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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Different, but excellent., January 20, 2001
If you're a Buckethead fan, you're invariably drawn to his inventive technique, his furious yet tasteful blend of speed, heaviness, and melody, not to mention his quirky sense of humor. As such, Colma will be a surprise for many people. Here, Buckethead sheds all his pseudo-metal bombast in favor of a slow and mellow album of incredible beauty. Many fans might be turned off (or even put to sleep) by the change in sound, but if you don't mind lighter, less intense aural experiences, Colma proves to be rewarding album.The songs are largely acoustic based, with only the occasional electric guitar (most notably on the dynamic solos that close "Machete"). The music is prominently soothing, sometimes beautiful, and sometimes establishing an ineffable emotional clarity despite the fact that no words are ever spoken. This is a testimony of how expressive Buckethead's guitar playing is. Most of the melody lines are great with a few that are merely good. It's nice that the album included a few string instruments on some of the songs...the interplay between guitar and strings is always nice. Personally, I would have liked to see a piano worked into a song or two -- I really think it would have fit some of the tracks. This is just a wish however, and the lack of a piano doesn't detract from the music. The music is great, although diversity is a problem. Because every song follows a very formulaic structure the same tempo is used for nearly every song, the CD can feel like a sludge of almost interchangeable tracks. The songs ARE excellent, though, and if you give it enough attention you will see that the music does explore many subtle variations of the main musical idea. Also undermining some of the album's excellent music is the lifeless nature of the looping drums. Usually it doesn't bother me, but there are times when I find myself unwittingly giving them too much attention and I am a little irked. Nearly an hour of like sounding slow songs might be a hard sell, but the music IS great and Colma's merits shine past its flaws. In the future, I hope Buckethead makes another album like this but with more visceral drumming and a little more attention to song variety.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buckethead is ten times better than Saul, October 31, 2004
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Thank you for reading my review.
Well as a huge fan of Buckethead this cd when it first came out really showed me how universally talented Mr. Brian "BUCKETHEAD" Carroll is. When my ears first heard this cd my mind was shocked that it was Buckethead. "Colma" did not sound like Buckethead's musical style, on my first spins, and had to literally think and ask myself is the same guy? For instance if you take his follow up album "Monsters & Robots" and listen to this "COLMA" cd you will think it is not the same guy.
Some people may have to give this cd a few spins before they get it, but when they get it(if they get it), look out for it will get a lot of ware. This cd is in my opinion the best post modern acoustic/semi-acoustic instrumental album out there. Just a beautifully romantic and yet somehow very bizarre album. This cd is an instrumental brilliance that only bucket could of made. Buckethead really pushed his music to new boundaries on this one.
From the following 13 songs only maybe 3 of them, in my opinion, are mediocre while the rest are really good solid songs and some are some of his best work ever:
1. Whitewash 9/10
2. For Mom 11/10 LOVE THIS SONG!
3. Ghost 8/10
4. Hills of Eternity 8/10
5. Big Sur Moon 12/10 a masterpiece esp live version!!
6. Machete 12/10 awesome pushing the boundries song!
7. Wishing Well 8/10
8. Lone Sal Bug 7/10
9. Sanctum 7.5/10
10. Wondering 7.5/10
11. Watching the Boats With My Dad 7/10
12. Ghost (Pt. 2) 7/10
13. Colma 8/10 I hate this song but it is still good and scary!
Out of the 13 songs these 3 songs are must listens:
2. For Mom
5. Big Sur Moon
6. Machete
These 3 songs in my personal opinion are some of the best guitar work from Buckethead's young musical career. "For Mom" is a beautiful song that will get plenty of repeats and it a simple song to play and it is just an amazing song. Song #5. "Big Sur Moon" is one of the best songs ever written in regards to instrumental music. This song has some very powerful hand tapping techniques that are reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption", but in an ambient moody way. This song Buckethead almost always plays live and the live version is even better! "Big Sur Moon" is just an out of this world instrumtal masterpiece & the only problem with it is that it is too short. Song #6 "Machete" is hard to describe but just mindboggling and fits perfect hearing this right after "Big Sur Moon" it just wonderful the way the dj beats, the drumming of Brain, the bass of Bill Laswell and the guitar frenzy of Buckethead made this song such a brilliant song that pushed new boundaries into a musical journey of pure instrumental genius.
This is an acoustic/semi-acoustic album, but believe me it is all that. Yes, it may take you a few listens to get it but trust me this is one of the best instrumental albums ever made. A definitve masterpiece in the instrumental guitar genre. My advice to you is:
GO BUY, BORROW, BEG, OR STEAL THIS ALBUM!
(...)
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Soothing, July 11, 2004
I personally love this album because Buckethead changes his playing style from diminished robot-esque solos (not that those aren't sick) to simple chords and melodies with the occasional slow solo. His fast solos are amazing too, this guy is one of the few people I know who can pick and fingerpick at the same time. My favorite song on the album has to be Big Sur Moon, he plays this song each time he gets a solo spot, even did it when he was in GNR and played it at Rock N Rio. To me, this is like his "Eruption."
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