I have mused about Tool's music and wanted to share some observations, for whatever they are worth:
I have identified three elements that seem very much to define the band beyond the usual - rhythmic variation, extending the definition of sound as music, and the energetic quality of the music. This is mostly pertaining to the music itself, even though it is not fully separate from the lyrics or choice of topic.
Tool introduces many interesting and intricate variations on rhythm patterns, but there are times when these rhythmic patterns actually become so dominant in a song that they lessen it, not enhance it. Example I am thinking of here are "Jambi" and "Lateralus". Their titles already seem to mark them as "brainbirths", as they both derive from rhythmic and mathematical patterns to a certain degree. This is mental body territory, as the mental body contains a tendency to apply an idea over and over again and take it to extremes.
"Lateralus" seems stuck together for that reason that it is dominated by an idea. This is not meant to dispute the quality of the composition, but the song itself does for me not measure up to others from the same albums. It is an interesting intellectual exercise, and in Kurt's terms would exemplify the "Thinking Mind composer", deriving from the sixth chakra or the mental body. The exact classification would be "Middle 6 Formalist", as the intellectual form of the song is dominant.
Oppose this with "Third Eye", which is essentially an "Upper 6 Visionary" piece, not only by name but also by energetic and musical feel. All the musical elements of Tool's style are strongly present within the song without anyone dominating so much to disrupt the flow of the song itself. It employs innovative use of sound and rhythm, but the quality is different, at times raw, but breathing and very alive.
Both songs can be fun but are not of the same quality.
"Jambi" actually starts with an effective demonstration of two different styles of composition opposed to each other. The initial intricate rhythmic variation might garner some interest, but it is basically relegated to the background the very minute the bass player introduces a melodic element. The rhythmic element moves to the background and is rendered irrelevant in comparison. You could take it away and in my opinion not lose much at this point, it remains disconnected.
Notice, how every time the bass player can chose to add and enhance in Jambi to the places where he is (mostly?) absent. This also shows a musical and compositional talent beyond the actual skill in playing the instrument. Even though the rhythm section present with guitar and drums is strongly present, the bass sets all the accents that make the piece, essentially saving it from being overtaken too much by the rhythm. The piece shines every time whenever it is taken away from the original rhythmic idea, too.
The quality of unclean and unusual sounds as part of the musical experiences can be seen for example in "Third Eye" (extensive use of distortion and feedback), "Parabol" (reverberation and a chanting-like effect), "Lost Keys" (bell-like clean feedback), "Rosetta Stoned" (dirty feedback) or for example "Viginti Tres" (studio effect variations). Here the quality of the sound itself adds an enchanting or enticing element. It is not just a gimmick (think: Rage Against the Machine solos, and hey, I like them), but a means to a specific end that is part of the whole experience.
I have to admit that the sound variations in some pieces for me form a huge attraction to Tool and also an element that makes them largely unique. We've come a long way since Jimi Hendrix' "Third Stone from the Sun", and experiment is not only an art unto itself, but becomes part of the composition (which is much harder to do than just fooling around with sound).
The final quality I want to discuss is the ebb and flow present in Tool's songs. It is a quality that makes music "breathe in and out", moving along a natural pattern of variation of intensity. Kurt's classification of this associates it with the seventh chakra, and this would make it possibly also the domain of the causal body or soul. This is not present in all Tool music, but it shades in and out and makes their best pieces.
It also gives the music its energetic impact. This makes "Reflection", "Triad", "Third Eye" or "10,000 Days (Wings for Marie Pt. 2)" so powerful. They accumulate and disperse energetic intensity in ways that seem just right in themselves. It isn't hard to tell these are my favorites as they stand out so much even among the opus of this band. They're also truly together as a unit on these, everybody adds to the whole.
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