hm, well there's a thread in the socialize section about album of the year.......i find it crazy how tool has released a cd this year and people barely even mentioned 10000 days.....

not to say that it does or doesnt deserve the recognition, but it just FEELS like tool didnt even put out a record this year......ive seen them 5 times this year, and it just feeels weird i dunno...


i'm sure when lateralus came out every last person voted that album of the year (i think it definitely deserves it more than 10000 days does)...

at the same time, i think this cd is very under-rated and under-appreciated....maynard is older, yes, but he has spilt alot of emotion into this record.....


again, just wanted to post this to say that it doesnt even feel 10000 days got released this year and it feels that no one really digs it that much, and that's a shame...

it seems that way because this album didn't recieve as much mainstream presentation as lateralus did. i think the second video was pretty close to our by now. not to mention, and lot of the occasional listeners weren't aware of a new album. you'd be surprised how many people i see with an older tool shirt on, and i ask them what they think of the new album, only to get a response of "they have a new album?" or "It's not as good as lateralus". after all the hype and anticipation behind this album, everyone's forgot about it already. sad.

Keep in mind it's nearly physically impossible to put out a better album than Lateralus, so I think this album deserves way more credit than just "Vicarious" and "The Pot."

yeah, i have a similar feeling as well.

Lateralus went through 2001 with a lot more attention, yes?

Hmm, that's odd, because that was actually done in 1996 when they released Ænima...

It's ok, everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'm just kidding. I think Ænima is better, you think Lateralus is...I think we can live with that.

I do think 10,000 Days is the best album of the year though, by far. Nothing else has even come close.

10k is the best album ever alongside Lateralus and Aenima. I don't give a fuck if people just don't get it. I do

I get it, I just don't care much for it.

10,000 days is the album of the year for me.

agree with you

10,000 Days exhibits Tool at their extreme highs and extreme lows, and is the most interesting and bizarre album they've done yet, imo. The self-parodying blended with musical masturbation, soaring, aching crescendos, exhilirating grooves, and constant shifts are, to me, a real desperate mindfuck. This album is the opposite of Lateralus; while Lateralus was like a machine learning how to feel, 10,000 days is simply human; full of flaws, bearing a great range of extreme emotion like rage, sorrow, self-pity, light-hearted laughter, self-loathing, pure bliss, whining, and total apathy, often all at once; at times sloppy and at times composed of seemingly inseperable components, with as many meanings as a person has thoughts at once (every song is so direct yet brilliantly metaphorical and full of different meanings and fickleness), and held together only by this incredibly organic beingness. It's overall the most complex (extremely technically complex, but astoundingly human) piece of art I've ever known. Sometimes I loath it, and sometimes it leaves me in bliss, but I am always fascinated by it. Album of the year? Hell yeah, because no other album this year has left me as confused, intrigued, or horrified as this one has. When I listen to it, I do more than break down and analyze every second of it's nakedness; I get so absorbed in it that time and I seperate, and I'm left to be filled with disgust, pity, awe, and desperation -- almost as if I'm listening to my own reflection.

best 10000 days review ever.


i agree, i just listened to it in its entirety while drawing just now....its so bizarre as you said, but in a great way......it shouldnt be compared to the other albums because well every cd is unique in its own beautiful way......it's like comparing your children saying one is better than the other.....


the song 10000 days, seriously, is so fuckin amazing....i cant even find words to describe it......"emotional", "sad", etc etc.......but these words dont do it justice.......it is an epic, so much so that i bet maynard wishes he never had to be part of such an epic, but he was seemingly forced to do so with the death of his mother.....



btw, anyone else think intention is like, mindblowing???

what an intepretation.... im impressed

It's cool that there are those of you that think 10,000 Days is their album of the year. It may very well be for you. However, I do suggest you broaden your musical horizons slightly if you think this is actually the album of the year 'by far'.

