Regardless of the opinions on MJK's vocal stylings and delivery on this album, the lyrics themselves are dominant. I feel like Pneuma is basically Parabola Part 2...and the theme of the battle against father time in Invincible is awesome, IMO.
I find the album to be ok, mostly because I struggle with 12 minute plus songs.
If I were ranking all the tool albums from my favourite to my least favourite I'm fairly certain this one doesn't get anywhere near the top. It's not bad, but it's not great either :( That's me though. I'm glad other people are enjoying it... maybe it'll grow on me with more listens.
My experience with the album has been the better the audio setup, the better I feel about it. When I listen in the living room or car, it's overwhelming how good it is. If I'm walking the dog and wearing my bose frames, the songs don't grab me as much.
FI is like Twin Peaks for me. It's all about a feeling vs. a traditional plot/song structure. Both give you just enough of the latter to keep it grounded, but I can absolutely see how they can be divisive.
So, I sent Ticketmaster an email to voice my opinion on the Verified Resale system they have in place.
Also, I will not be purchasing any tickets through them until their policies and fee structures change.
This will probably fall on their deaf ears but it is the only thing I can do as a consumer. I can no longer contribute to their business model that places artist and customer needs last.
Those who were able to get tickets, enjoy the show!
What do you think the alternative is?
It starts with regions that are refusing to ban scalping - these behaviours permit the resale market to exist legally. At that point, Ticketmaster can take a portion of the scalping market by providing a secure transfer service (aka they take a portion of the final resale price and have people list on Ticketmaster), or they can do nothing and let the resale market exist outside of the Ticketmaster ecosystem. If you take Ticketmaster Verified Resale out of the picture, things just get marginally worse (by being less secure for buyers), but nothing else really changes. If they had no scalping ecosystem competitors, I'd say it'd be pretty ballsy, but with the current landscape I think it's fair.
The alternative for me is to not deal with Ticketmaster. I will miss a lot of shows but that's OK with me.
I believe you said you were looking to go in Detroit? There are many options.
Unfortunately Detroit is one of the more expensive shows but stub hub has lower levels for under $300 and uppers under $200. And more publicly available seats are usually added closer to the show date with Tool, unlike some if the other high demand bands.
If you are willing to travel a few hours, StubHub has lowers in Cleveland for under $200. If you dont want to buy from a reseller, Cincy has tons of face value seats still on sale. One of the few shows that did not immediately sell out.
If tool were one of those bands that did not let the market decide pricing and kept all the decent seats limited to an exclusive private sale, the options would be significantly more money imo.
wow. that review was terrible. 4/10? you kidding? I haven't been a big tool fan in years, and this album single handedly brought me back into the fold. I sat in awe when I was listening to it.
wow. that review was terrible. 4/10? you kidding? I haven't been a big tool fan in years, and this album single handedly brought me back into the fold. I sat in awe when I was listening to it.
Apparently he gave Lil Pump 8/10 instead...
Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
I do think it’s being overhyped but still a very good album. Better than it has any right to be from a bunch of 50-60 year olds after a 13 year wait. For me, it could crack my top 3 Tool albums but it’s not on the same stratosphere as Ænima or Lateralus. Great for a final album but 2 albums in a row of almost completely recycled ideas, a struggle to come up with material, and quite a few moments of treading water to flesh these songs out.
Lots of love for the production quality, but you know what other albums sound amazing? Every other Tool album. Of course this one sounds incredible.
I just started listening to Tool about 5 years ago and wish I had done so back in the 90's. It's probably because I thought they were too "metal" for my liking, but this band is brilliant and so artistic. I love Fear Inoculum. It's different in many ways from the previous four, but I agree with previous comments that if you listen with really good sound quality, the album really pops in a lot of ways.
I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
I think all three of those bands music is timeless for the most part. Most of their catalogs don't sound dated in the era they were produced. There are some exceptions. You don't have to drastically change your style to sound like you're not trying to constantly recreate the past.
