Tool - 10,000 Days
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Free Music Notes for 10,000 Days
Free Music Review: 10,000 Days = Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
The painfully long five year wait is over. And WOW was it ever worth it. Tool's new album 10,000 Days was released yesterday. I previewed the album last night all the way through, and then went and listened to a few of the songs that really stood out for me again. I liked them even more the second time around. As usual, Tool have created a piece of work that gets better each time you listen to it. I told my wife last night, I feel Tool is the only band I can think of that has legitimately gotten better with each consecutive release. There isn't a band out there I can name that betters themselves with each release.
The album starts off with "Vicarious". It's a great opening track that really sets the tone of the album. It reminds me of "Intolerance" from "Undertow" in the arrangement. Adam Jones talked about the fact that he used a talk box on the album in an interview with Guitar World that I read on my flight to Atlanta. He employs it in the second track "Jambi", which is deliciously heavy. I cannot tell you guys how great that one sounds on my stereo when I have it turned up nice and loud. The next two tracks sealed the deal for me. Track three is "Wings For Marie (PT1)" which is very mellow. It meshes into what I can tell you right now is not only the BEST song Tool has ever written, but one of the best songs I've ever heard in my life, period. It's the title track "10,000 Days (Wings PT2)" and the dynamics in this song are nothing short of amazing. It builds up to an absolutely orgasmic finish, and is worth the price of the album by itself. I'm telling you this right now, Tool have written their "Stairway To Heaven", and it is this song. I listened to it three times in a row last night, and just could not get enough. I've read that the song is about Maynard's mother who died 27 years after having a stroke. From what I could read into it, he's talking about being able to finally let her go. 27 years = 10,000 Days...Geddit? If ever there was a song that was going to be as emotionally touching as this one, it would have to be about the artist's parent passing away or something equally as painful. Maynard achieved his goal in writing a touching tribute to his mother, and the band achieved theirs by creating their masterpiece.
The album could have ended for me after "10,000 Days (Wings PT2), but it keeps going strong with "The Pot". I've read the lyrics to this are a referance to the old saying "the pot calling the kettle black". This one reminds me of something that could have been taken off "Undertow". It's one of the more straightforward songs I've heard them do in awhile. It's not as proggy as they normally are, and I'm willing to bet it will be the next single released. After that is a short track called "Lipan Conjuring" which has Maynard chanting like a voodoo priest. It's actually pretty creepy!
"Rosettta Stoned" has got to be one of the strangest songs I've ever heard out of Tool. It doesn't need to grow on me because I already love it, it's just got a really trippy vibe to it. This one I can't really accurately describe right now, I need to hear it a few more times. Trust me on this, it's quite odd, but definitely in a good way!
The last song on the album is "Right In Two". This one is right behind "10,000 Days (PT2)", and "Jambi" as my third favorite track on the album so far. The vocal melody, and the killer drumming make this yet another standout. It's about a subject I've always thought about. The fact that all human beings really are when you come down to it, is talking monkeys killing each other. It's about the arrogance of the human race, and I love them for talking about it because it's true. The album ends with "Viginti Tres" which is just some strange synth effects. Tool love to end their albums on a weird note, and this is no exception. Whenever I listen to the album I'll be done after "Right In Two", but that's fine. I am so thoroughly satisfied with the previous 70+ minutes of brilliance, it doesn't really matter at that point!
One other thing that definitely deserves mentioning is the absolutely fantastic packaging. The album comes in Digipak form with 3D glasses attached. Aside from being an excellent guitarist, Adam Jones is a fantastic artist and has come up with some seriously cool art to look at through the glasses. I'm not going to give anything away, but those of you who buy this album are gonna have a good time looking at this stuff. I know I did!
I'm going to say this right now. No one else needs to even bother releasing another album this year. This album IS the album of the year as far as I'm concerned. Not only that, Tool has released their masterpiece. It took me awhile to fully decide that I liked "Lateralus" more than "Aenima". Not the case with "10,000 Days". It's not too often I'd be able to honestly say I think an album I've bought the day before is one of my top five albums of all time. I can tell you that is the case with this record. This is a very special album that I can guarantee you I will be enjoying until I'm six feet in the grave. If any of you reading this should still be alive when that happens, I request "10,000 Days (PT2)" be played at my funeral.
