Free Music Notes for Thirteenth Step

A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step

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Free Music Notes for Thirteenth Step

Free Music Review: A Step Forward for APC: even better than MDN...
Hit: 5 Stars

As has been mentioned by many reviewers, anyone expecting a repeat of MDN is in for a rude awakening, and this should come as no surprise given the fact that every single album featuring Maynard James Keenan, from OPIATE to LATERALUS, has featured a marked change in style and structure from its predecessor. The progression from MER DE NOMS to THIRTEENTH STEP is not simply "maturity," as the critics so often put it (it's not as if the former was lacking in that area to begin with), but an attempt at coming closer to perfecting their style of art rock by not sacrificing emotive qualities nor melody/listenability when composing something more complex than the last album's content. This record may be a little more subtle on average, but when the heavier parts do come, they really hit hard. The same can be said for the more serene material; anyone who found their favorite tracks from MDN to be "Rose" or "Orestes" should be thrilled to discover the even quieter, more eerie feel of "The Noose" and "A Stranger."

While this goes without saying to fans who already are familiar with MJK's catalog, note that this album (even more so than its predecessor) is best experienced as a whole rather than as individual tracks. That said, there are certainly standout tracks that I can't help but put on repeat: the extremely heavy and downright frightening "Pet" is easily the best song APC has done thus far in my opinion, and really one of the best songs ever recorded (on the same level as Tool's best); "The Noose" is a stellar ambient track that rivals "Orestes" in its beauty (although it's a much darker song); "The Package" features a satisfying release of frustration after over four minutes of quiet contemplation of a depressed state, with a killer bass line all along; and the entire sequence of "Blue," "Vanishing," and "A Stranger" (tracks four through six) is like a winding journey that takes you from bitter misery to euphoria and back again, before slamming you in the face with the album's other hard-hitting metal number, "The Outsider," which is probably the best candidate for the next single. Of the remaining tracks, two ("Crimes" and "Lullaby") are simply interludes or continuations of their respective `main' song, and some even may consider the dreamy, guitar-less rendition of Failure's "The Nurse Who Loved Me" to be a third interlude, serving "Pet" in a similar way that "Intermission" did "Jimmy" on AENIMA. Finally, "Weak and Powerless" and "Gravity" are both legitimate and fairly decent songs, but just don't quite live up to my expectations, partially because they seem to disrupt the flow and overall feel the rest of the record emits. "Gravity" was written during the MDN era and rejected from that album, but it certainly would have been more at home there than on this release. But looking at things objectively, even these supposedly weak tracks are among the best rock songs to come out in years, so I won't complain too much that not every single idea the band had was as stunningly brilliant as "Pet" or "The Noose."

In summary, Maynard James Keenan has surpassed his incredible previous efforts yet again with THIRTEENTH STEP, creating something that is at most faintly reminiscent of those efforts, yet shines just as bright as they do. And the review wouldn't be complete without due credit being given to the driving force behind APC's music, Billy Howerdel, who is responsible for two albums in a row worth of soaring melodies and dynamic instrumentals; you would be hard-pressed to find a better composer in rock music today. While Radiohead's June release HAIL TO THE THIEF was a generally excellent bit of prog-rock, APC have easily released the best album of 2003 here by surpassing the sky-high expectations of their fanbase. All fans of rock music owe it to themselves to grab this one as soon as possible, and if you're already aware of the incredible talent of Maynard and APC, I'd suspect it's already spent a healthy span of time in your CD player.