I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
Agreed. I have noticed influences from all of their past albums on this new one, which is fine, but it's also not groundbreaking, just a continuation and at over 10+ minutes for each song it just gets to be too much. I feel like Tempest and Culling Voices are the only 2 songs that earn their long song length and are able to keep moving along without me just wanting the song to wrap up 5 minutes sooner.
As stated in a previous post, Tool peaked with Aenima and Lateralus creatively. 10k Days still had some amazing songs and sounded fantastic, just like this album, but the tunes weren't as fresh sounding right out the gate. This album turned out to be what I feared, a lot of the teaser material they have been playing for years live that just sounds like studio leftovers from the last few sessions. I haven't delved in to the lyrics much on the new album yet, but I feel like that is the one area that has remained strong and fresh. MJK had some outstanding lyrics on 10K Days and some of my favorite songs, Vicarious & Right In Two, are exactly what I love about their music.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
Thank god someone else hears them.
TY
I do hear that too. I mentioned it to a friend that one of Justin's bass lines sounds incredibly familiar.
I don't know, I am super excited with this album. I can't get enough of it. It's in my top 3. Each to their own I suppose. Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
Thank god someone else hears them.
TY
I do hear that too. I mentioned it to a friend that one of Justin's bass lines sounds incredibly familiar.
Only 1? Keep listening.
There were a few parts, 2, that were on 10,000 days that were exactly like parts on Lateralus and Aenima. I gave tose 2 a pass because of the whole body of work.
Comments
EV- 2008, 2011 Boston
FI is like Twin Peaks for me. It's all about a feeling vs. a traditional plot/song structure. Both give you just enough of the latter to keep it grounded, but I can absolutely see how they can be divisive.
I believe you said you were looking to go in Detroit? There are many options.
Unfortunately Detroit is one of the more expensive shows but stub hub has lower levels for under $300 and uppers under $200. And more publicly available seats are usually added closer to the show date with Tool, unlike some if the other high demand bands.
If you are willing to travel a few hours, StubHub has lowers in Cleveland for under $200. If you dont want to buy from a reseller, Cincy has tons of face value seats still on sale. One of the few shows that did not immediately sell out.
If tool were one of those bands that did not let the market decide pricing and kept all the decent seats limited to an exclusive private sale, the options would be significantly more money imo.
.
Cheers,
HFD
Remember Pitchfork gave Lateralus a 1/10?
"I wish I could physically consume this album and gain its vital nutrients"
Then they could wash it down with "Shot of Love" by Bob Dylan.
I still don't get all the love for this album, it's good but not that good.
Title track I'm rally enjoying, 2nd meh, third, ok.
Tempest hasn't grabbed me yet either...
Lots of love for the production quality, but you know what other albums sound amazing? Every other Tool album. Of course this one sounds incredible.
Pnuema is the second song and that definitely doesn't grab me at all.
It's in my top 3.
Each to their own I suppose.
Could the same thing be said of Pearl Jam or REM? Their sound doesn't go onto something completely new.
Not something completely new, but not exact parts rearranged, either. I can’t think of a band that has recycled riffs more than Tool.
TY
As stated in a previous post, Tool peaked with Aenima and Lateralus creatively. 10k Days still had some amazing songs and sounded fantastic, just like this album, but the tunes weren't as fresh sounding right out the gate. This album turned out to be what I feared, a lot of the teaser material they have been playing for years live that just sounds like studio leftovers from the last few sessions. I haven't delved in to the lyrics much on the new album yet, but I feel like that is the one area that has remained strong and fresh. MJK had some outstanding lyrics on 10K Days and some of my favorite songs, Vicarious & Right In Two, are exactly what I love about their music.
Cheers,
HFD
There were a few parts, 2, that were on 10,000 days that were exactly like parts on Lateralus and Aenima. I gave tose 2 a pass because of the whole body of work.
This album isn't getting that same courtesy.