This really is an above average release. It's better than most albums released this year, definately. But, the songs are clunky, sluggish and awkward. As a body of work, it doesn't flow that well. As Tool fans, I'm sure you think it's brilliant. But I'd imagine the majority of songwriters (that listen to more than just Tool) will release the craft on 10,000 Days isn't all it's cracked up to be. With the exception of Wings For Marie / 10K Days, there's nothing on the new album that excites me, inspires me, leaves me in awe. Lateralus and Aenima do that, because I struggle to comprehend how anyone can write such cohesive beauty when I listen to those releases. 10K Days never leaves me with that feeling, at all.

There are several albums released this year that do leave me with that feel - the feeling off 'How the hell did they write that? How the hell did they concieve THAT?'

For the record, I don't find Intension mindblowing, because there's an awful lot better electronic music around. An awful lot. It may be mindblowing in the context of Tool not doing electronic music, and it may be mindblowing in the context of someone that doesnt know alot of electronic music, but taken as a piece on it's own, it's nothing special.

I love Tool, but the whole "10000 days" thing is a little bit disappointing. First of all the album. It is truly great taking it song by song, but as an overall something is missing, this flow which they always talk about. Secondly the whole secrecy Tool keeps doing makes me a liittle bit angry now. Finally we want to know a little bit, and Tool should pay attention to us if they want to have them (stiil I am their eager fan:)). Due to this whole secrecy we don't even know what is happening with the video, which is a little bit disappointing and unresonable from the economic point of view cause such a video would surely attract new fans. And finally concerts great but not mystical as they used to be during Lateralus tour. I would prefer less concerts but longer and "with a message" as before. Seems like the times of "Lateralus" will never be back, although I still have a little bit of hope, that another cd will sursprise us and give us the tour of our dreams. Enough of my conlusions.

i see your points....

however, i do have a broad music taste, and i still think 10000 days deserves at least a nod for album of the year...

obviously not as "inspiring" as aenima and lateralus, but it still holds his own.....

did you ever think that maybe their super creative days are over?? they arent agnst ridden teens anymore who like to do lots of drugs and shit.......i think all 4 of them have grown up and realized what's important in their lives, and, apparently, to maynard this time around that meant getting a little vulnerable and attempting to heal himself....


as for intention, sure, its not fuckin pushit, or h, or grudge, but i think it has just as much power........everything just seems to "click" when i listen to intention, move by will alone.......just makes so much sense to me............i could not have said it any better than how maynard so simply put it....


edit : this coming from me, who loves bands like fear factory, meshuggah, etc etc.......i love heavy, brutal songs that show no mercy..........but, at the same time, i can be in love with a song like intention......


PS - DISPOSITION kicks everythings ass

the album DEFINITELY has flow issues, no doubt about it........vicarious could possibly be the worse way to open up a cd EVER........it would be much better toward the end......

I just hate that "you like 10k because you don't listen to enough music" attitude... I really do because you are taking for granted we are a bunch of fanboys that will swallow no matter what Tool releases and consider it a masterpiece no matter what. Personally I listen to a ridiculous amount of music EVERY FUCKING DAY and I could name you a really long list of awesome albums I've listened to this year (I won't though, I don't have that much time to waste). I just hate that "I'll show you the light" attitude. We all have access to the same amount of music with the Internet so that "I know/like lesser known groups than you, stupid Tool fanboy who won't listen to anything but Tool" is just plain stupid and useless. It's fine if you don't like the album but please: DO NOT PREACH US

DRT kicks everythings ass.

I personally enjoyed reflection out of all three...but cohesively it's as if spiritual awareness is achieved at the end.

