Oysterhead Grand Pecking Order CD

Oysterhead: Trey Anastasio (vocals, guitar); Les Claypool (vocals, bass); Stewart Copeland (drums).
Recorded at The Barn, Vermont in April 2001.
Audio Mixer: Toby Wright.
Recording information: The Barn, VT (04/2001).
Photographer: Danny Clinch.
It would be a difficult task to even find three musicians with voices as uniquely dissimilar as those of Trey Anastasio, Les Claypool, and Stewart Copeland, much less attempt to effectively fuse them together within the same band -- and yet, this is precisely what Oysterhead manages to pull off on their debut album, The Grand Pecking Order. Over the span of 13 tracks, the trio succeeds admirably at finding the common ground between their seemingly disparate styles. Make no mistake, the characteristic trademarks of each member are still firmly in place -- Anastasio's fluid guitar passages, Claypool's monstrous low-end bass tone, and Copeland's deft hi-hat and cymbal work -- but unlike many albums by previous supergroups, The Grand Pecking Order never becomes a joyless, ego-driven wank-fest. Quite the contrary, the musicians seem to be carefully listening and playing off of one another at all times -- and enjoying themselves doing so. This dedication injects electricity into the instrumental interplay and keeps the songs fresh and lively. Copeland in particular appears newly rejuvenated, playing with an inspired abandon unheard from him in years; his energetic drumming practically leaps out of the speakers right from the beginning of the first track onward. Because Anastasio and (especially) Claypool both possess unmistakable singing voices, the songs naturally tend to remind one of their respective bands, Phish and Primus, which on initial listening makes for a strangely unusual combination. Musically, however, Oysterhead rarely sounds like those groups; Anastasio's "Radon Balloon" and Claypool's "Shadow of a Man" are perhaps the only songs on the album that would fit comfortably alongside their previous material. With only two tracks exceeding five minutes in length, the group never loses sight of instilling concise, catchy hooks into their tunes, whether it's the bouncy funk of "Mr. Oysterhead," the circular melodies of "Owner of the World," or the whimsical "Birthday Boys." Ultimately, The Grand Pecking Order provides a great number of satisfying moments and should be of considerable interest to fans of Anastasio, Claypool, and Copeland. ~ Steve Bekkala
When is a supergroup not a supergroup? When it's stellar members don't tote along the sonic baggage of their former groups into their new collective endeavor. In that spirit, it's time for the world to meet Oysterhead. This power trio consists of Police drummer Stewart Copeland, Primus bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, and Phish guitarist/Jerry Garcia of the Gen-X set Trey Anastasio. Whether fans of these gents' former bands are impressed that THE GRAND PECKING ORDER doesn't rehash former glories, or disappointed that echoes of great bands past can't be heard to their satisfaction, Oysterhead must be given their due. There's not even a trace of rock-star pomposity to be found in these tunes, which are defined by quirky, often-humorous lyrics, and slippery, funky grooves that make the most out of Copeland's superhuman polyrhythms and Claypool's wide variety of bass tones. For diehard Primus fans, there's probably more of Claypool's past at work in the sound than that of the other members, but Oysterhead is still very much it's own group.Alternative Press (12/01, p.90) - 7 out of 10 - "...Otherworldly jazz-funk excursions compacted into 3 and 4-minute pop shells..."
CMJ (10/8/01, p.18) - "...Combines the best elements of Primus and Phish and distulls them into a psychedelic stew..."