Free Music Review: Too many fillers but overall good
Hit: 5 Stars

1. The Package- Very well...different, the intense structure rattling base moves at a slow melodic pace, the guitars bring some extra life to the song but still theres not much energy to begin with until it explodes at the end. An amazing song with inceredibel lyrics and Maynard puts them together perfectly, honestly i think i like the background more here though.
5/5
2. Weak and Powerless- a very energetic song, somewhat sad, a very good song but somewhat overplayed on the internet. Not sure what its about (drug addiction i believe), but the musical score here is pretty fast and energetic yet in a soft innocent why leaving u feeling satisfied but not violent. Seems over fast though
4/5
3. The Noose- quite [possibly my favorite song on the album, the vocals are INCREDIBLE, soft and soothing yet they carry an undeniably controlled anger in them. the way in which this song flows is just amazing, and the very light background noise is like taking a bath.
5/5
4. Blue- a good track, but does not quite stand up to the other tracks on the album. The opening lyrics are deep and give u a good view on certain things while throughout the whole song it has a soft yet at the same time enrgetic feel to it. the lyrics seem a little sloppy at parts but not nearly enough to ruin the song.
3/5
5. Vanishing- Vanishing is a hard song to rate, it seems as though its a filler trying to be an actual song on the album. Its not even an instrumental or i wouldnt have classified how i did.i honestly think it was a long long filler, it doesnt seem to be an instrumental at all and the few lyrics that are spotted throughout it are good, but not long enough or distinguishable enough from the background noise.
2/5
6. A Stranger- this song is...wow. It has probably the softest beat on the whole track, and easiest most feminine like vocals. They blend together wonderfully for a bizarre song, very light song. Yet it seems to carry a heavy air of anger and sadness desptie the light tone.
3/5
7. The Outsider- Another contender for best song on th album for me, the lyrics are incredible and flow beautifully. The music is energetic, angry and flowing all together in one. Maynards vocals are incredible here and really stand out after the previous song A Stranger. Opening and closing lyrics leave you begging for more
5/5
8. Crimes- really just a filelr track, no denying it, its still ok i guess and doesnt ruin the album in the least. plus it sort of makes sense to insert it where it is and why its there, not very good but what fillers are?
1/5
9. The Nurse Who Love Me- cover track and what seems to be the main swirling point of the album. it has light yet depressing vocals. they carry a deceptively innocent air to them as he sings about pills and whatnt. the background music here is very light, probably about as light as A Stranger with a faster beat to them. You're ready fr the song to be over by the time it is but you liked it while it lasted
4/5
10. Pet- Pet is probably the hardest song on the albnum. its beat is intense, fast and angry as hell. The lyrics are beautiful, energetic, depressing, angry and soothing at the same time someting few musicians and writers can do nowadays. Overall one of the best songs and can easily fit a big variety of moods. dont be put of by the blasting and overhwleming introduction.
5/5
11. Lullaby- another filler, hard to rate just a melodic womans voice against a very light background. nothing to interesting here though like Crimes it made sense to insert it where it is and why its there.
1/5
12. Gravity- the last track on this amazing album, the lyrics are incredible and really feel like a thirteenth step to a 12 steps program. Incredible, just incredible, the vocals flow melodically, and the music is light but not as light as some of the other flowing tracks. Truly incredible
5/5

Free Music Review: One of the greatest rock albums of any era!
Hit: 5 Stars

1) The Package: 10/10 - This song is a great opener. You really get the feeling of the desperation in Maynard's vocals, and a sense of what he is going through. The drums and bass are completely fitting for this song. It has some extremely hard-hitting moments, and also melodic moments too...the build up, layering, texturing...it's all there, and it's the longest song on the album.

2) Weak and Powerless: 9/10 - Their first hit off the album, which also has a very surreal video to go with it. It's lively and energetic, and is vocally and lyrically one of the best on the entire album. It also flows extremely well into...

3) The Noose: 10/10 - THEE best song on the album, by far! Maynard's voice is perfect in this song, and the haunting music almost sounds supernatural. The build up to this song is unreal; maybe the best structural progression I've ever heard in a song. The many layers and textures of this song can't be fully appreciated unless heard through headphones. This is the absolute highlight of "Thirteenth Step."

4) Blue: 9/10 - Blue happens to be my favorite color, and this song happens to be one of my favorites. Lyrically this is one of the best songs on the album, and musically as well. The duet for the chorus is done really well.

5) Vanishing: 10/10 - My first listen through the album, this was my favorite song. It has such a certain ambiance to it. The lyrics aren't too complex, but the way they are presented on the track is amazing. Maynard and Billy simply flow with the song so well. This song honestly makes me feel like I'm vanishing.

