Well ,After listening to THE album for about 17 days at a stretch ( I think almost 150+ times ),I think I am ready to write a review for the Best Album released in 2006.
This year by May, I had the following albums :
1)Godsmack IV
2)Rom Zombie-Educated Horses,
3)Pearl Jam
4)On an Island -David Gilmour
5)TOOL -10,000 days .
With Audioslave still to release it's new album ,you can very much say this was an year of Rock.You can easily think of the trouble grammy jury are going to have this year in the 'Hard Rock category'.(though On an Island would be categorized as Rock only)
But for me there is a 'standout'.A clear winner.
TOOL - 10,000 Days !
Why ?
Not just because I am a Fan .....
1) Vicarious (7:06):
The very first single from the album to be released till now which entered the US Modern Rock Charts at # 2.This song features some of Maynard's most straightforward lyrics since Ænema's "Hooker with a Penis." Essentially a biting commentary on reality television, information stimulus overload, and living through others' experiences.
Hightlights : 'Start' ,Danny's Drums @ 3:31 and 'Lyrics'.
2)"Jambi" (7:28):
The second song of the album with all the 'Tool' elements in it.Drums,bass,Guitars,lyrics,Vocals....you name it, this song has everything 'Brilliant' & 'Toolish'.
Highlights : Adam's & Justin's Guitars @ 4.12 & 'Shine on forever' part.
3) "Wings for Marie, Pt. 1" (6:11) & "10,000 Days (Wings, Pt. 2)" (11:13)
Marie" is the middle name of James Maynard Keenan's deceased mother, Judith Marie Garrison.The 17-minute epic "Wings for Marie/10,000 Days" is an ode to his mother, who passed away during the band's hiatus after dealing with paralysis for 27 years.27 years == 10,000 days.Unbelievable song .Sitar,tabla with the usual rock stuff.
Highlights : 'Vocals' all through the song,'Give me my' part @ 5.40 in 10,000 days(Awesome),the length of the song ...:)...17 mins is just great !..I like long 'Tool' songs.
4)"The Pot" (6:21)
Amazing song !
Highlights : 'Weird Intro' ,'you must be high' vocals & ' Weeping shades of indigo' @ 4.12 ..the overall feel.
5)"Lipan Conjuring"(1:11)
Filler Track : eerie as always !
6)"Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)" ( 3:46)
Less than a song ,it's a conversation b/w a doctor & nurse,with symphonic feel.More than anything else it's a build up for it's sequel 'Rosetta Stoned'.Which ,by the way, is the BEST song of the album.
7)"Rosetta Stoned" (11:11)
This is definitely the Best,hardest,longest & most complex track of the album.Being similar in structure to the 'Third Eye ' of Aenima,in that it has no clear structure.There are 33 different Rhythm,key & beat changes in this song(Yes! I have counted it).This song shows the complexity 'Tool' can bring about in their songs. The song starts of hard ,with vocals like a commanding whisper,but within 2-3 minutes songs settles &'normal' vocals come into the front.Danny carey once again is brilliant.Near the end ,the guitars of Adam & Justin shows what they can do !The best song for people who are used to the complex changes in 'Tool' songs & like the songs to evolve .
Highlights: Too many ! This whole song has so many moments I cannot describe. But, one of the best maybe , adam jones joining danny carey @ 7.20
8)"Intension" (7:21)
The softest song from this album (just following the Hardest).One of the best.Gives the same eerie feeling as previos tool songs like reflection & disposition from lateralus.Very similar o them ,yet different.The only problem is that this song is too short. It has a very strong build-up,but ,just when you think this song is going places it ends .I think that is why 'Tool' songs should NOT be short.
Highlights: Tabla @3:40 & Overall Feel.
9)"Right in Two" ( 8:55)
Another meaningful song bordering spirituality.The best part of the song is the 'Tabla + Bass Guitar ' combo @4.03.The tabla & bass play, with bass fading into the background.There is a near tabla solo for 55 seconds. Then ,you can feel the bass guitars rushing from the background. And the speed is crushing.The song reaches it's crescendo at that point & never looks back . Amazing moment !
Highlights :'Lyrics' and 'Tabla + Guitar' @ 4.03
11)"Viginti Tres" (5:02)
Another Filler track ...eerie as always ! Feels like ,a dinosaur is breathing near you.
Because of all these WoW ! tracks this album is the best album released this year !
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Just got the real album...Packaging of the album is great ...stereoscopic lenses ..Who could think of that ...3D cover-art.Awesome!
Thanks for the comment man. I love that artwork, when I got it I spent about an hour staring through the lenses till I gave myself a migrane.
