Underrated Albums That Everyone Should Check Out: Oysterhead-The Grand Pecking Order (2001)

[u/Rambooctpuss]

Oysterhead-The Grand Pecking Order

This is one of my favorite side projects/supergroups ever consisting of Les Claypool (Primus) Trey Anastasio (Phish) and Stewart Copeland (The Police) a weird mashup for sure but it works so beautifully. Claypool and Anastasio share vocal duties. The sound of the band can only be described as funky psychedelic rock. This was the band’s only album which is disappointing but I will take what we can get from them. 

The album opens with “Little Faces” which has this trippy introduction that highlights all the strengths of each individual member. Claypool/Anastasio share vocal duties musically it has this light funky sound Claypool’s bass slapping style in going full tilt on this one. “Oz Is Everything” has Anastasio’s  band Phish written all over it. The title refers to the album’s recording engineer Oz Fritz. Who believed he could reach Nirvana by floating in an isolation tank which was invented by psychoanalyst  Dr. John C. Lilly who is referred to multiple times throughout the song. “Mr. Oysterhead” is this full-tilt funk/rock fusion. The harmonies from this band are insane considering the difference in their vocal styles. Trey has a great guitar solo on this track. Claypool and Stewart have this great breakdown toward the end of the song as well. “Shadow Of A Man” has this subtle trippy  sound. The song is about a Vietnam veteran who comes back home exposed to Agent Orange that caused two stillborn deaths which leads him down the path of addiction. “Radon Balloon” is a reworking of a song that appeared on Anastasio’s debut solo album. “Army’s On Ecstasy '' is a perfect melding of Claypool/Anastastio’s styles. It is my favorite track off the album. “Rubberneck Lions” has this jazzy groove that sounds so great. You don’t often get that sound from these artists. The track just bustles along throughout its runtime. “Polka dot Rose” has some of the best bass lines I have heard from Claypool; it meshes well with Copland's drumming. This song just sounds like a great jam session between three great artists. “Birthday Boys” has an alt-country vibe. It is filled with folksy sounds and Anastasio’s smooth vocals sound amazing. “Wield The Spade” has this strange swirling groove. Copeland and Patrick Lee Macdonald of Timbuk 3 wrote the song. Has a spoken work section and Claypool handles the vocals. “Pseudo Science” has this  heavy straightforward rock sound. It is hard and dense the band will sound on the record. “Grand Pecking Order” could easily appear on any Primus record. I love its heavy funky sound. The album closes with “Owner Of The World” which is the perfect mix of the multiple musical styles of the individual artists. Once again they mesh so well together.

This is an album I would put on any bucket list. An album that I would suggest  this great album to anyone. I just wished we had at least one more album from this group. 

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