New Tool CD

i borrowed my friend's copy of 10,000 Days and found it enjoyable. I'm gonna buy my own this weekend.

About those lyrics...my friend and i like to bust each other for our music (even though we like the same things) and he makes fun of U2 and i make fun of Tool. I like Tool. Good Band. But he swears that Tool has the best lyrics around. I dont think so.

listened to it this afternoon, blah. heard it before. seems like a long time to wait to hear more of the same imo

listened to it this afternoon, blah. heard it before. seems like a long time to wait to hear more of the same imo

That was my main problem with it. I didn't want to wait 5 years to hear Lateralus all over. I love Lateralus, it's in my top 5 favourite albums, but I loved it because it was so unique.

great thread, i am stoked that we have a place to express our opinions and debate passionately as we do here. I am a huge Pink Floyd and Tool fan. I think they are similar in that they are both progressive and in their own times didnt sound like any other band. To me that is what makes them both great, they dont sound like the other 90% of music on the scene at the time. Of course i've heard most pink floyd songs a zillion times so they have become predictible and less exciting, but I still love the gilmore tone and initiative effects. I know I'm gonna get flamed for this but I would tend to compare Tool more w/ zeppelin b/c of there solid rythym section and harder edge. Danny Carrey is an insane drummer and the way the bass keeps perfect timing blows my mind. Adam Jones isnt Jimmy Page but he deosnt have to be, he is very creative and his guitar parts fit exactly to the feeling of the song as do Maynard's vocals. "The pot" is my favorite and track 8 about 10:30 in the song there is a guitar break that really rocks. Maybe I dont know as much about picking apart music as others but I really can't imagine being bored by this Tool album or any of there others, guess u could call me a fan;)

I'll second the great rhythm section bit. Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor are very tight. Really keep the timing perfect, which isn't easy with all the weird time signatures. Apparently Zeppelin are a big influence on them. I don't give much for them but John Bonham is very impressive, and Carey does remind me of him alot.

listened to it this afternoon, blah. heard it before. seems like a long time to wait to hear more of the same imo
couldnt have said it better myself. it's just boring because its nothing new.

I don't agree that it's like lateralus because a lot of it reminded me of the pre-lateralus days. Anyway after having quite a few listens to the new album I'm really starting to enjoy it and that is my main gripe with tool that I struggle to get into their new music. Tool take a lot of patience on behalf of the listener but are definately a worthwhile band. I remember when I first heard Pink Floyds Time and I thought "what is this?" I kept pressing the fast forward button. In that way Tool and Pink Floyd remind me of each other, they're both bands that take time to get into. As for the music being repetitive, I never analyse music that much it's more about the feeling to me but I think you'll find the majority of songs are no less repetitive even if they are much shorter.

i really enjoyed reading Wes Inman's take on all this. I just wanted to say that what he said was he didn't have the taste for Tool. I don't think he was slamming them. He was just expressing his opinions on the matter. Like me, I'm sure there are bands that he and others like that i may find boring or whatever. It's all in personal tastes really. And I appreciate all of your views. Thanks :)

Thanks bonzo :D

You are correct, I am not trying to slam Tool, but I end up slamming them.

I think this is a major difference between bands back in the '60s and '70s and today. Bands at that time were far more experimental. I mean, listen to the Beatles. You have Rocky Racoon with piano that sounds like a saloon back in the 1890's. Then you have Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds that is other-worldly and psychedelic. Then Revolution is a good ole hard rocker. It was fun to listen to Beatles albums, you never knew what they were going to do next. And most of the bands were like that in those days. The Stones would play a rocker like Satisfaction, and then a non-rock song like As Tears Go By. The Who would rock you with Don't Get Fooled again, and then play a ballad like Behind Blue Eyes.

Today bands seem to be stuck with one single sound you hear on every song. I know this is a generality, but in general it is true.

Another band I really liked at first, but now cannot stand is Staind. Man, their 1st album was awesome, and I couldn't wait for their 2nd. But since then, every song sounds exactly like the last one. BORING.

I compared Tool to Pink Floyd because from my limited exposure, they seem to want to make serious statements like Pink Floyd. I have read the lyrics to Aenima and Tool was making comments about life in L.A. and how they wished it would fall into the sea. But when you have to say the F word 20 times you lose credibility. Wow, I'm bad, I use lots of obscenities. :roll:

Musically, I would compare Tool to Rush with complex rhythms. But no way in my opinion is Tool anywhere close to Rush whether it be drums, bass, or guitar. No way.

