doesnt work. Trying to like anything doesnt work. You either like it or you dont. Sometimes things grow on you, sure. But liking anything has never come from attempts at forcing yourself to like it.

Thank you.

sticky

I disagree. first of all there is difference between "trying" to like something and "forcing" yourself to like it. I had a really hard time absorbing trent's downward spiral, all I heard was chatoic disturbing noices which I was almost annoyed by until I really sat down and endured the whole album

now it's one of my favorite albums

Taking time to digest is not the same as trying to force yourself to like something. I tried to like Radiohead, didnt work out. I didnt try to like Downward Spiral, not to say that I liked it immensely at first. But as I understood it more, I liked it. Gaining understanding does not come from forcing that understanding to come and meet your expectations.

You can't force your self to like it, but many people are subconsiously trying to dislike it. It will become much easier to like if listened to with an open mind.

I agree, there's a lot to be said for just "letting it happen," whether it's one way or the other, like or dislike.

The intense hype and people's preconceptions over this album were always going to influence them one way or the other. It's hard to approach an album with a fresh and open mind when so much hope is attached to it, you're setting yourself up for a fall.

Very true...If this was Tool's debute album 99% of all Tool fans would find this album "absolutely fucking amazing," THEN say the same things about Untertow and Aenima as they do about 10,000 Days.

I didn't like downward spiral at first, but I didn't' dismiss it because I knew there was a chance I would like it if I just spent the time to absorb it, thus I TRIED to like it by listening to it, analyzing it and reading about it.

I could have dismissed 10k after the first listen, but because I knew it was tool, and knew what they are capable of, I TRIED to like the album by listening to it and hoping it would grow on me, which it didn't.

I believe the best art you have to put effort in to really appreciate

now FORCING yourself to like something is´not the same thing in my opinion,

that goes both ways

no shit?

.

none

I still dont think we are on the same page... you can try to understand something better, you can try to feel it out, try to cooperate with the demands of the artifact you are examining, but trying to like it? I would think that liking it depends on the way that you understand what you are examining. I'm no longer disagreeing with you because I do think we are saying the same thing.

i think this album fuckin sucks. you get no fakin from me

I listened to Lateralus the first time, and it just didn't do it for me. I wanted to like it though, and felt that I may be having difficulty understanding what was going on. So I listened to it again, and again, and again. Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake, but eventually I liked it, whereas I hadn't before. I counted that as: 1) not liking it; 2) trying to like it; followed by, 3) liking it.

This could easily be construed as just trying to understand it better, but the fact remains that I didn't like it at first. I may have disliked it because I didn't understand it, but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't like it.

The same went for much of 10,000 Days. I didn't like it at first, but considering my previous experience with Tool's albums, I kept listening (translation: trying) until I liked it.

I strongly agree with stinkfish that the best art requires effort to appreciate. Much of Tool's music serves as a great example, especially in the context of this thread. It takes time to even grasp some of Tool's songs considering their length, depth, and complexity. In contrast, pop songs can be immediately "catchy", understood, and sung along to on the first listen. That's why they don't last. They take no effort to understand. It took a long time to wrap my head around many of Tool's songs. In fact, I still hear things in Tool songs that I never heard before. It's worth the effort.

If this was Tool's debut we wouldn't ever see Undertow. Maybe Aenima, but the stylist progression has ultimately led to where they are now.

WRONG, if this was tool's debut album they would be a 1 hit wonder at best.

i dont think it sucks... i think it is their 5th best release not including salival cuz that is better

Not true. I dislike Undertow and 10,000 days equally. I can look at the music pretty objectively, and I don't understand why it's so hard to believe that people don't like the sound of this album. I'd of thought this thread would be common sense.

Different albums, different tastes. I have a hard time enjoying Undertow. Oh well.

undertow is raw, dogg. if u dont feel it, u aint no tool G, ya dig

some may know my stance on the album, some may not. after my first listen the stand out tracks imo are and still are, jambi - right in two - rosetta stoned. as a whole the album has grown on me after many many listen (none forced). that's the thing about tool that i like. on the surface this one may seem not so deep all around, but once you really delve into it you find layers upon layers you missed before.

vicarious was and still is my least listened to track, but i'm liking it more and more. i think after seeing live turned me around a bit, also less radio play is helping me enjoy and listen to all musically it has to give. they did a fine job imo on this one.

the pot didn't grab me right away neither, cuz' of the way the vocals started out. then i caught in the middle of the song on the radio one day and the music just blew me away. now it is one of my most played off 10kd. also killer live.

i wasn't one that has been trying to like this album. shit, for that matter if they (tool) did some country feel something i'd support it. it's just it caught me off gaurd a little i guess.

thank you

are you talking bout me roggs

Once and for all, can we not agree? That if you don't like it, you're not a jerk who didn't give it a chance and hates Tool. And that if you do like it, you're not a uber-Tool fan who wants to suck the sweat off Maynards nuts.

I don't like the album, I am still a big Tool fan.

The only thing worse than someone posting that the album sucks or that they hate it without giving any reasons, is the tool fan-boy people who bash anyone who doesn't think that it's(the album) the greatest thing in the world.

Who are you talking to?

agreed

I really disliked the record at first...

but then three months later, after a few intense listens...the decision finally came to me.

I hate it now.

thank you.

what the fuck are you trying to prove with a thread like this. who cares who likes or not.

Wow - I can't believe I didn't think of this and post it myself.

Who gives a fuck?! Like it? Great! Dont? Listen to Lateralus!

End of thread...

By the same token, I wonder what the fuck you are trying to prove with that post, seeing as how obviously no one cares.

obviously no one except you so it seems. ;)

How do you know?

Because I'm an arrogant bastard?

I slightly disagree too, but only because, if you really wanted to, you could force yourself to like or dislike anything.

I say we revolt and kick paraflux's ass outta here

Right... closed minded, that's me. And please show me where Ive put other members down, I'd like to see that. Outside the bin, of course, and not just a stupid one-liner about how someone got probed.

No, and I explained why. Of course, I should probably just put IMO in big fat letters in my signature, so that everyone will be reminded that this is indeed an opinion forum. You know, so that I dont get characterized by what I'm sure are great minds as "closed-minded."

Um, you're right, I should have just turned the other cheek. I need to like it when people provoke me.