My Desert Island Playlist

I did it everyone! I truly picked my desert island songs. I spent days with this. I disciplined myself to only pick 10 songs. I kinda want everyone to listen to these songs in this exact order. Makes me cry actually. It’s the end of the world. I’ve escaped to an island and could only download 10 songs into my brain. These are the songs:

1. Dark Star by The Grateful Dead (From the Live/Dead album)
2. Seasons by Chris Cornell (From the Singles soundtrack)
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd (From Wish You Were Here album)
4. Right Turn by Alice In Chains (from SAP ep)
5. A Day In The Life by The Beatles (From Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album)
6. Starla by The Smashing Pumpkins (From Pisces Iscariot B-Sides album)
7. Pneuma by Tool (From Fear Inoculum album)
8. Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed (Title Track)
9. Into Dust by Mazzy Star (From So Tonight That I Might See album)
10. Release by Pearl Jam (From Ten album)

These tracks all have special meanings for me. Bands I love and songs I obsess over.

Now I invite you to list your 10 desert island songs below in the comments.

The Year of Tool

This is my one and only Tool post: I have been a hard core fan of the band for 26 years. I absolutely love all of their recordings. I saw them live 4 times. I’ve worn their t shirts and hung up posters. Pink Floyd is my favorite band of all time. But Tool is a close second.

Am I biased? Hell yes! 😂 However, as much as I would like to complain and whine about their newest record after 13 years and say it was a disappointment, I cannot do that whatsoever because it’s an absolute masterpiece!!!

It really is! It’s their most mature album yet. It’s complicated and intense. The drumming is out of this world! Danny really shines! Justin’s bass and Adam’s guitar both are technically so genius and precisely amazing and exactly perfect. It surpassed my expectations by miles.

Maynard’s vocals were added later after the music was laid down. His approach is astonishing. As always his contribution is the icing on the cake or the cherry on top. He has matured so much over the years.

This album pays homage to all their previous works and is so current and relevant today. It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: this album is a 5 star classic and could very well be their greatest album ever and is not only their crowning achievement but might actually be their swan song. What a way to please us die hard fans. Wow!!!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

2005 and 2006 Album Choices

In 2005, Beck released an album entitled “Guero.” Beck switches up his sound all the time, but this is probably one of my favorite of his artistic personalities. There’s a distinct electronic element throughout the album, but it’s peppered with touches of rock, folk, and dare I say hip-hop! E-Pro is a monster, and Hell Yes gets stuck in my head every time I listen to it

In 2006, Tool released their last album “10,000 days.”This is less mathematic than Lateralus (I love math rock), but this album is a true piece of art, especially “Right In Two.” Also I found Rosetta Stoned one of the most difficult songs Tool ever released. There is a bit of Folk on 10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2). Vicarious is also a key track. 🙂
PS: loved the stereoscopic glasses and the 3D artwork.

 

#Tool #Lateralus #2001 #Music

 

So I have a guy named Matt Duve to thank for getting me into the band Tool. In high school he would periodically loan me tapes to listen to. When I first heard the album Undertow, my life changed. Flash forward to the year 2001. The album Lateralus is released during a time when our country was invaded by terrorists. However, I was personally moved and deeply touched by Maynard and the gang in a very positive way.

Everything about Tool’s fourth album is an experience, starting with the packaging, which consists of liner credits printed on a translucent plastic sleeve over the CD and a booklet that layers anatomical representations atop one another. The first page pictures musculature and blood vessels; the next, bones; the third, internal organs; and so on. It’s worth describing the packaging of Lateralus because it says much about the astonishing music within.

While it remains in the Tool tradition of trance-inducing progressive metal, Lateralus is tighter, clearer, crisper, and all around a notch above their admirable previous releases. Aenima was flawed by muddy production and a certain predictability. Don’t get me wrong, I truly enjoyed that album. Undertow had a cleaner sound but wasn’t as confident or adventurous. It was an adventure in high school that catapulted me into the world to begin my Tool adventure but I have moved on since then.