They've done it again folks.
Free Music Review: 10,000 Days is nearly 28 years...
Hit: 5 Stars
Ill start off by saying that I lay no claim in that this is the best Tool album to date. Though compairing this to much else as of the last, say, five years (wink wink), it is a masterpiece. So much creativity goes into these albums it is mind boggling, reguardless the time I spend on each, they all posses there own distinct characteristics, and end up doing it near, if not flawlessly. Its easy to say something like this, but you truely do find something new with each listen. I can't get over how well done and different from damn near everything else of which these
guys are prone to produce, and in the end make it some of the best, most beautiful music ever made. Period. It starts off rough and ends beautifuly. The songs tend to be longer, but as you listen, you truely do lose track of time, in the most of tacky sence. Is it groundbreaking? You bet. Is it revolutionary? Probobly not, by Tool standards at least. Mainstreemly, of corse it is, its Tool. I listened to Anima and Lateralus so much, it would be hard to compair anything to them. So ill let you decide, as you should if it is indeed top tier. Honestly, I cannot decide what the best Tool album is. Lateralus put so much more on the table, and Anima broke so many boundaries creatively. Im not going to say much else about the other albums, becuase this is a review for the new and highly anticipated 10,000 days. Im going to break down the songs individually, and rate each as such. I'll give no OMGBBQ 99999/10, becuase to me that seems foolish; ill simply say if its my favorite, or least favorite.
Lets get started, then.
Vicarious- Honestly, when this song was released, and dont hate me for this, I didn't think much of it. Though when I bought the cd it instantly became a favorite. Easily 10/10.
Jambi- Now, different from Viv. this song I instantly fell in love with. Everything is near perfection; the tempo, the guitars, Maynards voice is blended seamlessly. 10/10.
Wings For Marie (Pt 1)- I did not get to hear this song the minute I bought the cd, for I skipped ahead to the ones that I had heard parts of, then came back around and listened to them all. An amazing feat in musicmanship. 9.5/10.
10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)- Beautiful. Time consumingly addictive. Just a fiew words to describe one of the best songs on the record. Am I going to judge this song by how long it is? Hell no. Thats one thing I love about it. If it were any shorter, well, I probobly wouldnt know about it so id love it anyway. But it truely is amazing. 10/10.
The Pot- One of my first favorite songs on the album. Love the start. Though I have come to favor some of the others songs, I will judge this one from my first impression. 9.5/10.
Lipan Conjuring- Quite honestly, this song just doesnt do it for me. If it can even be called that, a "song." Though it is a filler, or whatever you want to call it, and I appreciate it for that, I cannot help but start thinking the guy is saying "Ahh yeahhh" as Little Jon would; a tittle of which I dont think anyone on this plannet would appreciate to be dubbed as. I do like the scream at the end, though. ;} 5/10.
Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)- Was origonally put off by this track but it truely is great. I love the start. I love the filling, and I love the end. No singing here, horever. This is a conjunction track to better explane the next one, as I understand it. Guitars are amazing, the voices creep in unknowingly. Good stuff. Great music. 8.5/10.
Rosetta Stoned- As with a couple songs of which I have noted, this song creeped up on me. Was not to amazed at first, but it has become...good. Kind of put off by the whole "S**t the bed again" thing, however. That line just seems...out of place. Great song, nonetheless. 9/10.
Intension- Weird song. Love it or hate it. Perosnally, I find it to be one of the lesser tracks on this disk. But then again, we are talking about Tool here. 8.5/10.
Right In Two- Ahh. Finally time for my personal favorite. Right In Two could quite possibly be my favorite Tool song ever. I love the lyrics. It is easier to just say I love everything about this song. Best on the album, in my oppinion. Clean and easy 10/10.
Viginti Tres- Another weird song. Not a bad ending. Not the best ending. The voice is creepy, but thats one reason why we listen to Tool in the first place. 7/10
Keep in mind that 50% is supposed to be the average. Though I know we often forget this, it truely is the median. A 9.5 is a 95% obviously. Try and keep this in mind.
