Mixing metallic guitar heroics with funk, hip-hop, electronica, and a cinematic soundtrack feel,
Buckethead's
Monsters and Robots is yet another eclectic opus inspired in large part by low-budget monster/horror, martial arts, and science fiction movies, especially those of Japan. Like any
Buckethead album, the music does meander in spots, but this outing does improve on its predecessor
Colma by employing a variety of guest bassists;
Primus'
Les Claypool (as well as drummer Brain),
Bootsy Collins, and
Bill Laswell all enliven the music's rhythmic underpinnings in ways that
Buckethead's own bass playing on
Colma didn't. Plus, the contributions of guest DJs
Phonosycograph Disk,
DJ Eddie Def, and Xtrakd are inventive and stimulating, complementing rather than confusing the musical mix. It may not be completely consistent, but
Monsters and Robots offers more than enough musical derangement to satisfy. ~ Steve Huey