What are you listening to lately?

[UncleTito]

I've been switching back and forth between OL's La Semana and Buckethead's Colma. Every time I listen to La Semana I discover new things about it. Sounds that I didn't pay attention to the first time around, nuances about OL's playing. It is a superb album.

Now, Buckethead. Before you go out and buy a Buckethead album you need to know that buying an album by Buckethead, and liking it, is like going to Las Vegas with $15.99 and expecting to come back a millionaire. It may happen and it may not. Some of his albums are good, some of them are ok, some of them are weird (Very weird) and some of them are just bad. However, I think that you folks would probably enjoy Colma. It is a very mellow album. Acoustic guitars, some electric work, the whole album is awesome.

The thing with Buckethead is that, despite that he is a virtuoso on the electric guitar, there is no consistency from album to album. The first CD I bought from him was Colma, and I fell in love with it. Then I bought Monsters and Robots only to find out that it was a Metal/techno/rock cd. I have to say, though, I ended up liking Monsters and Robots a lot. But then I bought Somewhere over the slaugherhouse. Man, does this album suck!!! It is just noise harmonized with more noise. Do not buy this album.

Anyway, give Colma a listen and see if you like it.

[Adam Solomon]

Well, is consistency always a good thing? I personally hate it when all of an artist's albums sound the same, it's nice when they mix it up OL does this well, Frusciante does this AMAZINGLY, and I love (almost) all of his albums.

[UncleTito]

Well, not necessarily the same thing from album to album, but at least consistency within the style. What would you say if OL put out a heavy metal album? Although OL's albums are all somewhat different he stays within the style. The first album I bought from Buckethead was Colma, which is very acoustic oriented. I thought that this was his style. I later on came to find out that this album is actually a rarity in his catalogue. Buckethead is a shredder and leans on the metal side. He has played with Primus, Guns & Roses, and even audition with the Red Hot Chillis when John left. I really like his material, as lon as it is not too weird.

Gotta go. I'll miss my train. We'll pick this up later on.

[Adam Solomon]

OL's gone from nouveau flamenco (and every album is different in itself--NF to THBN+D to Innamorare to La Semana??) to Christmas to classical to rock-gone-flamenco (Little Wing) to rock-meets-flamenco (Lava). Only thing consistent there is that they're nylon string guitar-based albums And try listening to any two of Frusciante's albums, I don't know, I find a lack of consistency can always be a good or a bad thing, but is never something to automatically consider a fault.

[UncleTito]

IMHO, it all depends on what you are trying to achieve. For example, what is OL known as? It is safe to say that he is a NF guitar player. Even if he has made some albums that deviate somewhat from this style, the wide majority of his catalogue is closely related to Flamenco. Even when he is playing classic rock, as in Little Wing, or classical, as in Leaning into the night, there is little doubt as to what kind of player he is. He is a Flamenco player, or at least known as one. I know he is into funk and other things, but when you talk about OL the artist, I think that most people will automatically think of a flamenco player.

In Buckethead's case, what was misleading to me is that the first album I bought was a rarity in his catalogue. An acoustic album from a metal player. I imagine the same would happen if someone's first experience with OL's music was Little Wing and then went out to buy Borrasca.

I think that most people (SOME people is probably more accurate) come to expect a certain consistency from their favorite artists. They are into their work precisely for what they are known for. In my case, I like OL for his artistry, but I wouldn't buy his work if I was looking for some burning electric guitar sounds.

With Buckethead, I have come to appreciate who he is. I love his work and have purchased all of his commercial releases (same thing with OL). I like some more than others. Some I really don't like, but I bought them because I am a fan.

On the other hand, one of my favorite players, Al DiMeola, made a name for himself as a Fusion player. His early work is great, and was all lightning fast electric guitar. But for more than 10 years now, Al has been playing an acoustic almost exclusively. He made that switch a while ago and I still buy his CD's.

In any case, before I bore you to death with my rambling, Inconsistency is not always a bad thing. It is just a matter of perception.