A must read : El jefe's review of 10,00 days .
Click Here
Great post! Thanx for pointing out that there was 33 different rhythm, key & beat changes. Very informative review.
I disagree with calling Lipan Conjuring and Vigniti Tres mere "filler". "Filler" makes it sound like it was something arbitrarily put on the album, but even those tracks serve a greater purpose on 10,000 Days, and have just as much meaning, if not more, than the other tracks on the album.
I really did enjoy your review nonetheless. I just really hate it when anything done by Tool is called 'filler'. LOL
Thanks for your comments on my blog. Cheers.
"I disagree with calling Lipan Conjuring and Vigniti Tres mere "filler". "Filler" makes it sound like it was something arbitrarily put on the album, but even those tracks serve a greater purpose on 10,000 Days, and have just as much meaning, if not more, than the other tracks on the album."
Sphinx: Hail tool ! For having such fans ,who can't tolerate even a single word misplaced about them ...:)...when I said 'filler I did not mean it to be anyless of importance.. they are very important to the whole album as a whole...' my bad'...thanx for the comment...tool rocks ..peace !
Thanks for the support -- didn't know you knew about the blog or found me, quite honestly -- lol. Don't give the addy out to many people, but hey, I'll take any support I can get!
Great music pick, btw. I love playing Tool's Schism (an oldie but goodie).
Have a good one.
I didn't know if you people knew this. But, If you burn both Viginti Tres followed by Wings for marie .. Then, play that track as one with 10,000 days as another track and play both at the same time, Both Wings for Marie AND 10,000 days sync ! It is incredible ! It is like an 8 piece band but it all FLOWS ! It flows like one song.. It is the most unique and incredible thing I have ever heard in my life.. BadA$$ ! The vocals, drums, the guitar riffs, everything flows ! Both songs get heavy at the same point at 9 minutes and 14 seconds in, it is magical ! This band synched tracks !
They synched them in testament to Maynard's mother passing to sound like an 8 piece band.. The vocals wisp back and forth almost like a conversation during the sync.. It's UNREAL !
Tool meant these tracks to synch.. If you look at the track times, "10,000 days" is 11 mins and 13 seconds long.. When you add the track times of "Viginti Tres" and "Wings for Marie" it adds up to 11:13 as well.. Look at the album cover ! There are 3 faces with one in the front.. This SICK band meant for all three tracks to play as one song for the self-title track "10,000 days" . Freaky !!
By the way, "Viginti Tres" means the number 23 in Latin . 23 is the number of synchronicity . And nothing is more synchronous than hearing the tracks mixed as I described .. Everything Tool writes is for a reason. These aren't merely interludes and fillers this band puts between songs. All their tracks have a meaning and there's a reason why they are there .. They are truly a one of a kind band like no other.
I recommend using a surround sound system for this.. Play 10,000 days in the rear and viginti treS + Wings for Marie in the front.. It's much better than headphones with listening each tune in one ear.. Because you have a fade with headphones.. Ever notice sometimes the bass guitar (or the effects) will only play in one ear with headphones ? And you may have to adjust the bars and volume.. But once you set it right, the sync is undeniable and it is a pure treat .. Well this is what I mean . It must be heard with a surround system . About two minutes in there will be sounds swingin around your head..It is so cosmic and trippy. When it gets heavy at 9 minutes and 14 seconds in, Both songs get heavy at the same point and it sounds like a cohesive 8 piece band. It's crazy ! I havent stopped listening to this musical feast for 3 days now.. This band is SICK SICK SICK !!
Tool, once again, has come up with something totally innovative on an album. A band that is truly unparalleled IMHO. They never disappoint . On the 2001 release Lateralus , they did the infamous fibonacci sequence in the title song.. Tool's Lateralus is the best album front to back I have ever heard, PERIOD.. They are intoxicating once you give them enough time to squeeze into your consciousness. And with hours of straight listening, your flattened.. Because this band is so deep, it takes a long time for you to absorb their musical complexities , waves and textures. But once you absorb them with alot of listens, it is entrenched into your psychy and they are a mad MAD addiction ..
Every album this foursome comes up with has some new mad musical ideas, they are like mad musical scientists .. Here, in 10,000 days they sync three songs , to make it sound like one incredible song ! The only band in history to accomplish this incredible feat on an album.. This band is pure genius. And with every release they never cease to amaze me. For about 10 years now this band has made me just speechless. I have received such pleasures over their sound over the years that I believe these 4 guys who call themselves "Tool" , are really from another planet ... Pure genius . What innovation . What an experience . Album of the year . This is a masterpiece !!!
NY times Article
Great post. Can’t wait to read the next ones :).
Post a Comment