Maynard's vocals are definantly the most raw and intense on undertow, but I've always thought that the vocals on aenima were Maynard's best work. In aenima Maynard is able to use both the intensity of undertow, yet he also displays his softer, more beautiful side to his voice. Aenima is my fav because it shows the full spectrum of his vocal capabilities,
This album is the reason I fell in love with tool. So unbelievably raw and lyrically I think this was his best. Mostly because it all seems so 'from the gut'. I love Aenima too but I got a little worried because it became very literal and intellectualized...and that fear came to fruition on Lateralus. Now understand, this all seems a little (maybe a lot) petty given that Aenima and Lateralus are total classics...head and shoulders above almost anything else out there. But if I'm in the mood for checking out a tool CD my choosing order goes 1-Undertow 2-Opiate 3-Aenima 4-Lateralus 5-Salival. It's a natural thing to me. Sometimes it's hard to move beyond that first mind-blowing lovely moment, like in a relationship how people change and you just find yourself wanting to reach back to what they were before life affected them. Unlike a relationship with a person...I have the ability to throw on Undertow or Opiate anytime I want.....ahhhhh
I just discovered why I love this album so much earlier in the week. No reason why, it just hit me as I listened to Intolerance that this album is really good. Not better then Aenema and Lateralus, but certainly good for what it is.
His vocals on every albums are great, but when you listen to something like Lateralus, and then Undertow, you can see how much he has grown. Lateralus by far has my favorite vocals from him.
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Re: maynard's undertow vocals
his vocals on undertow were extremely intense. seeing him do this stuff live back in 93, 94, he just sang with malicious intent. ive never seen anyone sing with such intensity in any form of music.
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Undertow is surely good-man Maynard's best work. The range of emotions coming through his voice is astounding. Sober is the masterpiece from Tool, from both a vocal standpoint and of course a instrumental standpoint. I think it was the best song of the decade. And I contend that the band itself does not realize it's importance, looking at where they are now. This song and the album should be viewed by Tool as the blueprint, like Led Zeppelin did with Led Zeppelin II. Their groundbreaking work after that album was inspired but retained their distinct "sound." Tool, like many others, think that behind reinvention lies the mark of progress. Listening to Undertow, you can hear who Maynard is because his voice, for the most part, is unaltered. But now he sounds like he is singing through a kazoo, a trick lesser vocalists use today to 'improve' their voices. Maynard does not need such augments.
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I was just about to start this same thread actually, Listening to the last half of swamp song and undertow, it hit me. I could definitely be wrong, but the notes seem way higher on this album than any other. Don't get me wrong though, he's still got it.
its got to be aenima for me. and for some reason i think of pushit when i think which song on the album is the best vocally, but maybe thats just the shear power of the song.
the top sonf vocally for me however it The Patient. sounds like he is truly mourning.
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In undertow, you can clearly tell that Maynard's voice was "younger." I really appreciate that the older Maynard gets, how his voice is maturing and keeps getting better. For those of you that think his voice is going down the drain, listen to "Rev 22:20" and "The Undertaker" by Puscifer. Maynard is awesome, and I think these are some of his best vocals yet. His talent truly expands the longer he stays in the business.
His voice shows the absolute best in Lateralus, however 10k, there are some unbelievably challenging lyrics in The Pot and Vicarious especially. However, Lateralus (song) is unbelieveable and wouldn't have been near as good if someone else was singing them.
Undertow is desirably raw, which is why its my favorite Tool CD, but no where near Maynards best. He's just like wine I guess.
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Re: maynard's undertow vocals
I have recently gotten into the Tool bootleg thang and i can say by far, as far as the live shows go, the undertow era has the best vocals to me. Hes hitting all the ranges with gusto and belting out shit thats just raw and theres something about hearing a good recording from a small club where they just play with reckless abandon i.e 7-5-94. Check that out if you can find it, i cant tell you where tho.
98 was a good year for live bootlegs as well.
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I like to think for every Tool album, Maynard's vocals are representative of a drug, weed for Opiate, meth for Undertow, acid for Aenima, ecstasy for Lateralus and jenkem for 10,000 days.
I like to think for every Tool album, Maynard's vocals are representative of a drug, weed for Opiate, meth for Undertow, acid for Aenima, ecstasy for Lateralus and jenkem for 10,000 days.
ya, id prob say some opiates for opiate. lol
some stronger psychedelic than ecstasy, for lateralus.