I'll go so far as to say I have a pretty broad range of taste in music. Are you familiar with the works of Andres Segovia, William Basinski, Autechre, Seven Ark, Miocene, Kid Spatula, Richard Chartier, 4g, Kid606, Secret Chiefs 3, LFO, Lull, Scorn, Napalm Death, Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Pan Sonic, Oval, Aube, Analogre, Masonna, Wolf Eyes, Xenakis, Fantomas, Black Dice, Amon Tobin, Boris, cLOUDDEAD, Skanfrom, Merzbow, Venetian Snares, or AFX? If you are, of course you know these bands aren't exactly mainstream, and I'm thrilled to meet a fellow fan. Maybe I can actually check my mp3 player and list every last artist I listen to, and can rethink the suggestion, maybe get off your high horse. The fact that you dislike the new album and you don't act like you listen to mainstream music doesn't mean people who do like the new album have their heads up their asses and don't know how to find the real gems. At least point out one album released this year that you consider to be better, because Amputechture, In the Absence of Truth, and Hello Everything are garbage, and nothing else I'm actively interested in has released anything this year. There is only a small correlation between popularity and quality. A lot of well-known bands rock, and a lot of well-known bands suck, and its the same for the obscure ones.

Sheer brilliance! Very well said.

I'm not preaching. You can do what the hell you like, I don't give a fuck, and I know you don't give a fuck that I don't give a fuck! I'm just pointing out that many of you are eulogising over a pretty average album. Don't all debates require balance?

If you listen to plenty of music, then my post wasn't aimed at you. If you can't see 10K Days is a 'pretty good' album and nothing more, then that's cool too. If you think 10K Days is the pinnacle of music this year, then that's cool too, but it's a shame. If that's the case, it's been a bad year.

My post had nothing to do with whether a band is popular or obscure. I also didnt say I disliked the album, why does 'This album isnt the best this year' have to be synonymous with 'I dislike this album.'?

Listing albums I think beat 10K Days is pointless because any of you can refute whatever I suggest, and you're perfectly entitled to do so, I'm just suggesting that perhaps 10K Days isn't that great an album in the scheme of things (or the in discography of Tool).

But I will give a few suggestions of my personal favourites this year anyway.

Hello Everything would definately be up there, I'm sorry you don't like it. It's far more inspiring for me than 10K Days.

Love and Other Planets, by Adem, is an incredible piece of, supposedly, 'nu-folk'. I hate the term, but I know where it's coming from. If you like acoustic or folk music, this is a great one to have. Actually, regardless of what you like, you should hear this one.

Also, Death of a Dead Day (perhaps with the exception of Bland Street Bloom) by Sikth is also up there, it's a really thrilling album, high octane for an hour. 'As The Earth Spins' has one of the most groovy outro riffs I've heard recently.

Synchestra by Devin Townsend is also an incredible album. Prog metal without the need to bloat everything the way Tool do on 10K Days.

Youth, by Matisyahu, was another great release, quite an important one aswell imo, the image of modern youth culture is getting tarnished at the moment, and a positive message about tradition and culture isn't seen enough in music recently.

Ten Silver Drops by The Secret Machines is another good one, something quite sincere about it. It's kind of indie rock with abit of prog in there (long songs and extended structures).

Yes, Virginia by The Dresden Dolls is another incredible release, along with Broken Boy Soldiers by The Racontuers (what a fricking debut!)

The Warning by Hot Chip is probably my favourite electronica release of the year.

Bande á Part by Nouvelle Vague is also another fantastic release. They take 80 post-punk songs and cover them in a Bosa-Nova meet French-folk style. Delicate and beautiful.

Personally, I think these albums top 10K Days. I was disappointed with 10K Days and I know many other people were. These albums, in my opinion, are fresher sounding, original yet sincere, and in many cases I think the song writing is, in general (and I stress in general), better, more intriguing, than 10K Days.

Thought you weren't going to list albums?

Edit: let me add an LOL, because that was completely harmless.

I didn't say I wasn't going to, I just stated I felt it was abit pointless. As pointless as the list of bands Confield mentioned to prove he liked aload of bands. But since I was asked to do so, I thought I would suggest a few albums people may like to hear.

wow...I was hoping to "expand my musical horizons" ...I checked out the above listed band/albums (had only heard of one) ...uh, wow. Well, I guess I was right all along. My personal "horizons" are already well rounded indeed. I can agree these are "a few albums people might like to hear." but to say these top 10k days is down right mind-boggling, if not a bad joke. IMHO a year that sees a tool release is a blessed year for that reason alone.
TOOL RELEASE=ALBUM OF THE YEAR=UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR!!
now, this isn't just lip-smacking-ass-mumbling...it's just a law of nature; a constant observed over time, with an understanding eye.(ear!)
Peace.