Now, are these songs perfect? Not particulary. Are they the vision of what the artists wanted? They sure as hell sound like it to me; you cant make something like this up over a weekend. I dont have Tool stickers on the back window of my car. I dont wear the Tool shirts, or beanies. Though I am a long time Tool fan, and have listened to every record countless times. Weather that makes me a Tool expert or not is up to you. Im just here to provide my oppinion and insight. Which is this: Buy this album. I cant guarontee you will absolutely love it, but truethfully there is something to be found here for everybody.
Free Music Review: It's Different, Simple as That
Hit: 5 Stars
Really, to be blunt about it, i do not like metal music at all. At least the most of it. And i could say the same about most mainstream (and alternative) rock music. To me it is just too boring and everything seems to sound the same, as if each band was secretly ripping each other off. You know? I never listen to the radio at all. And if i were to ever turn it on i probably couldn't tell the difference between most of the bands on the 'Rock' stations. And even music that isn't popular on the radio, but popular among metal heads, like black metal bands and the like, i find them all too unappealing. To me they all sound the same.
I'm deeply into a lot of different kinds of music. Really, i will like anything that i can find a distinct difference in it, and it appeals to me in a way that is just too odd or unique to pass up. And i happen to LOVE ambient/drone type music. And really most things of that sort.
Tool is one of the few rock bands from america that i actually still listen to. And any common Tool fan could figure out why. They are very unique. And i would have to say that on 10,000 Days, they certainly hit home with the unique-ness. And in my honest opinion, i think this new album really could be called their '2nd Masterpiece', as many call Lateralus their first. In fact i think this album, is better than Lateralus, but that may be due to me getting sick of hearing Lateralus so much.
I would say about in March i came across the tracklisting for the album, and well just by reading the tracklisting i thought ,,this has got to be good''. And so i waited....
and today i finally bought and heard 10,000 Days for the first time. As soon as i looked through the album artwork i knew i was in for a good experience. And being a long time Tool fan, i knew not to hope for any lyrics, as they never print lyrics in their album liners. (excluding the bit from Undertow)
I can say i was extremely glad that i waited until it came out officially to hear it, rather than download it off some gloopy file sharer in crappy 192 kbps. (I have done that before with new releases and regretted it). So not having heard anything at all from the album, i didn't quite know what to expect. But i did expect (and in a way knew it would be good). And i'm proud to say, it was far beyond good. Good would have to be the word to describe a Nirvana album. This was fantastic, exotic, superb, first class Tool. The best experience you could ask for from a Tool album.
Yes, the other reviewers are correct in saying that it is not a bunch of singles put on one disc, if they wanted to do that they would have put out a greatest hits or a singles collection or something. Which i find to be much less interesting, and hardly ever buy. And albums that do turn out to be all single like songs, i find to really bore me. 10,000 Days, like every other Tool album, is meant to be listened to all the way through with out skipping tracks. And if you are complaining that it's too long, well i couldn't guess why. Tool's other albums are about as long, and they do have the filler tracks included into them, or the shorter tracks that lead you through the album, and those are just as important as the hard hitting ones that you like to crank up and beat your head to. I myself really enjoy every single part of this album. Even the dronie spacie stuff, because it reminds me a lot of the other kinds of music i listen to. I find it so great that such a big band mix so many odd genres into their music. And even the vocals, when i first started listening to Tool, i had a hard time understanding Maynard. And well i wasn't too bothered about picking out what he was saying as much as i was concerned about focusing on the music and the flow of the album, and keeping my mind on it. If you just sit and try to think about what he's saying you won't really enjoy it because you'll be saying the words in your head and won't be focused as much on the music. I find it best to just let things that you don't catch go, and later on try to write down what you think he's saying, or go online to try to find some lyrics. (Tool Shed) About his voice being too buried with the sound and music... i don't find that something bad at all, i enjoy it, it's something different, and i'm all about being different. Same thing goes with the guitars. They are not boring, but yet they do not overtake the other instruments. I really don't like music with mostly wild guitaring and some fast drum beats and simple bass lines. I like it better when each instrument is playing as a whole even if it isn't some crazy guitar solo. I really don't like the kind of guitar playing found in most rock music anyways. The guitars on this album i found to be perfectly placed. As i usually do with most things Tool does.
