A Perfect Circle
Thirteenth Step
Virgin Records, September 2003
Offensive words: 2 (f***)
Genre: alternative rock
A Perfect Song, a band taking the world by storm, releases their latest
album , The Thirteenth Step. Filled with a dark ambiance and
creepy tracks leaves you feeling a bit awkward after listening and
reading. The creepy style makes sense when you understand who is
in the band: Maynard James Keenan (lead singer of Tool), James Iha
(ex-guitarist for Smashing Pumpkins), Jeordie White (Twiggy from Marilyn
Manson) and two other new members. So mix the style of Tool,
Smashing Pumpkins and Marilyn Manson and you get what you
expect..something very unique and almost haunting. The album has
12 tracks but two of them are fillers and a waste of space,
"Lullaby" and "Crimes." I give them props for
creating what they wanted and not something a record industry can mass
produce. The sound with A Perfect Circle is unique and you will
either really like it or hate it (like me).
But what about lyrically...well the band mixes many messages of drugs, relationships and suicide to leave you with a very confused signal. The first cut on the cd, "The Package" and "Weak and Powerless" deals with the serious issue of addiction. I think the song can be interpreted to fit many types of addiction. The message is clear that addiction is a serious problem but offers no hope out of the addiction. Several songs are obviously showing the negative side of suicide but it is mixed with songs of helplessness at times. Some of the songs show the negative side of suicide but offers no help but the thought despair except in the song "Gravity." Some deal with the fact of friends not being there and the ignorance or avoidance of suicide like in "The Outsider." Songs with touches of suicide seem to be "The Noose," "Blue," "The Outsider" and "Gravity." Hopes of drug use is also a theme in "The Nurse Who Loved Me." Remember this is my interpretation so if you feel I am wrong let me know. The one positive note is the lack of harsh language. The band used only two f bombs in the cd. But simply due to the mixture of messages I pass on this cd with a "pg-13" rating.
"The Package"
Peripheral long the package
Don't care to settle in
Time to feed the monster
I don't need another friend
Comfort is a mystery
Crawling out of my own skin
Just give me what I came for, then I'm out the door again
Lie to get what I came for
Lie to get just what I need
Lie to get what I crave
Lie and smile to get what's mine
"Weak and Powerless"
Little angel go away
Come again some other day
Devil has my ear today
I'll never hear a word you say
He promised I would find a little solace
And some piece of mind
Whatever just as long as I don't feel so
Desperate and Ravenous
I'm so weak and powerless over you
Desperate and Ravenous
I'm so weak and powerless
over you
"The Noose"
So glad to see you well
Overcome and completely silent now
With heaven's help
You cast your demons out
And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you off your cloud
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're planning to go about
Making your amends to the dead
To the dead
"Blue"
Close my eyes just to look at you
Taken by the seamless vision
I close my eyes,
Ignore the smoke,
Ignore the smoke
Call it aftermath, she's turning blue
Such a lovely color for you
Call it aftermath, she's turning blue
While I just sit and stare at you
Because I don't want to know
I didn't want to know
I just didn't want to know
I just didn't want
"The Outsider"
You're lying to yourself again
Suicidal imbecile
Think about it, put it on the fault line
What'll it take to get it through to you precious
Over this. Why do you wanna throw it away like this
Such a mess. I don't want to watch you.
Disconnect and self destruct one bullet at a time
What's your rush now, everyone will have his day to die
Medicated, drama queen, picture perfect, numb belligerence
Narcissistic, drama queen, craving fame and all its decadence
"The Nurse Who Loved Me"
I'm taking her home with me all dressed in white
She's got everything I need some pills and a little cup
She's falling hard for me I can see it in her eyes
She acts just like a nurse with all the other guys
"Gravity"
I fell again
Like a baby unable to stand on my own
Tail in hand
Dizzy and clearly unable to just let this go
High and surrendering to the gravity and the unknown
Catch me heal me lift me back up to the sun
I choose to live, I choose to live, I choose to live
Catch me heal me lift me back up to the sun
Help me survive the bottom
Calm these hands before they
Snare another pill and
Drive another nail down another
Needy hole please release me