Jam band’s debut album
rocks
 By
Mark Wiley
Staff Writer
With its debut album, "The Grand Pecking Order,"
the new rock trio Oysterhead has created a funky jam-band masterpiece.
A blend of neo-hippie and mind-altering rock, it
may be the most intriguing album of the year.
Featuring guitarist and mastermind Trey Anastasio
from Phish, bassist Les Claypool from Primus, and drummer Stewart Copeland
formerly of the Police, Oysterhead may seem a strange blend of rock
superstars.
But Anastasio’s jam-band finesse, Claypool’s
energy and Copeland’s old-world skills mesh convincingly.
Oysterhead has all the super-group qualities —
intricate jokiness, incredible ambition and unmatched skill.
Technically, the trio’s musical talents surpass
any current group. With eerie sound effects and torturing vocals, it’s
hard to believe that all of the sounds come from just three musicians.
Creative front men Anastasio and Copeland challenge
today’s music scene, reveling in a balance of technical proficiency
and head-spinning absurdity.
In Anastasio’s first album since Phish’s
hiatus, listeners might expect "The Grand Pecking Order" to
sound like Phish. If so, they might be disappointed. Oysterhead is a
lot heavier than Phish and takes a few listens to get used to.
Oysterhead’s music is funkier than Phish's
but less abrasive and metal-sounding than Primus'.
According to some, this album is proof that Phish
needed a break. Anastasio couldn’t make an album of this substance
with any of the other members from that group.
The loopy atmosphere he creates fits better with
Oysterhead, as opposed to it being the center of attention with Phish.
Although his influence isn’t as dominant as
Claypool’s, you can tell which songs are Anastasio’s. "Radon
Balloon" and "Birthday Boys" both sound very Phish-esque
and are lyric versions of his solo tour encores for "Waves"
and "Happiness in My Pants."
Anastasio’s trippy loops and boomerang effects
make these tracks album favorites.
The rest of the album offers some strange but jammin’
grooves.
With "Little Faces," the album starts
off with crazy, space-funk sounds, featuring Copeland’s varying
voice effects and a fabulous rock beat.
"Mr. Oysterhead" is a catchy, kiddy anthem
featuring cartoonish vocals from all three members. "Pseudo Suicide"
is a darker, hard rock epic with cringing vocals and killer bass riffs.
"Owner of the World" wraps up the album with a fast-paced
pop finale.
In the end, this mix of funk and weirdness is as
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.
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