From the Coop

AMG Review of From the Coop

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

This release from Avabella is a follow-up to the label's 2007 album Acoustic Shards, another collection of Buckethead juvenilia. In this case, it's a demo tape the guitarist made in 1988, combining electric and acoustic guitar work. Already, it's apparent that he is a nascent member of the Eddie Van Halen/Joe Satriani/Steve Vai school of fleet-fingered electric guitarists, demonstrating on "Disembodied, Pt. 1" and "Disembodied, Pt. 2" that he is worthy to join their ranks. But the demo tape seems intended to show off his versatility as well, as he ranges from country hoedown playing (two versions of "Hog Bitch Stomp") to Spanish guitar (two versions of "Malagueńa"), with some funky picking as well ("Funk Tune," "Funkin' Freak"). He is sometimes too eager to display his ability to play fast, resulting in rushed rhythms and an occasional loss of articulation. But if this tape was made to show people that Buckethead was an extremely talented and inventive guitar player, it succeeds in its mission admirably.