With Lateralus, Tool have raised an already lofty bar still higher by coming up with a collection that kicks major ass. Lateralus, like I said was released in 2001, it has got to be one of the more groundbreaking musical releases since the mid-80’s and early 90’s. Lateralus is a long, well thought out musical masterpiece that draws parallels to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” This whole record is just full of amazing progressive rock and it is nearly impossible to fathom that human beings actually wrote and then performed this type of music. Every song has layers and sub-layers and sub-sub-layers.

You do not listen to this album…you surrender yourself to it. The experience of Lateralus penetrates deeper than the brain — it is deeply spiritual and uplifting. Nothing comes close to obsessing my world of the first decade of the 2000’s like this one. TOOL ROCKS!

#1996 #Tool #Aenima

 

I have been listening to Tool constantly since I first heard the Sober video and watched the twisted geniuses at work that created such a short film. Since then, as I grow and learn, the lyrics, which I used to study for each song and read over every once in a while hit me on new levels upon each reading. Their lyrics during my first reading leave the impression that this group supports all things “evil.” However, as the depth of reading and interpretation grows and evolves, the true meaning and genius of the lyrics is revealed.

This album to me is the epitome of the genius of Tool. I was sitting in my car one day and heard the song “Eulogy” start up. I listened closely for the first time to the introduction where each instrument comes individually. When I truly listened to it, I was in awe of the fluidity that the song works. Each instrument fades in individually, the strumming of the guitar is incredible, the drums, solemnly beating in the background are again splendid.

I cannot begin to describe my admiration for this band. Reading the interviews that Maynard has given and reading a small biography of him gave me so much respect for his vast intellect and his well read nature. He quotes Carl Jung during shows. From day one, their music has struck me as essentially what I would consider flawless vocalists of the human state and nature. The drums are splendid and so incredibly complex. The way that Tool uses the Bass guitar is incredibly impressive. Usually bands use the bass as a background instrument, but Tool brings it to the front to further drive their message into the soul. The lead guitars are amazing.

I cant begin to even describe how good Maynard is. He is truly a singer. Ozzy Osbourne (for example) is excellent in terms of being a rock singer, but Maynard has bridged the gap. He is truly a vocalist. He could just as easily be singing opera or jazz or whatever form of music you can think of. Maybe someday, people will be worshiping their music and his lyrics.
If anyone reading this commentary/review has never payed attention to Tool before, start now. This is the embodiment of all music that I have ever heard. It rivals in perfection in vocal music as what Amadeus Mozart did for instrumental music. That is all i’m going to say, and I doubt that anyone has read this far.

If so, please comment. Thank You

5 guitarists that SHRED!!!!

(I am not one of them)

Solos that make me weep is more like it! But seriously, I love a good guitar riff and a long jam that has a ripple effect on my brain thereby causing me to bust out into “air guitar” mode!!!

These are the fab FIVE:

1) David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) the example song is DOGS (it’s stellar)

2) Adam Jones (Tool) the example song is “Schism” (holy crap is that a jam)

3) J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) a prime example is anything from the album, “You’re Living All Over Me.” In such short songs he squeezes these unbelievable solos. He packs a punch!!!

4) Lou Reed (of Velvet Underground) R.I.P. This man destroys this improvised song called “Sister Ray!” Damn he has endurance!!!

5) Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) on “Dazed and Confused” played live in New York for the film THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME…he busts out a violin bow string and seems to never stop playing! (See clip below)

Amen to the great guitar Gods!!!!

Concert Review: Puscifer Ignites The Cadillac Palace

Tuesday night at 151 West Randolph Street in downtown Chicago; tattoos, leather jackets, cigarettes, nose-piercings, long haired-hippies and dudes wearing Tool t-shirts were standing outside of the Cadillac Palace. Once an old home to Vaudeville and now a place for pre-Broadway shows this place looked a little different last night. Sometimes, an act like a rock band named Puscifer comes here to “perform.”