6) A Stranger: 10/10 - What can I say? Another 10 out of 10 on the album in my book. The acoustic guitar sounds so good on this track. Lyrically, this is my favorite song on the album. It also has a lot of little details added to it -- echoes, effects, weird sounds...all brilliantly textured and layered for your listening pleasure.

7) The Outsider: 8/10 - APC's second hit off the album. I don't know what it is about this song, but it gets stuck in your head...it really stays with you. One of the heaviest tracks on the album, and Maynard shows ruthless aggression in his vocal style.

8) Crimes: 7/10 - Many would label it a filler song, but it has it's own uniqueness and clarity -- Maynard counts from 1-13 in a very haunting manner. The drums are kind of catchy too.

9) The Nurse Who Loved Me: 9/10 - You won't find any guitar riffs here, but strings and other effects. The lyrics are beautiful and scary at the same time. It's definitely a new sound coming from APC. It also goes really well into...

10) Pet: 10/10 - The heaviest most belligerent song to be found on "Thirteenth Step." Some hard-hitting riffs that flow into softer, more harmonious parts. Maynard sounds eerie at times, and more aggressive at others; positively a focal point of the album. The band seemed to let it all hang out on this track, and it goes wonderfully into the next track...

11) Lullaby: 8/10 - I wouldn't call this a filler at all. This is the sweet sound of relief if you ask me. It seems like all this desperation and weakness led up to this, and you feel at peace when you hear it. How nice that a woman with a beautiful voice did this part, so you really get the feeling of being rid of what it was that hurt you.

12) Gravity: 10/10 - My favorite song after "The Noose." The guitar, bass, drums, and effects all come together. It has an original sound and feeling to it, and lyrically ends the album off with a sense of accomplishment. All these lyrics about addiction and demons, all seem to disappear when you hear this song. Maynard ends with hope for his future -- "I choose to live."

"Thirteenth Step" is a journey and an experience about addiction that is structured and progresses almost perfectly. I would say this is the best album of 2003, and possibly my favorite album ever. If you're expecting to hear "Mer de Noms" part 2, then you're out of luck here. If you want to hear a great rock album that is unique and has it's own style, then you can't go wrong with the unpredictable "Thirteenth Step."

Free Music Review: Let's Clear Some Things Up
Hit: 5 Stars

Maynard and Billy (Billy being the heart of APC, despite what many others think) are the two core members, aside from the "one man drum machine" Josh Freese that are leftovers from the debut album "Mer de Noms". During the production/recording of this album, the original bassist, Paz Lenchantin, went on to form the band Zwan with former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corrigan.

Jeordie White, stepping in after answering a newspaper ad the band had placed, took over the bassist duties. Most people who were fans of his during his days with Marilyn Manson wouldn't recognize his look now, but his talent is as fresh as it ever was.

Before James Iha, former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist, joined the band shortly before this albums' release, and their eventual Lollapalooza touring slot... the original guitarist from the first album, stuck around to contribute.

Before he too eventually moved on to tour with another popular band, Troy Van Leeuwen (guitarist on the first album, toured with Queens of the Stone Age for the latter half of 2003 on the same Lollapalooza bill that APC would share) added his guitar ability to the songs "Gravity, Vanishing and Package".

Any fan of Nine Inch Nails, at least to the line-up that many have seen during their live shows, will recognize the talent of none other than Danny Lohner... who also remixed songs for both this album and "Mer de Noms", filling in on for quite possibly the breakout hit song on this album, "The Noose". His guitar talent lends itself well to a song, along with a few others on the album, that he helped produce.

Many who read the liner notes will also notice that the ending track, "Gravity", was written by all the original band members, circa the debut album. I've often wondered if maybe that track was convieniently left off of "Mer de Noms" while they planned to do a follow-up, before the rumors arose that the band had eventually dissolved... but only they'll know for certain.

Lyric writing credits for all other songs are attributed to both Maynard James Keenan (whose personal struggles shine through, especially on "Weak and Powerless"), and Billy Howerdel.

One last point of interest to many fans of Maynard James Keenan, who might know a little about his personal history... I believe his son, Devo, was brought in to sing backing vocals on the song "Pet". I could be wrong, but the credits in the liner notes don't seem like they'd be referring to the same group who gave the world the song with the lyrics: "Whip it! Whip it good!!"

