Mark Pickerel And His Praying Hands
Cody's Dream
Bloodshot


Should drummers have solo projects? This is the question that I asked myself upon picking up this album from once Screaming Trees, now freelance drummer Mark Pickerel. Sure, some people can pull it off - Dave Grohl started one of the biggest rock bands in the world after leaving Nirvana, couldn't Pickerel (who also boasts of his involvement with Nirvana) have the same sort of success?

Well, it turns out that after listening to this album that the answer to both of my questions is a no. With track titles like Cherokee Grove and One More Cup Of Coffee, and the promise of an album inspired by a journey across America, my inner beatnik was very excited indeed about giving this album a chance. Unfortunately, Mr Pickerel had different ideas, conjuring up a generic rock album full of clichˇd love songs and uninspired melodies. Hell, the drumming isn't even that good. If there's anything at all to be said in a more positive light about this album it's that it is not hard to listen to, but it seems so only because it sounds so familiar.

I'm not saying by this review that drummers should give up on the promise of being creative members of the musical community and retreat to the back of the stage, just that sometimes a lifetime of drumming doesn't necessarily mean that you can cut it with the best when it comes to writing good music.

Dane Hirsinger