So let me get this straight:

If you listen to lots of music and you think 10,000 Days is the album of the year, cool. If you don't listen to much music and you think 10,000 Days is the album of the year, then you're a dipshit. Gotcha.

I do think that some people seem to not really explore music or have narrow preferences, but whatever. That doesn't make their opinion any less valid. You can check out my album of the year post if you'd like.

PS. I really hate how people (including you) are implying left and right that you can have your own opinion about 10,000 Days, but the "correct" one is to think it isn't special. I'll be honest, when Lateralus came out, I didn't like it much. I bought it on the first day it came out, and it didn't really hit me. I was all about Ænima at the time, and it didn't do much for me. But gradually, it grew on me, and now I love it. I hope that happens with people and 10,000 Days. I wonder how many people are doing with 10kd what I did with Lateralus.

yeh... i heard someone up there say amputecture was shite... nd i find it a real shame that you dont see what i see in it... cuz seriously, thats the only album iv heard in a long time that comes close to lateralus or undertow for me...

whatever your opinion of it, and i respect if you dont like it, it is NOT garbage... cuz the music has something thats always going to make it 'good', even if it doesnt apeal to you.

for me, thats about all that beats 10k days... oh, and themata!!! ha! how did i almost forget!?? you have yo understand here, that lateralus was an utter shock for me... and i never beleived i could hear anything even remotely aproaching it... untill i heard themata... so, wile 10k days is a damn fine album, its not the album of my year

Mmm. There are so many insightful people commenting in this thread that it hardly seems worth my while to do the same. (I really loved your ideas about 10KD, Cornfield.)

But almost everyone else seems to be a long time Tool fan who was anticipating 10KD and was either excited or disappointed. But it is different for me.

I became a Tool fan THROUGH 10,000 days.

I had never heard of them before. I walked into a store one day and, on impulse, bought the album. The guy handed me that cool little book and I KNEW it was something special. I meet Tool through 10,000 days. So for ME it is the album of the decade! Without 10,000 days I would never have heard Lateralus or aenima and I can only imagine how boring life would have been.

And now my whole family is going to see them live in Sydney. We are so excited!!!!

Album of the year - definitely!

Hey, come on now hushypushy. It's fine if you want to call 10K Days your album of the year. A topic like this is either entirely based on opinion, or based on a specific criteria we would need to agree on and debate about.

For a start, you are entitled to your opinion. You know that, I know that, and I don't wish to challenge that.

If 10K Days is the best album you've heard, that's cool. If you ('you' colloquial, not 'you' personal) then state it as the best album out of all the albums released this year, then there's something wrong with that, because you're then suggesting that your idea of album of the year, which is personal taste, subjective, is better than any other attempt made this year, and this is where I think I'm allowed to debate about that.

It then becomes a matter of discussing criteria outside of the subjective that makes something better than the other. That's what I stated in my first post; 10K Days doesn't inspire me as much as other albums I've heard this year, it doesn't make as poignant or important a cultural statement as other albums I've heard this year (maybe it doesn't have to, but again, I'm not stating absolutes here, just suggesting certain ideas you could judge a body of work by), it doesn't have the best songwriting craft I've heard this year - if it's possible to dislike something yet remain open minded about the authenticity of its intension, it should also be equally possible to like something but be honest about its fallacies.

and Black holes and revelations by muse at second

IMO

awesome!! you have no idea what you're in store for when you see them live!!

how are your seats??

I would consider 10,000 Days to be the best album that I bought this year. I didn't listen to everything out there, but what I did listen to I felt that it was the best and possessed longer lasting appeal.

Some CDs I bought were just not that great, Amputechture by the Mars Volta is taking me a lot longer to digest than I thought it would. RHCP's Stadium Arcadium I found to be horrifically dull. Audioslave's Revelations just plain blew. But there were some great albums, I liked the Arctic Monkeys CD, the new Deftones, Pearl Jam, Muse, Boy Hits Car, and Wolfmother all put out great CDs in my opinion. But that's my opinon.

