Buckethead----Monsters and Robots Gomez---Liquid Skin Iggy Pop---Avenue B Folk Implosion---One Part Lullaby
	Buckethead ---Monsters and Robots / CyberOctave ---Reviewed by Peter Rossi In the early 90's, many SF clubgoers were enthralled by local band, the Deli Creeps, which boasted a young, original, guitar hero named Buckethead. He was a skinny, long-haired, long-fingered lead guitar virtuoso who always donned a bucket on his head and a mask on his face. He was a real guitar god weirdo. Buckethead's latest solo offering "Monsters and Robots" is 51 minutes of pure wanking ecstasy. Buckethead teams up with chums Les Claypool and Brain from Primus, Bootsy Collins, DJ Eddie Def, and producer Bill Laswell for a near singer-free aural assault. Track 3, "The Ballad of Buckethead," features Les Claypool on dittie, pirate-tale lyrics and bass. The track, while it screams with "weedooloo, weedooloo, weedooloos" and "chunkgunkguhguh, chunkgunkguhguhs," could be on any Primus record. Track 9, "The Shape vs. Buckethead," features Bootsy Collins and is fat in all the right places. In this track, Buckethead demonstrates his riffing prowess in all the right places. Overall, however, I had expected more hypnosis, less narcosis, more man, less machine from an artist that consistently ranks in my book with Stevie Vai, and who routinely puts "guitar phonemes" like Joe Satriani on the same bus to Vegas as Kenny G. But if Praxis (Bill Laswell and crew) or Primus are your thing, this record will fit nicely into your collection.
	Iggy Pop---Avenue B / Virgin ---Reviewed by John Kane So what we basically have here is a breakup album. With his lust for life seriously dimmed by a recent divorce and there now being more then fifty candles on his birthday cake, the Iggster has turned out a mellow, introspective album largely free of the bitter howls and high energy rock which made him a punk idol. Imagine a ravaged voice Leonard Cohen singing about a Nazi girlfriend, cocaine, and being a tough scumbag and you'll get a fair picture of what this album is like. There are a few old style rock numbers (the bland "Shakin' All Over" and the much stronger "Corruption") but for the most part the songs are quiet, reflective, seemingly autobiographical works. On the best songs---"Long Distance", "Avenue B", "Facade"---he manages to be incisive about love lost, isolation, coming to terms with aging and trying to figure out what's still important about life. At times though, particularly during the cheesy spoken word passages, Iggy just sounds pitiful and whiny and lifeless. And in the genre of breakup albums Avenue B lacks the depth and good tunes of a masterpiece like Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. Still, it's always an interesting listen and it's nice to know that even at this late date Iggy Pop is capable of making such an atypical, surprising record.
	Gomez---Liquid Skin / Virgin ---Reviewed by John Kane No sophomore slump for these hard working Brit boys. Expanding on the success of last year's critical hit Bring It On, this five piece English band returns with an album sure to only increase their following. Reason for the critical buzz is simple: they sound like nothing else around. Long, almost improvisational song structures, elliptical lyrics, singer Ben Ottewell's Eddie Vedder/Tom Waits growl, an obsession with Americana and old style R&B---the fusion of these elements makes for an involving, mood-altering listen. So far radio airplay has eluded the band but hopefully that will change. Picks to click: "Bring It On," and "Rhythm and Blues Alibi." Really though, Gomez isn't a singles band, what they're doing is making album rock. And when it comes to crafting music perfect for losing yourself in for an hour or so, there's nobody better then Gomez.
	Folk Implosion ---One Part Lullaby/ Interscope ---Reviewed by John Kane The problem with Lou Barlow, the King of Indie white-boy rock, is that he's always been too much of a slacker. Unwilling or not disciplined enough to create albums free of filler which are compelling listens all the way through he has released a large catalog of half-assed albums saved by just two or three great songs. One of those great songs was "Natural One" from his side-project band Folk Implosion. Thanks to that hit song he and his Folk Implosion partner John Davis are now on a major label and perhaps thanks to that he's finally produced an album that's good all the way through. Lyrically it could be just another Sebadoh album (loser self pity and emotional disconnectedness are still his thematic mainstays) but sonically it's all about the guitar/drum loop interplay which results in pop oriented songs that one could almost dance to, though it would have to be very mellow dancing. On songs like the title track, "My Ritual," "Gravity Decides," and "No Need to Worry," Folk Implosion uses trip-hop elements to create an aura of space and drone which adds a much needed punch to Barlow's angst-filled lyrics (best of the angst---"Don't touch me 'cause I've had too much to feel tonight"). You know, if he keeps making albums strong as this Lou might become king of something worthwhile.