final year of the Mayan calendar 2012. It was actually released on the same day, September 20 as the following two PIKES and it’s the 38th solo album overall. All instrumental and once again all BUCKETHEAD aka Bionic Fingernail here. Production is by Dan Monti and Albert again. Monti also contributes mixing and production. This one has 10 tracks and clocks in at 29:52.

“The Snow Rabbit” (3:24) begins with a Hendrix-esque bluesy guitar riff and an electronic drum beat. Then enters a weird guitar effect that sounds like a monster or something. While the bluesy guitar riff continues, the timbres and effects change it up. It adds some funky bass when the solo sets sail.

“Telekinite” (3:00) starts off as a frenetic alternative metal rocker. Highly distorted guitar, pummeling drum beat and bass. BH delivers one of those “squeal” solos but it doesn’t last long and then it turns into a thrashy riff and then rather classic metal riff. Rather generic track

“Asbury Park Boardwalk” (3:17) is the exact opposite. It is a slowed-down clean guitar ballad with drum beat. One of those “Colma” type tracks but also pretty uninspiring.

“Castle Of Dr Cadaver” (2:26) is a highly electronically manipulated guitar riff that’s slow and freaky accompanied by an electronic drum beat and then another riff becomes more normal and then a heavy metal riff picks up steam and then it starts alternating the riffs. Inserted is some solo jazz guitar solo stuff. This one jumps around between ballad type guitar riffs and heavy metal. The way it’s all put together is actually pretty cool

“Sunbursts” (3:42) slowly oozes into the hearing range. Sounds ambient with a clean guitar joining in to paint a melodic development while a much faster bass and drum accompanies it. The guitar gets some wah-wah mojo to it and gets in sync with the bass and drum tempo. It all slows down and the guitar “talks” to us.

“Chamber Of Slunks” (1:20) tracks with “Slunk” in the title are always cool and this one is no exception. It is an aggressive alternative metal rocker that changes up the riffing with a steady bass and drum. Then comes a guitar freak out with a rocking metal bass and drum. Short but sweet

“Spiderwall” (1:20) is a freaky guitar only weirdathon. Funky bass and guitar madness alternate into a short but sweet highly experimental wankfest

“Coffin For A Penny” (2:01) sounds almost like an alt-country song with Americana type clean guitar chords. Is this Ryan Adams album now? I can almost hear a harmonica wanting to join in. Wait. That IS a harmonica. Bob Dylan? Are you gonna join in? No, of course not. Just a guitar kicking in where a vocal line should be. This ends as soon as it gets warmed up!

“Fomahaut” (2:08) has a jangly guitar and freaky electronics but only for a few seconds and then BOOM in comes a frenetic heavy metal power chords parade and sizzling guitar solos and then becomes an electronica freak out to the max mixed in where the metal and electronica battle it out each taking turns at dominating the other

“The Patrolman” (7:29) The longest track on the album starts out with a clean guitar lick and more energetic drum beat joining it. It lets the melody gently unfold but this is one of those tracks that doesn’t really go anywhere. It is predictable and by the books without any improper freakiness. It’s too much like something off of the “Electric Tears / Sea” albums and sounds like a leftover track or something. OK but nothing more.

This one is a mixed bag. I love the shorter experimental tracks much more than the boring normal sounding tracks. Where it smokes it’s on fire but there are too many average tracks on this one to make it absolutely mind blowing. Great album cover that proves BUCKETHEAD casts many shadows!