The band is a side project of frontman, Maynard James Keenan (normally a part of the band Tool, hence the t-shirts). He knows a thing or to about putting on a dramatic performance. The show began around 9:00 pm and things started off with a small projected screen of Keenan and others dressed like redneck cowboys with an ignorant attitude and a comical documentary about a fake band. Keenan came out onto the stage with a cheering crowd yelling out his name. He wore a black cowboy hat, black cowboy shirt, and big sunglasses. Maynard was setting up a camp on the stage while chatting with the crowd. It was funny how he was dragging around this silver trailer.

The stage eventually contained a picnic table, camping lawn chairs, wine glasses with a bottle of wine next to them and the band members casually drank the wine throughout the show. A fake rattle snake was placed out in front.

So he opens the door to the trailer and lets out a brunette girl named Carina Round, who is a British singer and guitar player. Earlier, she was the opening act. She helped Keenan set up some more stuff on the stage like a drum kit and really cool looking microphones. The true genius of this show was about to begin.

A gigantic screen filled the walls and floor to ceiling that stood behind Keenan and Round. All during the night, several images drifted through it. Bizarre desert landscapes, oceans, clouds, colored bubbles and faces were popping in and out of the screen. It looked really cool as their shadowy figures danced back and forth in a ritual-like motion. The two of them were perfectly harmonizing together. Both have quite strikingly beautiful voices that blend with the industrial sounds of guitars and drums strumming and beating away. It was hypnotic, trance-inducing and alarming to watch and listen to.

They were promoting the new album, “Conditions of My Parole.” I know I already stated this but Keenan performed like a champion. The music and theatrics were simply amazing! this 2 hour show left me dazed but not confused. I was filled with enthusiasm. My wife Denny was so enthralled watching this show. Probably her favorite rock show to date.

Ultimately, there was this cool Arizona desert vibe while camping outdoors with a fire pit and drinking wine while jamming in a rock noir fashion. That is how I felt and I think Maynard was also promoting his wine that he makes in the Arizona desert. So there you go, a little plugging while plugged in and jamming. Can’t wait to see what He has in store next for the band Tool or any other unusually fitting Maynard James Keenan project. Just as long as Carina sings backup with him. She was quite a performer too.

So that’s my review, I hope you enjoyed it! Until next time,

C-Note signing off

Top Ten of Ten: #9 Tool…..Lateralus (2001)

So I have a guy named Matt Duve to thank for getting me into the band Tool. In high school he would periodically loan me tapes to listen to. When I first heard the album Undertow, my life changed. Flash forward to the year 2001. The album Lateralus is released during a time when our country was invaded by terrorists. However, I was personally moved and deeply touched by Maynard and the gang in a very positive way. Everything about Tool’s fourth album is an experience, starting with the packaging, which consists of liner credits printed on a translucent plastic sleeve over the CD and a booklet that layers anatomical representations atop one another. The first page pictures musculature and blood vessels; the next, bones; the third, internal organs; and so on. It’s worth describing the packaging of Lateralus because it says much about the astonishing music within. While it remains in the Tool tradition of trance-inducing progressive metal, Lateralus is tighter, clearer, crisper, and all around a notch above their admirable previous releases. Aenima was flawed by muddy production and a certain predictability. Don’t get me wrong, I truly enjoyed that album. Undertow had a cleaner sound but wasn’t as confident or adventurous. It was an adventure in high school that catapulted me into the world to begin my Tool adventure but I have moved on since then. With Lateralus, Tool have raised an already lofty bar still higher by coming up with a collection that kicks major ass. Lateralus, like I said was released in 2001, it has got to be one of the more groundbreaking musical releases since the mid-80’s and early 90’s. Lateralus is a long, well thought out musical masterpiece that draws parallels to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” This whole record is just full of amazing progressive rock and it is nearly impossible to fathom that human beings actually wrote and then performed this type of music. Every song has layers and sub-layers and sub-sub-layers. You do not listen to this album…you surrender yourself to it. The experience of Lateralus penetrates deeper than the brain — it is deeply spiritual and uplifting. Nothing comes close to obsessing my world of the first decade of the 2000’s like this one. TOOL ROCKS!