Review Summary: The most fun Buckethead has had in a long time.
While Buckethead has been releasing consistently strong pikes in recent times, he’s also been moving slowly and surely away from his older works. With moody epics, deeper songwriting and an incredibly diverse palette, we don’t really see him rock out like he used to.
Project Little Man saw him reaching back in time, pulling his tried and tested formula into the present and twisting it to suit his newfound maturity. It simultaneously succeeded as a showcase of his growth and as an ode to die-hard fans, but there was an element of restraint there.
Shaded Ray, on the other hand, sees a full reversion to this younger, more excitable Buckethead. There are obviously various pros and cons to this approach, but to analyse these too deeply would be to miss the purpose of such a record. Frankly,
Shaded Ray rocks, and it’s damn near impossible not to smile while it plays - I’d call that a success.
Everything displayed here has a little extra spring in its step. From the stark contrasting colours in the absurd album art, to the bouncy melodies and fierce riffs, there is an overwhelming positivity shining through the cracks. Any blistering solos don’t last for long, and the tracks regularly fall back to upbeat motifs before they affect the atmosphere being built. This happiness almost borders on cheese in several places, and while you could probably detract points for a lack of variety, it’s unbelievably refreshing to hear for any who are acquainted with a handful of his pikes. Gone are the wild mood shifts, strange experiments and emotional epics. The greatest asset this release has is that it never tries to be anything more than a simple, fun album. Ascending to the sugary highs of the title track and descending right down to the gritty rhythms of ‘Junkyard Ridge’, he has absolutely no regard for composure or restraint, and that’s exactly what makes this album special. An average musician would likely stumble with a 20 minute opener in this vein, yet here it succeeds because it rarely becomes complacent. These songs just keep driving forward with an exuberance that we haven’t heard come from this particular guitar in a very long time.
For the time being, Buckethead still doesn’t seem very interested in new fans. While anyone looking for a fun album would surely find what they’re looking for here, this is more specifically aimed at a certain group: past fans who’ve grown disillusioned thanks to his more “unique” experiments. Carroll knows he’s changed as a musician, but this is his way of thanking those who helped him get to where he is today. He’s not apologizing; he’s simply respecting their decision and honouring them in his own way.
