TOOL

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Given the length of time, you'd hope the new album really nails it.

If they can produce anything approaching the quality of Vicarious and Aenema, which are both in my top 10 tracks all-artists, I will be very pleased.
 
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Since my post earlier in the thread I’ve been listening to Lateralus a LOT and the lyrical themes really resonate with me. I’m wondering where to head next. Looking at their earlier releases I’m somewhat put off the band by their seemingly dumb obsession with swearing, sex and poo/bums.

I really vibe with songs like ‘The Grudge’ then I read the lyrics to songs like ‘Aenema’ and ‘Hooker with a Penis’ and I’m like.... really?

Hmm.
 
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What is wrong with Aenema lyrics :confused:

Also I'm not sure you've understood the songs if that is what you think their songs are about :D
It’s just about getting rid of California culture isn’t is? A retread of that Bill Hicks sketch. Just a bit of a disappointment really compared to the Lateralus stuff. And yes, there is definitely an intended reference to the ‘flushing away of poo’.

I tend to use Lyric Genius to help interpret lyrics or identify a theme, then go from there.
 
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And yes, there is definitely an intended reference to the ‘flushing away of poo’.

That's not how I see it. It's a call for mother nature to intervene, a natural disaster to raze 'California culture' to the ground, flush it out into the depths - and the Hicks reference, someone they actively encouraged to open their shows in their early days and dedicated the Aenima album to.

Reference to actual ****? Hinted by the album title and a few lyrics in Aenema sure, but it's not really an overarching theme.
 
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That's not how I see it. It's a call for mother nature to intervene, a natural disaster to raze 'California culture' to the ground, flush it out into the depths - and the Hicks reference, someone they actively encouraged to open their shows in their early days and dedicated the Aenima album to.

Reference to actual ****? Hinted by the album title and a few lyrics in Aenema sure, but it's not really an overarching theme.
Well, California is inferred as being the ‘bowel of USA’. I’m not sure how else can you interpret the title of the song other then a play on words between anema and enema :p

I did say poo or bums... aenema, stinkfist, lyrics to hooker with a penis... I mean, one of the songs is very intentionally called ‘pushit’. It’s a very poo-y album :p
 
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Well, California is inferred as being the ‘bowel of USA’. I’m not sure how else can you interpret the title of the song other then a play on words between anema and enema :p

I did say poo or bums... aenema, stinkfist, lyrics to hooker with a penis... I mean, one of the songs is very intentionally called ‘pushit’. It’s a very poo-y album :p

As with all tool albums the interpretation takes on many different levels that all meet to convey a message. 'There's no love in fear'.
Pushit prominently refers to an abusive relationship, that someone is pushing **** upon you. Not **** per-se, but their ****, their issues, their inability to cope with issues and keep it contained internally without sending it down the line. Again, **** flows downstream.
Which ultimately becomes an issue for the person on the receiving end, they in turn are overwhelmed and can't tolerate any more, so the situation becomes cyclical. They can't help but be overwhelmed by issues forced upon them and in turn speculate about the **** they will do as an act of abuse if the pushing does not relent. "Oh God, why have you forsaken me?", maybe "With or without you" from U2 sort of moments.
So it's really much deeper than the profanity, it's layed out to shock, the subject matter shocks if you think about it. The pushit song encapsulates the understanding, realization, retaliation and downright unpleasantness of life on a few levels.
That life is harsh when you think you have everything you need to survive.
That violence can be harshest when it comes from inside the bubble.
That if you reach that point, your mind tends to go to dark places in search for resolution.
Love, fear, love, fear, love one's self more over the fear.

It's a humanity song, what better way to convey it than with a human bodily function title.
 
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Well, California is inferred as being the ‘bowel of USA’. I’m not sure how else can you interpret the title of the song other then a play on words between anema and enema :p

I did say poo or bums... aenema, stinkfist, lyrics to hooker with a penis... I mean, one of the songs is very intentionally called ‘pushit’. It’s a very poo-y album :p

Have you listened to any of these songs though? Hooker With A Penis is a song about a fan that told Maynard, the lead singer, that he'd sold out to the "man". He wrote it in response to these comments. Stinkfist is about desensitisation through being over stimulated by things in our everyday lives. Ænima is about mother nature cleansing LA of all the crap. Sure, it's a metaphor for flushing all the bull down the toilet, but that's about all it stands for. Pushit is about a dysfunctional relationship. I'm saying all of this based on the lyrics and theme of these songs. Of course, part of the beauty of Tool is that you take your own interpretation of the songs, but you're way off the mark. From the way you've written your posts, it seems like you've either only listened to these songs once, or you've never listened to them at all.

That's all ok by me though. Tool have a way of weeding out those that don't understand or get it, and I'm ok with that. If you are one of those that do end up getting it and appreciating their music, it's so easy to see how they're on a completely different level to other bands out there.
 
