Unison - Shin Terai
ION Records 2001

review by Terry Wickham

Bernie Worrell sets up the Shin Terai experience with a welcoming organ piece "Clue." Next the positive vibe of the record is established with "Dinner of Heaven." Bill Laswell's bass is happy and Nicky Skopelitis' rhythm guitar and sitar is nothing but a good time. 4 minutes into the song, Buckethead enters and he really pushes the song into pleasantry. In "Emotional Intelligence" the band bonds to take you to a higher level of listening pleasure. Every note, beat propels the song forward. Shin Terai's beats, loops and programming lets Laswell, Skopelitis and Buckethead shine.

"Dusk" gets down with a nasty beat and Skopelitis hypnotic rhythm guitar. Damn, Laswell can groove the hell out of that bass. The soft guitar touches by Skopelitis and Buckethead are pure magic. Just when you thought you were safe from the groove, the band lays it on you again with the next song "Tag of War." Huge, deep foundation will pull you down into its core. Shin Terai's beat and Laswell's effects are staggering. The little funky sounds infect the song with musical pixie dust. Buckethead's lead guitar is out of this world. The keys at the end of the song are awesome.

Skopelitis rhythm in "Dream Catcher" mesmerizes me and then Bucket slices his electric guitar in like a machete. Worrell's organ synthesizer or clavinet makes some unusual pretty sounds in this track. Four and a half minutes in Buckethead blasts off into the heavens with astonishing lead playing. "From Texas" is funky, with Worrell's organ dominating the sound.

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