The Essential Buckethead Tracks

If you're a guitar player or just someone who really loves listening to guitar music, chances are you probably have heard about Buckethead, the weird masked guitar virtuoso with spectacular skills on the fretboard. But thing is, most people who've heard his music (or the few popular ones like Jordan, Soothsayer, etc) simply categorize Buckethead as just another shredder, playing blazing fast solos and making weird chicken noises from his killswitch.

But the truth is, behind the KFC bucket, behind the mask and the kung-fu, Buckethead is one of the greatest guitar players to have walked the Earth. Of course, the 'musician' aspect of this player frequently gets lost behind the weird stage persona and robotic dancing, and that's also what makes him truly underrated in the public eye. But if you actually take the time to listen to some of his albums and pikes, you'll discover some genuinely incredible pieces of music.

And based on my experience (and I've heard a lot of great players over the years), Buckethead has played some of the most tasteful, memorable and aesthetic guitar music that you'll ever hear. Moreover, Buckethead belongs to those rare pantheon of musicians who can cover the entire gamut of musicality possible on the instrument—which means he can dazzle the listener with scorching arpeggios and breathtakingly fast licks as well as create truly evocative solos and soulful passages by using only a few notes. That's the true measure of musical virtuosity, right there.

But I'll just let the music do the talking. So here are the 12 instrumental guitar tracks from Buckethead that all guitar enthusiasts should listen to. And if you've thought earlier that Buckethead is just another fretboard athlete from the 90's, these tracks will change your perspective on this Nunchuck-wielding, break-dancing Guitar Hero forever. 
 

Sail on Soothsayer - This track combines both sadness and beauty in a gorgeous mix that will make you listen to it over and over again. Buckethead also does a lot of cool, aesthetic stuff on this one. It starts with a moody riff and follows with a long, mournful solo that gets more soothing as it goes on. There are also some parts where it truly feels like the guitar is crying out in sadness. That's how emotionally powerful this track is. 

Walk on the Moon - This track is an amazing showcase of Buckethead's composional prowess on the guitar. Remember those two-note melodies that make up some of the most memorable musical scores in the films? (like Jaws or The Martian). This track is similar to those and aptly demonstrates the fact that Buckethead can create pure magic with using only a few well-placed notes.

Night of the Slunk - This track is one of the staple pieces of almost any live Buckethead concert and for good reasons. Firstly, Night of the Slunk contains perhaps the most intoxicating, addictive riff that Buckethead has written and lastly, it also includes some truly out-of-the-box guitar passages that you can only hear in a Buckethead track. A truly signature piece of guitar music, Night of the Slunk also ends with a screeching, relentlessly fast solo. So what's not to love?

Gigan - It starts out with a heavy, stomping riff and then quickly bursts into some of the most wildly melodic shredding you'll ever listen. Gigan also showcases some truly unorthodox passages that really shifts the mood in the track, while also delivering some killer licks in places. Even though it's really short, this track has the power to make you hit the replay button as soon as it's over.

Ghost - One of the best tracks in Colma, Ghost is an aesthetically charming piece of acoustic guitar music that can hook pretty much anyone. The whole track has a certain eerie but beautiful vibe that really grows on the listener. If you love the acoustic guitar, you simply owe it to yourself to listen to this track. 

Electric Sea - This track is just a pure expression of melancholic sadness, a true rarity in the world of guitar music. There's so much emotional beauty here, you just have to experience it. Words can't do justice to this track, this is the kind of music you'd just want to breathe into. A far cry from the metal infused flavors of the earlier tracks in this list, Electric Sea is not just great guitar music, it's also an emotionally affecting expression that truly captures Buckethead's musical virtuosity. Don't take my word for it, just listen to those achingly beautiful bends at 6:04. 

Earth Heals Herself - A long, introspective piece of soulful guitar music that paints a meditative look at the continuous onslaught of human madness on this Planet. Evocative and beautiful, poignant and melodically rich, this track also features some really tasteful keyboard work from Travis Dickerson, who Buckethead collaborated with during the recording of the Population Override album. This track is also a fitting showcase for the melodic side of Buckethead. And yes, gotta love the moody chord progression at the start.

Padmasana - This is one of those rare tracks that you just don't want to end. And it's already over eleven minutes long, so that's really saying something about the sheer musicality in this track. Just listen for yourself.

Jordan - Probably one of the most well-known tracks in Buckethead's entire discograpy, but that's not why it's in this list. The reason is that Jordan is one of the most catchiest and addictive piece of music Buckethead has ever wrote. And yes, he also shreds like there's no tomorrow on this one.

Soothsayer - Ah, this is the track that first introduced me to Buckethead and it's the kind of music that can make anyone an overnight fan. Yeah, it's that good.

Soothsayer starts with a melodic, soothing riff and soon explodes into a visceral mix that perfectly balances both musicality and technicality. Even though Buckethead does a plethora of technical stuff here (this track features some of his fastest shredding), he always does it in service of the feel, which is the emotional core of the track. Soothsayer is essential Buckethead and shows that he's one of the very few shredders in the world who can tell emotionally compelling stories with his chops.

Machete - Even though Buckethead has literally hundreds of genuinely great tracks, Machete stands out as (probably) the most intoxicating one that sounds better and better each time you listen to it. I won't even begin to describe it with words cause it won't work and it's best to just soak the music with your senses. More than yet another great guitar track, Machete is just pure sonic elixir—nuanced, alive and downright unforgettable.

Nottingham Lace - Where do I start? Nottingham Lace is kind of the creme-de-la-creme opus among all of Buckethead's discography. Sounds too over-the-top? Well, let's see—this track features the single most memorable riff Buckethead has ever written and has possibly the greatest guitar solo that he has ever recorded. Yeah, I told you it's epic.

The riff that kicks off this track is drenched with swagger and will get you musically high after the first few seconds. And the solo that starts at the 2:37 mark is pure electric adrenaline—furious, tasteful, evocative and liberating. It's hard for a guitar solo to be anything more, really. And it ends with a spectacular shower of tasteful notes that will get you higher every time you listen to it.

So if there's someone you know who hasn't discovered Buckethead yet, just point him/her to this track and witness the euphoria.

 

Now let's focus on the Pikes series, which are self-contained musical adventures that sees the next level of evolution in Buckethead's artistry. As of this writing, there are around 250 pikes, each has the power to take the listener on a journey. While I'd suggest anyone to go to this link to know which kind of music suits you (there are a ton of flavors to choose from) from the pikes, I've also picked a few of these that I think will appeal to a broad range of audience. Here they are: 

 

Hold Me Forever (in memory of my mom Nancy York Carrol), Celery, Blue Tide, Claymation Courtyard, Rainy Days, Cove Cloud, Backwards Chimney, Footsteps and Tucked into Dreams.

 

I hope this list serves you as a springboard to Buckethead's discography and helps you discover some truly memorable pieces of guitar music. I always thought that he's just too underrated and deserves more audiences than anyone that I've ever listened to. And that's what made me write this list, in hopes that more and more people discover Buckethead and his music.

And with that, this long list comes to it's end. Do you agree with this or is there something I missed out? Shoot away in the comments section.