by Quinn Blackburn

Created on: August 12, 2007

How long does it take to catch 99 red balloons? With the right TOOL... 10,000 days!
Recently, I have put forth a real effort in my life to further explore Music in all it's glorious variety. This is a trip I've taken many times in my life, although each trip has taken a different path. "Metal" isn't a genre I've explored greatly, but I've had my favorites from way back. So, while delving through the library's music catalogs under "Metal", I happened across a band that I had heard of (...vague memories of half-forgotten music...) but never consciously listened to, hmmm... "Tool". I requested their "10,000 Days" CD and thought little more about it, til it arrived...

After collecting it from the library, the first thing I notice about this CD iss it's artistic and unique packaging. Muave smokey images against midnight black, with eyes peering at me through a pair of 3D lens incorporated into the case. Through the lens, one can view a selection of pictures included inside... I think the yellow and blue one is my favorite... . While the images, as one might expect from a band found in the Metal category, are sometimes disturbing... a figure stuck with pins beneath a spiral of fire... the overall effect is quite pleasing... perhaps the rainbow hallway of minds is my favorite, hmmm.

I found this to be quite an intriguing visual introduction to the band members and the album itself. Cover Art has been a dying art form, in my opinion. I hope more bands pay this much attention to how their albums are presented, as I would love to see a comeback in this area of artistic expression.

Next step, of course, was to give a listen to the music itself. Here's the line up and some of my impressions...

Vicarious:

This song had some good flow and a pretty driving beat, although I occasionally felt as if I were in a car with someone who hasn't figured out how to work the clutch just yet. I found this "jerked about" feeling in some of the other songs on the album but no where so prominently as in Vicarious. The lyrics though, are Fantastic!

"Eye on the TV
'cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavor
It happens to be

Like:
"Killed by the husband"
"Drowned by the ocean"
"Shot by his own son"
"She used the poison in his tea
[and / he] kissed [him / her] goodbye"
That's my kind of story
It's no fun til someone dies

Don't look me at like
I am a monster
Frown out your one face
But with the other
Stare like a junkie
Into the TV.."

A stark look at the dubiously helpful and entertaining invention, television. So many

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Next Page >>