Customer Reviews

The Grand Pecking Order

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first heard of plans for the Oysterhead album. I think people make the mistake of imagining that it will somehow magically be a combination of Phish's jamming, Primus' weirdness and the Police's catchy anthems. Part of this is true, but mostly its not. Approach this album like you would any other new band, because that's what it is - a new band. If you go in expecting The Police, Phish or Primus, you will be disappointed.

There are a few songs that do sound distinctly like Primus ("Shadow of a Man," "Army's on Ecstasy," and "The Grand Pecking Order" in particular.) Even then, they are still great songs.

"Radon Balloon" definately could have been on "The Story of the Ghost" or "Farmhouse." Once again, that doesn't deter from the fact that its a great little ditty. "Birthday Boys" is definately a Trey Anastasio tune, but with a little tweaking.

My favorite songs though, are the ones that have a flavor that is specifically Oysterhead. "Rubberneck Lions" is the best example of this (and the best tune on the record.) It utilizes all of the group's strengths: two unique and totally different lead singers, amazing instrumental prowess, and driving jazzy-rock rhythms. Everybody in this group has a great sense of rhythm and melody, which makes for some cool tunes.

"Wield the Spade" utilizes the brilliant weirdness of these three individuals. The best way I could describe this song would be "audio in liquid form." It feels like floating on gently rocking water.

The lyrics on this record are weird. That's not really surprising given Trey Anastasio's and Les Claypool's past. The interesting thing though, is that they don't really come off like lyrics to Phish or Primus songs (with the exception of a few tunes.) "Shadow of a Man" deals with suprisingly serious subject matter for these clowns. Even stranger is the fact that perhaps the weirdest lyrics of all were penned by Stewart Copeland.

While this CD is excellent, I think one of the most exciting things about it, is that its apparent that future albums (if we're lucky enough to get any) have amazing potential.

One thing that's so wonderful, is that Oysterhead seems so liberating for all three guys. If any of their former bands had put this record out, their fans would probably not have been pleased. This is allowing them to tread new ground. That's pretty cool they've forged a mostly original sound considering they had only played one live show before this record came out.

This disc is definately recommended, and I look forward to more from them in the future.

First off let me say there are few people who are as big a fan of Phish, Primus, and the Police as I am. However, I felt this album left me wondering exactly how much I SHOULD appreciate these three incredible artists. I think my viewpoint of Les Claypool has totally changed after hearing this album. Ive learned that although he is an incredible musician, he has a pretty limited scope of musical range.

For all intents and purposes the songs on "The Grand Pecking Order" written by Les Claypool are Primus. I write specifically of the songs where either the music or lyrics were written specifically by Claypool alone, such as "Shadow of a Man" and "The Army's on Ecstasy." There is little to no difference from the songs he wrote on this album to what you might find on Primus or Les Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade.
You can tell Try didnt really know how to approach these songs.

To a lesser extent, the two songs written by Anastasio alone, "Radon Balloon" and "Birthday Boys" follow the similar scheme. These songs could easily be passed off as Phish songs.

I think Copeland is the only one who benefits from working with the other two. I think his talent is realized to its full extent, and you can tell he was challenged by working with Trey and Les. You can hear that his talent goes far beyond what was expected of him with the Police.

It is only on the songs written by the collective that you really see the potential of these 3 artists working together. All of these songs have incredible
compositions, and they gel together beautifully. It is for these songs that you should purchase this album. But the songs written by only one person in the band, makes you wonder if they have the ability to look past the scope of their own musical scope.

I admit, I was fanatical when i first heard about the Oysterhead project. My favorite drummer, guitar player, and one of my favorite bass players decided to start a band. How cool is that?I immediately found a bootleg of the 5-4-00 show from the NO saenger and was quite impressed, despite some very obvious rough spots. Since that time, I've been waiting for what seems like forever for the release of the album.

Today the wait was over, I travelled to my local record store at 11 am and bought this album without even looking at anything else (quite unusual for me). I then found the first CD player I could and put this in. It is amazing how much these three musicians, whose usual bands (primus, phish, and the police) have such a signature sound, could create something with such a unique sound. You can hear definite touches of these bands in the songs, but they compliment each other in new ways. Claypool's heavy bass tone has forced Trey to play in a more metallic, yet still funky fashion. consequently, Copeland's drumming has reached new funky heights never reached with the Police (in addition, its awesome to finally hear from stewart copeland again.). the addition of copeland also brought new production values to the project. If you listen, there are all kinds of cool electronic effects, drum machines, etc. in the background that enhance the project immensely.

All in all this is an awesome project. Highly reccomended.

Here's a start, ask yourself the following:
1. Are you a fan of Primus, Phish, Stewart Copland (Police, solo projects)?
2. Did this album need to sound like the bands they are in?
3. Should this album have taken on it's own identity?

Many seem to think the identity of Oysterhead is based on the players previous work and to a degree that's true. Les Claypool in particular always sounds like Les Claypool. It's not a whole lot different on this CD although I think he is more subdued and more integrated in the mix than he would be in say Primus.