And so i made an incredibly long review. But i suppose that's what i felt i had to say about this album. So, please if you are looking for an exceptionally well done experimental rock album give this a try. (assuming you don't normally listen to Tool)
Free Music Review: 10,000 Days Is A Masterpiece!
Hit: 5 Stars
Alright, well I'm really sick of reading these ill informed Tool "fanatics" who didn't get the album they wanted and give this album a mediocre review. I mean, seriously, Tool is not a radio friendly band. They do not make number 1 hits. I have never liked any Tool album the first time I heard it. You have to absorb the album slowly. Many of these reviewers are not giving this album a chance, and that's just sad. On to the review...
Vicarious: Starts off with a familiar sounding guitar and bass interplay leading into a badass riff by Adam. I love the break in the middle, with those stacato riffs, "part vampire, part voyuer...", yeah! When Maynard does the "la la la la la la la-lie" part over that, that's bliss. Song ends with Maynard going an octave higher, sweet.
Jambi: This one rips you a new one with the machine gun riff that nu metal fans will probably recognize. Bass on here is punchy, with the drums doing its own thing in the background. Maynard delivers the vocal goods once again with "Shine on forever, Shine on benevolent son/sun." Sounds like the song is about his son, but, what do I know.
Wings for Marie: This song starts off with a gong. Maynards vocals slowly drift in, "you believed, you believed in me." It gets heavy for maybe 10 seconds, then goes bare with the lyrics talking about his mother's paralysis. This is pretty much the intro into the next song, as this track and the next are one song.
10,000 Days: A heartfelt song about his mother. This song is the softest on the CD, so, umm... don't listen to this on the bus, you'll miss all the subtlety as the song climaxes with "set as I am in my ways and my arrogance, burden of proof tossed upon the believers, you were my witness, my eyes, my evidence, JUDITH MARIE UNCONDITIONAL ONE!!1!!1!!111" Excellent.
The Pot: Alot of people judge this song when they first heard the opening vocals, which, are just a little higher than what Maynard usually does, so don't get your panties tied in a knot. However, this song packs alot of attitude, with some superb riffing, and anger that harkons back to the Aenima days. Lyrics are vague to say the least, but this one might get stuck in your head "weeping shades of indigo, shed without a reason." One of the more radio friendly songs. I expect this to be the next single.
Lipan Conjuring: I...uhh... actually got this song stuck in my head a week ago. Yeah, kinda sad, considering it's not really a song, just Native American chanting over a tambourine.
Lost Keys: If you like your music to go somewhere, i.e. climax, you'll not like this "song" at first. This is another interlude, but a nice intro to the next track. The held note in the beginning may irritate at first, but that's what it's meant to do. Sounds like someone woke up in the hospital with a ringing headache...
Rosetta Stoned: This song blew me away the first time, and it still does. I didn't think Tool would ever be this "hard" again, but sometimes I hear this and I think to myself, it's too hard. There's about 666 riffs in this song, some of them derived from previous songs, many new, and all kickass. There's alot going on, and it doesn't stick to one groove very long. There's alot of pop culture reference in the lyrics, the music itself sounds familiar at times, the story is tongue in cheek and quite amusing. Eargasms are bound to occur with Maynard's amazing vocals like, "you believe me don't you, please believe what I just said," and "overwhelmed as one would be, place in my position..." This might be the best song Tool has ever written. 'Nuff said.
Intension: Man this song is like, way chill. Reminds me alot of Disposition, except this one has lotsa whispering action. The riff in the middle is killer, and the synthesized drum beats are very cool. "Move by will alone." Now, how deep is that, think about it.
Right In Two: This song is the second most accessible song on the album, behind Vicarious. Pretty predictable song structure, with verse, chorus, verse, chorus, build up, and climax with some monster riffage. I don't care what anyone says, this song is about the fight over the holy land.
Viginti Tres: Tool knew they were missing their soundscape quota, I knew it, and you knew it. So, here's some random wind and spaceship sounds for you. Hawt! Actually, I'm sure there is more to this song then that, but what it is, I don't know.