Overall, any fan of the talented group A Perfect Circle, or the other members who stepped in to keep the band a cohesive unit, would be hard pressed not to at least give this album a "trial listen" even if they don't plan on buying it. The sound is almost unparalleled, and comparing it to anything musically (like others have deemed it "Tool-esque") is giving it boundaries and understating something ingenious. The lyric composition, with the exception of delving into Maynard's personal struggles more in-depth than the Tool lyrics lean toward, is comparative to the near "epical poetry" found on most of the Tool albums. But without the music to tie it all together, you'd have no superb melody, no riff, basically nothing to separate this album from that of a poet reading his/her works' on a spoken word album/CD.

For any person yearning for something completely 'different', you may want to give at least one track from this album a listen, and see if it sates your appetite. With the exception of two "album filler" tracks, there is hardly a disappointing song on this entire album. Don't dismiss it as 'all heavy metal, or all alt. rock' simply because that's what you may hear from word of mouth.

Use your own listening ability, and determine if you enjoy what was presented so generously for your audiophilic pleasures.

Free Music Review: A perfect album for a perfect circle
Hit: 5 Stars

The package- Is a tool kinda length song, 7:53. It's a very good song to open up with. It starts like a jungle song, with african type drums and stuff. Maynard sings very low, in the middle the temp picks up and maynard sounds almost like a monster. It's great how it gets low and then heavy, I bet they use so many different insturments on that song. "clever got me this far, clever got me in. Take what i came for but im at the door again" 10/10
Weak and Powerless- The first single, a very good song. One of the upbeat songs kinda. Very complex song, it's a love song i heard. "im so weak and powerless over you" 10/10
The noose- A very dark song, I thought it would be upbeat but it's not. It's like a drug song and killing yourself or something. Or trying to anyway, but then making amends to the dead. Very cool background music with maynard and billy singing. "not to pull your halo down,around your neck and tug you to the ground" 9/10
Blue- Kinda upbeat, another song about depreesion and being blue. It's a depressing song, but the lyrics are good as always.
"i close my eyes just to look at you" "just ignore the smoke and smile" 10/10
Vanishing- A very very wierd song, very slow and skin crawling. About going away from everything. "disappear, disappear, thiner thinner into the air" 8/10
A stranger- Very complex lyrics, gutiars control this song. Kinda slow, but maynards voice is great in this song. "I listen for the whisper of your sweet insanity" 9.5/10
The outsider- Reminds me of another part to stranger. A very upbeat song, Maynard sounds like he did from Aminea (tool) to me. Crunching type song you could probably headbang to it. Very meancing song and angery. "everyone one will have their day to die"
Crimes- a instrumental of sorts. Drumming and some other instruments. Maynard counts 1-10 and then theres wierd noises. I won't rate it cuz it doesn't have lyrics.
The nurse who loved me- A cover song, A very sloooooow song. A love psycho for like a mental patient. It will put you to sleep or make you cry ( one or the other) It's a odd song but the lyrica are good. "shes got everything i need, Pharmacy keys, she acts just like a nurse to the other guys" 9-10
Pet- A very crunching type song, then it slows up. it's kinda like a bed time story. Talking to a child helping them from the boogyman. "never mind what other voices say, they don't care about you like I do, like i do" 10/10
Lullaby- Kind of like crimes, but it's like a outro to Pet. Drumming and wierd noises again. "lay down go back to sleep" Won't rate cuz theirs no lyrics not that long.
Gravity- A very cool song,It's like part 2 of package. it has the same drumming and similar music. But's like a depression song, "im surrending to gravity, catch me as i fall" I choice to live. It's reminds me of a drug related song. Great end song to a great cd. 10-10

This album is like a story, all the songs go together well. They all seem to play a part of each other. It's a little heavier but in it's own way it's lighter some to.
They don't at all consider this a side project, they take this band seriously you can tell. Despite all the changes a perfect circle stays a "perfect"
Great album no bad songs, MUST BUY if you like mer de noms. It's also very different from it.
Howdrel did a good job composing this and the other members well for playing it. Maynard is aswome as always, so many different tones, high and lows in his voice.