I don't see Trey Anastasio's work sounding all that much like Phish, again, he has his style and that's evident on this album but again, within the scope of the band it's well integrated.

Stewart Copland fares best in Oysterhead. His drumming is excellent and fits nicely with Anastasio and Claypool. There is a more subdued sound to "The Grand Pecking Order" than Claypool fans may expect. His vocals tend to sound similar but that has always been the case. That said, even the vocals are more subdued. Don't take subdued to be cautious or uninspired because this is a lively album filled with a lot of interplay between musicians. The songs range from pleasant instrumental to moderately hard rocking.

I agree with other reviewers that Claypool may not have a lot of depth in his songwriting skills but I still enjoy what is on Oysterhead. It's funky, slightly progressive and playful. It caught my attention on first listen and grows with each new one. It doesn't matter to me how close or far Oysterhead sounds compared to the respective bands of Claypool, Anastasio or Copeland, it works as it's own album. I heard it without knowing who was in the band and liked it, that's why I bought it. I'm not much of a Primus fan and not a Phish fan. Maybe this is why it's easy to be neutral about things.

There isn't much jamming here, the songs are well structured and you'll read enough song by song comparisons in previous reviews so I will skip that. If you enjoy moderately challenging music there's a pretty good chance you'll enjoy Oysterhead. If Les Claypool's voice puts you off it's slightly reeled in on this CD but is still an aquired taste.

Not as angular and bass heavy as Primus (for the initiated listen to the guitar work in particular, much more melodic, less jagged runs and noise bursts), more focused than Phish and nothing at all like Copeland's work. There are no stars on this recording, just three guys having fun making music.

Whether that appeals will be in part related to the three questions above.

Hopefully this will not be a one-off for these guys. I think they have yet to fully realize the potential as a unit. Mostly the project comes off as separate songwriters who are operating just slightly off-kilter from their normal spheres of influence; Les put the whole thing together so its not surprising the larger portion of the material, like "Little Faces" and "The Grand Pecking Order", has a strong Primus slant. A few of the tracks, like "Oz is Ever Floating" and "Radon Baloon" could be outtakes off of a Phish album. Anastasio and Claypool contribute most of the lyrics, which means a lot of silliness for the most part in that area. Focusing on the musicians, each member definitely gets a chance to shine; Les and his drippy bass are on display on the album's best (and funkiest) track, "Mr. Oysterhead" (I dare you all to *TRY* not to bob your head to this damn nasty slice of P-Funk); Trey puts in some most excellent Nashville-style picking on "Birthday Boys" while Stewart gets some great and subtle percussive work on "Shadow of a Man".

As a whole, the only disappointment comes from the fact that it plays like a slightly edgier version of Phish with a meaner bassist, which is more or less going to be exactly what most people are expecting. This is not a bad thing at all - it's just a little more predictable and safe than it could have been.

Shake Your Booty: Mr. Oysterhead, Pseudo Suicide
Scratch Your Head: Wield The Spade

I have long admired Trey Anastasio of Phish, and Stewart Copeland of the Police. Prior to listening to this record, though, I was unfamiliar with Les Claypool, the former Primus bassist, whose playing struck me as not only technically impressive, but also as extremely creative. All three of these guys are technical geniuses, in my opinion.

I hate to echo what other reviewers have said, but the vocals are often the drawback to these songs. The transition from musical jam to vocal verse does not sound seemless, and the vocals are very much lacking in melody. The lyrics are good and clever, but the quirky manner of their delivery makes it difficult to take them seriously. This aspect of the album may be an acquired taste, and one that I have not come around to apreciating yet.

This critique out of the way, the musicianship on this album is outstanding. Many of the songs have passages that make you want to rewind 15-20 seconds to hear the jam again. Other reviewers have suggested that Copeland might be the weak link. I have not followed much of what he has done since The Police disbanded, but I have NEVER been so impressed with his drum playing. These songs demand a high level of technical proficiency, and he delivers in a big way. He is not only "keeping up" with the other two, but frequently imprinting his own signature upon the songs.

This is a very good album. The vocals can be a frustrating distraction at times; but if you are a fan of any one of these three artists, you should buy the record, and will likely become a fan of all three.

I wound up getting this disc and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains in the same shipment, so it becomes hard to talk about one without referring to the other.

Oysterhead is the joining of three very suprising forces: Les Claypool of Primus, Trey Anastasio of Phish and Stewart Copeland of The Police. Claypool has long established his wonderful oddity-stature in music by combining the aura of sea shanties with the virtuosity of Frank Zappa with the humor and off-kilterness of The Residents, topped off with a dollop of punk-funk. Anastasio, as a part of Phish, has long cemented a reputation of jam with humor, making them a version of The Grateful Dead that is a lot more fun to listen to. And Copeland may not have been the most visible of The Police (Sting, no doubt, took care of that), but his experiments in sound with his post-Police soundtrack work has made him a quiet force in percussion.