To sum up, 10,000 Days is very good. I rank it higher than Lateralus because I can identify more with the lyrics because they aren't as abstract, but lower than Aenima because, well, that is the best album ever. If you like Tool, you definately want this album. Just listen to it everyday for a month and I don't think you'll be very disappointed. If you are a Tool newbie, don't get this! Get Aenima first, then Lateralus, then this. Those are the 3 best albums, and they should be absorbed in that order.
Free Music Review: Finally!
Hit: 5 Stars
5 years after the release of Lateralus and 3 and a half since they last performed a live show, Tool finally has a new album out. And it's about damn time. As usual, the wait is more than worth it, and while, like many of my favorite albums, I didn't quite get it upon the first listen, subsequent, repeated listenings have revealed not only a more structurally complex record than anything in the bands catalog to date, but also lyrically one of vocalist Maynard Keenan's most personal offerings. So many influences have come together to form this sonically unique album that it becomes hard to pinpoint exactly what these guys were on, and/or listening to when they recorded it. 10,000 Days is still an expansion of the bands first four albums, the psychedelic edginess, hammering rhythmic full band attacks, long melodic solos that cut straight to the heart, and overall atmospheric nostalgic touch giving it that distinct Tool signature. The songs are now even more progressive than on the epic Lateralus, the structures rarely depending on repeating any one part of the song, no matter how good it is, but never lacking in hooks despite this and the truly heavy quality of the material, giving the songs an almost Opethian writing quality not present on any previous release, all of which still depended heavily on choruses to grab the listeners ear. The sometimes Middle Eastern feel of the instrumental passages stay true to drummer Danny Carey's tribal tom assaults with a flair for tabla and exotic percussion, and Adam Jones use of a talk box for his guitar solo on Jambi is exceptionally prog-rock-ish and hints at a (if very slight) Frampton influence. However many childish fans still upset at this great bands fame cry and moan, it simply doesn't change the always undeniable fact about Tool: they simply keep getting better and better, all members united more structurally and rhythmically than ever before. This is, I might add, bassist Justin Chanellor's shining moment with the band, whom he has been with since AEnima, and his truly exceptional melodic bass playing strays from the typical path followed by his instrument of choice, his sense of melody and unique skill probably being enough to supplement the need for a guitar player in any other band that didn't have Adam Jones on the axe. Jones and Carey truly seem to see eye to eye on this album, guitar stroke matching every single rhythmic blast from Carey's monstrous drum set.
And of course there is Maynard James Keenan, the man himself. He has always been a master lyricist, from the humorous satiric debut of Opiate through the mind-opening pschedelic enlightenment of Lateralus and throughout his second band A Perfect Circle, the influence of which is also undeniable through Keenan's political yet intensely personal lyrics. While I may be wrong in my interpretation, the album seems to follow two vastly end of the spectrum themes, one being the state of humanity and politics in the world, which has always been the target of not only hope, but also machine-gun scrutiny in coming from MJK. The album's opening track and first single, Vicarious takes a well-deserved crack at fast-food fed, TV-droned Americans and their lust for televised violence, while Right In Two openly condemns the state of the Middle East, Keenan comparing humans to "monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground."
Of equally powerful, if drastically different, importance is the presence of Keenan's mothers ghost throughout the record, whose time in a wheelchair (the years of which add up to 10,000 days) and eventual death has had a profound effect on the singer, painfully crooning on the title song "10,000 days in the fire is long enough...you're going home." The effect is tear-jerking, being the closest this man has ever let his fans get to his soul. This is not the first time his mother has been the subject matter for his songwriting techniques, drawing namesake in the angry Perfect Circle anthem titled Judith, upon which Keenan rebukes her for her faith in a God who has left her "broken down and paralyzed." 10,000 Days seems to be the cure and elevated perspective needed for him on this very personal subject.
I am reluctant to go into a song by song analysis for two reasons, one being how cohesively well the songs flow together to make the album as a whole truly a listening experience, while secondly it was just released yesterday and I haven't had quite enough time to let the subtleties of each sink in yet. But the 20 or so listens I have already had have shown me enough to know that my favorite band has failed to let me down again. Many will insult this album, as many ignorant "fans" do in terms of any good piece of art, but as 311 says "F the naysayers 'cause they don't mean a thing." If you have remotely enjoyed anything by this band in the past, 10,000 Days will only serve its purpose in opening your mind to their message that much more. Give it a chance.