Ok, I'll have a go but I'll have to be pretty brief because my comps bust and I've not got much time to go through my post in write it better. I'll just say before I start though that describing a Tool album is a near impossibility but I can try to give a description for you, even if it doesn't really come close to explaining much.
01. Vicarious
If you've not heard this so far, it's a very Lateralus type-song, that has a darkish atmosphere to it. The guitars and vocals remind me a lot of the last album, and the song builds up as it goes on, with a real sense of urgency and the impending brilliantness of Tools music about to unfold, then it takes off at the end and sounds amazing. (After hearing this I was expecting a type of Lateralus 2 for sure.)
02. Jambi
Starts up pretty heavy with a great riff, and then goes on to alternate between a classic melodic type song and a full out rock track. One of my faves definitely, and that would take a long time to explain properly. Basically : it's fucking awesome.
03. Wings For Marie (Pt 1)
A real sombre and slow song that has a great dynamic between Adams guitar playing and Maynards vocals, then builds up towards the end and leads into the second part...
04. 10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)
Carrying on from the last part and starting up straightaway, this just turns out to be an amazing song. I got the sense of Maynards vocals almost telling a mythic story here and it has a real classic feel throughout. Leads back into a riff from the end of the first track and is one of those sounds that really leaves a lasting impression in your mind. Easily one of the high points of the album. If I had to describe it in one word I'd say epic, but when it comes down to it I don't really have the words to explain how good it is.
05. The Pot
Closer to a full out rock track than the rest I think. A lot of riffs and a nice sound right through. One of the moments where you hear the bass coming through clearer aswell, something that adds a lot to the song.
06. Lipan Conjuring
A strange and short song, that has Maynard wording something that sounds to me like Native American chanting. (not saying it is, just what it sounds like to me.) What some would class as a filler I guess.
07. Lost Keys
The beginning of something that I love and the first of another two part song. Some speaking that I'd prefer to let you hear than describe it, but it leads into the next part when someone has asked something..
08. Rosetta Stoned
Maynard acts as the person giving the response at the beginning, then it leads into him speaking for a while as the track starts up. This one is long, has a great element of fun to it with the way the lyrics are done, then rocks out for a while. Once that's happened, the song almost completely changes and then transforms into something fantastic. A pretty heavy song in places, with louder vocals from Maynard aswell.
09. Intension
A quiet and dreamy sounding tune that has a really nice vibe running through it. Definitely a good chill out song, and where the instruments and vocals seem to be played perfectly. Has some drum machine/electronic beats near the end.
10. Right In Two
Another song that alternates between rock and a quieter melodic song, but has a lot of changes in it, with the guitar work being pretty much in the driving element in a lot of places, before the vocals come back to the forefront at the end. It reminds me of track 2 in the way it changes style and a new fave of mine after listening to it more.
11. Viginti Tres
Another filler type song, I can't really describe the effects here but to me it kind of sounded like sometype of alien craft leaving our dimension....I was pretty wasted when I first listened to it though, so that probably had something to do with it..
I agree with some of what matt and John have said, but after a couple of days have passed and I've listened to it quite a bit, I'm still left with the feeling that Lateralus is pretty untouchable, but saying that, Lateralus will always stand out on it's own and the band have obviously desired to change their style with this one, as bands do. The songs are still complex and amazing, and you can listen to them again and again and new things will still be noticed, but this album seems lighter and more rock based than Lateralus, less dark and serious, and maybe more down to earth. Saying that though, it doesn't mean that it always stays earthed, it still visits many places, as Tool do. Another thing that kind of betrays the 'lighter' description is the fact that the bass seems to be a lot further up in some of the tracks and is present a lot more in this album. (something I totally loved as soon as I noticed, and that helps a good few of the tracks sound so heavy.) The fact that it's played so well and has such an important role of some of the songs really adds to the overall sound too.
This is just a personal opinion anyway. Lateralus is an album that means more to me than almost anything else I've ever listened to, so it's not a great surprise that I still favour that one. (at the moment.) This one will obviously grow on me more as time goes on though, something that Tool albums are so good at doing. I'm off to listen to it again shortly anyway, and wonder why I didn't describe some of the hundreds of things that I haven't added here while it's playing. |