And surprisingly, this trio really melds well into a sound that clearly has characteristics of all three, but does not come across as a bunch of characters trying to take centerstage, but melt together into some great songs. Certainly, there are components that one could point out and attribute to particular band members. The lyrics of "Mr. Oysterhead," for example, smack loudly of the Claypool touch, and the form of songs like "Oz Is Ever Floating" seems melodically loose enough to be attributed to Anastasio, but overall it seems that the three really come together well. Songs like "Little Faces" and "Wield the Spade" are sharp and full songs, playful and virtuostic from every angle. While collaborations like Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains can feel a little disjointed at times, maybe because the personalities involved overwhelm the playing, Oysterhead seems always focused on the music first, and they let the personalities come through in a secondary fashion.

Trey Anistasio, Les Claypool and Stuart Copeland deliver something really original and fresh on this album. I consider it a true masterpiece by three of the finest musicians around. The lyrics are clever and Les's voice adds a lot of character to the overall sound in typical Primus fashion, along with nimble fingered smoking bass riffs not fit for mortal ears. Trey adds a lot of previously unheard digital delay tricks to the mix with a lot of nice funk/jam style playing overlayed on top. Stuart offers up some of the most technically proficient and intricate drumming you will ever hear, and I do mean ever. So good and nuanced it'll give Neil Pert nightmares. It's a feast for the ears and highly listenable over and over again if you have an ear for music. The band is a jam concept and the album reflects it, more jazz structure than top 40. Police fans probably won't dig it as it isn't reggae. Phish fans will probably dig it, and Primus fans will love it if they've been aching for Les to play music that's less dissonant and more listenable. If you are a musician like me, this CD will floor you. You will hear something new or different every time you spin it.

"The Grand Pecking Order" is definitely NOT for everyone, but for those who choose to go along with this wild ride of an album, you're in for a treat. The three musicians who make up Oysterhead (Stewart Copeland of The Police; Les Claypool of Primus; Trey Anastasio of Phish) are each masters of their instruments and their virtuosity shines through from start to finish.

Copeland, in particular, has not played with this much intensity since the early Police albums and his solo Klark Kent work, but here he also adds whole new levels to his drum wizardry, proving he is still one of the best drummers in rock music today (just listen to the crazy fills at the beginning of "Pseudo Suicide" for one.) It's clear that these three musicians are enjoying themselves and the collaboration is rife with energy and creativity.

Some songs definitely have more of a "Primus-sound" to them (the title track, "Shadow of a Man"), and others more of a "Phish-sound" ("Birthday Boys", "Radon Balloon"), but overall there is still a consistent uniqueness to the album. If you're not a Les Claypool fan, though, you may be turned off by his vocals, but personally I find they work perfectly with the tone of the music. This is definitely a great headphone-album as well, inviting the listener to close your eyes and go along with the complex layers of sound.

It can definitely take multiple listens to reveal the depths of the music here, but I for one feel it is well worth taking the time to explore.

I'm trying to be critical here. I've listened to the album five times now; and am still trying to find a complaint, something to nitpick about. But alas, I can find none. The Grand Pecking Order is my pick for Album of the Year. It's that brilliant!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Oysterhead, it is the pairing of three rock geniuses in my book. Trey Anastasia from Phish, Les Claypool from Primus, and Stuart Copeland from The Police. If you like Phish, you'll love the album; if you like Primus, you'll love the album; and if you like The Police.... okay there isn't much reminiscent of The Police but you'll still love the album; and if you don't like any of those three groups, chances are you will still love the album it's that diverse.

It's hard to describe the music really. First off, it varies so much from song to song that no one adjective will work. If you had to try and describe the music it would have to be something like Funk/Rock and still that doesn't do it justice.

The highlight of TGPO is by far and away Pseudo Suicide. If you haven't heard me raving about this song before I don't plan on stopping now. It is the Song of the Year and if Radio was half of what it should be, it would be the number one single on the charts. Then there is the self-titled cut, "The Grand Pecking Order", which sounds like "Yellow Submarine" if it had been dragged through hell first and then reeled up onto the album. Not to mention Mr. Oysterhead which sounds like a kindler gentler Iron Man with a twist of acid rock. But this in no way a one single oriented album, it is fun, and jams from start to finish. There are even GASP, guitar solos and not to mention (god bless them) a political anthem "Wield The Spade". Not a mushy anthem like MTV's "What's going On", but a thought provoking, read between the lines, I'm fed up with the way things are going anthem.

The Rhythm Section in Oysterhead is terrific (too be expected) and the mixing by Toby Wright is perfect. As far as the lyrics go, well here is a sample from "Rubberneck Lions":

Rubberneck lions as I lie in bed
Double barrel under the pillow under my head
You don't wake a man when he's trying to be dead
Cause of the rubberneck lions as I lie in bed
Rubberneck lions as I lie in bed
I bought a cactus from a miser named Fred
I choose to live off of water and bread
Cause of the rubberneck lions as I lay in bed.

I could literally go on and on about the album; but I will just let the fact that it is my pick for album of the year do the rest of my talking. If you can only buy one CD for the rest of the year, I definitely recommend The Grand Pecking Order.