Is it better than Lateralus? No. Is it better than Aenima? Nope. But it's better than most of the stuff that came out this year.

I find it kinda stupid how people often use superlatives that aren't even that great if you really think about it. The best album of the year. What kind of price is that? That's not even an honor, it doesn't show very much IMO. 10,000 Days is a mention in time, music only Tool releases, because Tool aren't your one year band. Tool are something memorable and this album took five years. It's a masterpiece in my opinion and it deserves even more credit than just saying it's the best album of the year. That doesn't mean it's without a doubt - and without even listening to other bands' albums of this year - better than some of those, it's strange, but I always feel that this is something very stupid to say. If you look back to something like Dark Side Of The Moon, you wouldn't say "I think it was the best album of '73, back then." :P

Maybe I just feel this way because those years (especially 2005 - 2006) went over way to fast (anybody feel the same way?).

Definately 2006 has been the fastest year I've ever experience, it seems like only last week when I was celebrating xmas and new year, and we're on the cusp of another one already.

Yea...could you imagine "The Pot" opening the album...that would be PERFECT

[QUOTE=Hannibal;1541956]

Some CDs I bought were just not that great, Amputechture by the Mars Volta is taking me a lot longer to digest than I thought it would. RHCP's Stadium Arcadium I found to be horrifically dull. Audioslave's Revelations just plain blew. But there were some great albums, I liked the Arctic Monkeys CD, the new Deftones, Pearl Jam, Muse, Boy Hits Car, and Wolfmother all put out great CDs in my opinion. But that's my opinon. .[/is QUOTE]

Try the Raconteurs...Jack White's new band...its hot shit

Ok, I feel you man. This feels like we're back in the "10kd has clipping" threads again, because in those threads I got so much "this album sounds like shit" over and over and over again, and the only response I can muster is "sorry man, that sucks for you. Everything is great on my side." So if 10,000 Days doesn't inspire you as much as some other album, well, alright. Nothing I can do about that.

This album still rocks me. Seeing the entire album (sans wings) live was fantastic. I still sing these songs in the shower. I love this album.

And I am honest about this album. It bugs me (probably you too) when people make a claim like "Pink Floyd is the greatest band ever, the saviors of rock, greatest greatest greatest" or "everything Tool makes is perfect". It seems like fanboy gibberish to me. I love 10,000 Days, and you know that I'm one to nitpick at its flaws. I think WFM Part 1 is the worst song Tool has ever written. I think the album has overly compressed range. I hate Viginti Tres.

See, I think WFM is the worst Tool song not because it's a bad song. I just can't think of any songs that they've made that are worse. Same with this album of the year stuff. I can't think of any better albums/tours that have come out this year. Although, Claypool's new album/tour kicked ass too, so I might have to take back that "by far" statement.

Anyway, I think was just incensed by the general "you should listen to more music" claim. I listen to a fuckload of different types of music (from jazz to death metal to classical to prog to funk to alternative, you name it) and I think 10,000 Days is the best album of the year. Someone who's only listened to five albums this year and thinks 10kd is the best still has a valid opinion. You needn't be a professional to have an opinion. Otherwise, the only people making album of the year judgements would be the people like David Fricke while the rest of us sit idlely, not trusting our own feelings.

For the record, before you think I'm a dipshit, I completely understand your point about the distinction between "favorite" and "best". And all I really have to say to that are three words: Danny and Justin.

Couldn't agree more. For the record, I think headphones nearly kill the 10,000 Days listening experience, while it's very much the other way around with Aenima and Lateralus.

anything other than vicarious would be perfect, except maybe right in two....

jambi would be great, but it sounds kinda like grudge...
wings would be insane, but eh, i think they shoulda ended it with this...
pot would actually be really different and cool way to open....
lk/rosetta would, in my opinion, be the best opener...
intention, no way
right in two, nope