I will have to listen more to the new Tool album, perhaps I will like some of the songs. I have no problems with anyone liking any kind of music. Like Sly and the Family Stone sang:

Different strokes, for different folks. 8)

Of course though the band have grown up considerably in the last two releases, there has hardly been any cursing. The Beatles were a strange band, but as for a recent band who would explore as many styles in one album you could look to the Smashing Pumpkins double Mellon Collie. Radiohead are another who are chameleons constantly changing their sound, particularly with the first four releases. I think the truth is that most bands in the 60's also stuck to one sound but The Beatles were the exception. I've never found The Who to vary that much in sound, like you said they had rockers and ballads. It's difficult to jump between different musical styles and still hold onto your initial fanbase, although some can do this, maybe Beck could be an example. I think this is probably why many bands are happy to continue creating music in the same vain.

i gotta say i love the song Vicarious

there's just something about the chorus

Wes,

Your are correct about the bands you mentioned. I think what is happening today is bands get a hit sone then they try to make every song sound like the hit song thinking it will make them bigger. Maybe some of it is the record labels pushing. I liked Stain'd too when they first came out. And then i read an enterview where they claimed they was pushed in a certain dirrect from the label, And now what they are doing is getting 1 or 2 songs played on the radio, the rest suck. I bought their lastest album and was dissappionted.

I'm not a huge Tool fan. I like some of their music. It had been awhile since they released anything so i thought maybe i should get some insight before i waist 18 bucks.

You know? Ratt tried that repeat concept in the 80's and failed miserably. Remember that? When i listen to older music, like the era's you describe etc. I can clearly see your point. Cause it seemed the music and the lyrics complimented each other in a way that we are just not getting today. I still enjoy those songs of old and they are still like listening to them for the first time today. They are timeless, beautiful pieces. You just can't seem to get that these days!

Thanks again for your very direct and honest opinion. I respect that very much.

I seriousely think Tool are unfairly being attacked here, there are much worse culprits for repeating past formulas to make money.

I'm 99% sure of the following things;

1.) Tool are not controlled by their record label, they're not commercial enough to be

2.) Tool work hard on each release and tour

3.) Tool are not just in it for the money

So the above things would generally lead to the fact that Tool can make their music how they want, because they like making it and write about any subject they feel like then it is up to people to decide whether they like the band or not. They do have a certain sound, I admit it but most artists do, it just depends on whether or not you enjoy their style.

Wow, this is still going. First, thanks again to Bonzo, the only one who seems to understand what I am saying.

fleaaaaaa

I have probably sounded like I am attacking Tool, and I guess I am in a way. I have no problems with any person liking any band they choose. Variety is the spice of life. As for Tool being pressured by their label, I have no idea at all. But almost every band in history has gotten pressure from their label, I see no reason to believe Tool would be different.

Just repeating myself, but Tool is just so one-dimensional. I happened to hear one of their new songs on the radio last night, not sure which, but it was just plain boring. Two or three power chords played in different rhythms. Actually, the rhythms did not sound difficult at all to me. And that drummer is no Neil Peart, John Bonham, or Keith Moon. Same thing over and over and over again. Gets painful after 5 or 6 minutes.

I just don't see what all the fuss is about. Maybe you are not listening to the same thing I am.

i'm sure you heard the song that has fascinated me low these last few days...Vicarious. But I do agree that the album, and past albums, is the same freakin sound over and over. With the new CD, I get bored after 3 songs (luckily for me Vicarious is the first track)

this reminds me of what U2 went through. Achtung Baby was a huge smash, a totally new sound for the band. it's my favorite album ever. They followed it with the 2 year ZooTV Tour, one of the most innovative rock tours ever. In the middle of the tour they released Zooropa, an album similar to achtung in sound. Great.

Then, out came POP and the PopMart Tour. It was basically more of the same. Same tour idea (massive stage act that even looked similar) and an album of songs in approximately the same vein. POP didn't go over so well. It's a great album (but im biased) but it's consdiered a failure because it's the same thing they had been doing for the past few years.

So they recorded All That You Can't Leave Behind. These days their songs vary in style to a great degree and i like that i can have a hard rocker like Vertigo on the same CD as something quiet and subdued like One Step Closer. But my point is bands get complacent with their music and what people like. It makes sense to me...if it works, keep doing it! but that only works for so long, and some bands, a la Staind, Tool, Incubus get stuck in that rut and never get out. I do believe it's driven by $$$. Make one massive hit, make lots of cash, go try to do the same thing again and make more. More and more the music industry is being taken over by money and greed and the music gets lost in the mix. It sucks. Didn't Neil Young get sued by his label for making music that was "too experimental?" It wasn't making money, so the label sued to bring back the money-making Neil Young they know and love. Way to let money get in the way of creative expression.

I hate listening to the radio, because it seems like the new music today is just fluff. Industry pushes what they want the TRL watching teeny masses to listen to. Why? They are the most persuadable, so why not capitalize on it and give them acts with no musical value and make a boatload of cash.

I'm still not sure I'm a Tool Fan, but i like a few songs by them. I don't think they'll stand the test of time. I doubt in 25 years we'll be talking about Tool and how good they were.