The Grand Pecking Order

Oysterhead

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 2001)
• Original Release Date: October 2, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B00005OL93
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,539 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's not difficult to see why Trey Anastasio (of Phish) and Les Claypool (of Primus) have a musical attraction to each other: they both revel in a balance of technical proficiency and head-spinning absurdity. Of course, Frank Zappa was a pioneer in this realm and you can hear his influence throughout. With former Police drummer Stewart Copeland on board as the third accomplice, Oysterhead pretty much wear out the lines between creativity and self-indulgence, between the clever and the goofy--a fact that is not at all surprising given the histories of Anastasio and Claypool, neither of whom are known for their self-editing abilities. Still, Oysterhead earns considerable points for the level of musicianship, originality, and sheer abandon of the project. And Copeland seems liberated by the setting, showing ingenuity and dexterity in driving these ultra-quirky tunes. In the end, this mix of clunky funk and decadent weirdness is maddening almost as much as it is rewarding, but The Grand Pecking Order has a sinister futuristic quality that is simply too peculiar to ignore. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eclectic, wonderful, and ohhh the potential these guys show, December 7, 2001

By	Moses Alexander (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

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.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Opposing Viewpoint: Oysterhead shows the Artists Limitations, October 5, 2001

By	Brendan Heddle (New York City) - See all my reviews

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.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A highlight for 2001, October 2, 2001

By	Gizmo Sparkle (Theodore, AL United States) - See all my reviews

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.