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Have you listened to any of these songs though? Hooker With A Penis is a song about a fan that told Maynard, the lead singer, that he'd sold out to the "man". He wrote it in response to these comments. Stinkfist is about desensitisation through being over stimulated by things in our everyday lives. Ænima is about mother nature cleansing LA of all the crap. Sure, it's a metaphor for flushing all the bull down the toilet, but that's about all it stands for. Pushit is about a dysfunctional relationship. I'm saying all of this based on the lyrics and theme of these songs. Of course, part of the beauty of Tool is that you take your own interpretation of the songs, but you're way off the mark. From the way you've written your posts, it seems like you've either only listened to these songs once, or you've never listened to them at all.

That's all ok by me though. Tool have a way of weeding out those that don't understand or get it, and I'm ok with that. If you are one of those that do end up getting it and appreciating their music, it's so easy to see how they're on a completely different level to other bands out there.
*sigh* Yes, I have listened to the songs. I appreciate there are metaphors. I appreciate what those songs are about. However, poo and bums do feature quite heavily on that album - that’s all I have said. I’m not ‘way off the mark’ by saying that there is a poo and bum theme. Poo and bums doesn’t immediately interest me as much as the stuff on Lateralus.

In fact, is there any swearing at all on Lateralus? You must surely appreciate that it’s a little jarring going backwards from Lateralus to Aenima.

And ‘Hooker with a Penis’.... It’s not like that song has any ‘hidden meaning’, it’s all there upfront.

All of this said, I'm clearly really enjoying writing ‘poo and bums’ over and over, so I can’t be too damning of it :p

Maybe I’ll skip forward to 10,000 days...
 
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Soldato
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*sigh* Yes, I have listened to the songs. I appreciate there are metaphors. I appreciate what those songs are about. However, poo and bums do feature quite heavily on that album - that’s all I have said. I’m not ‘way off the mark’ by saying that there is a poo and bum theme. Poo and bums doesn’t immediately interest me as much as the stuff on Lateralus.

In fact, is there any swearing at all on Lateralus? You must surely appreciate that it’s a little jarring going backwards from Lateralus to Aenima.

And ‘Hooker with a Penis’.... It’s not like that song has any ‘hidden meaning’, it’s all there upfront.

All of this said, I'm clearly really enjoying writing ‘poo and bums’ over and over, so I can’t be too damning of it :p

Maybe I’ll skip forward to 10,000 days...

Well, going back to the themes and metaphors that literally make up everything that Tool write, Lateralus is an album about finding yourself and a higher purpose. About being a better person but also still dealing with problems.

Ænima is about dealing with anger, frustration, and trying to grow into a state of self that’s ready to move forward with how Lateralus suggests you be.

The lack of swearing on Lateralus is intentional.

You still seem intent to focus on this whole poo and bums thing. I don’t think poo is actually mentioned, just a reference to LA being flushed down by Mother Nature, and bums isn’t either, just a song titled Stinkfist but yet you’ve somehow labelled the entire album as being about this when it isn’t at all. Nevermind the fact that as previously mentioned, it’s all a metaphor created through very subtle but clever writing.

But if those are your reasons for not enjoying one of the best albums ever released, then sure, go ahead :) I’ll stop trying to convince you :)
 
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Anyone else been daft enough to buy the physical version of the album? Can't even blame it on a grog fuelled purchase, as I ordered when fully sober!
I've ordered the physical version in the same week that I pre-ordered the 50th anniversary reissue of Abbey Road. My wallet hates me.
I was just looking into this as I’m tempted and amazon says it’s £80! That seems double what I had heard? Is it just an outside the US inflated price?

Also the CD doesn’t have the final album track on it... just a download code. Wut!
 
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It is indeed £80 as the packaging is overly elaborate, it includes a 4" HD screen. It comes with the CD but also has a download code. I believe there's some bonus tracks that are only available as part of the download and aren't on the CD. That's a joke!
 
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It was available for $37 via Walmart, but whether that allowed shipping to the UK I don't know. Looks to be sold out now too.

Looking at the track list for this album, 6 of the 10 tracks come in at over 10minutes in length, four of those substantially longer. I really hope this isn't going to be full of overblown meandering instrumentals. 6 to 7 minutes is Tool at their finest for my tastes.
 
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It is indeed £80 as the packaging is overly elaborate, it includes a 4" HD screen. It comes with the CD but also has a download code. I believe there's some bonus tracks that are only available as part of the download and aren't on the CD. That's a joke!

I'm bristling a bit at all this, but the wife's paying after conceding a Laura Ashley dog basket she bought for the dog was a bit much... I should have called the dog Maynard to hammer the point.
 
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