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обзор от Rolling Stone
отсюда: http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/299856/thirteenth_step
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A Perfect Circle are that rare supergroup: A collective of veteran musicians that actually adds up to more, not less, than the sum of its parts -- in this case, Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan, former Nine Inch Nails roadie Billy Howerdel, session drumming ace Josh Freese and former Marilyn Manson bassist Jeordie White, a.k.a. Twiggy Ramirez. The band's second album, Thirteenth Step, sounds more like the dusky thrum of Disintegration-era Cure than it does any of the members' previous bands. A vague concept album about recovering from recovery or something, Thirteenth Step doesn't bludgeon listeners into submission -- it lulls them with droning guitars, dub-deep bass and simmering vocals. The anticipated shit hammer of thundering guitars doesn't drop until the end of the slow-burning opener, "The Package." Standard chugging metal rhythms appear late in the album, and only for two tracks. The disc's centerpiece is the arch "The Nurse Who Loved Me," a baroque pop number that would make a great comeback single for someone like Nancy Sinatra -- if she were huffing ether. "Clever got me this far," intones Keenan on "The Package." By the end of Thirteenth Step, it's gotten him even further.
ROBERT CHERRY (RS 932, October 2, 2003)
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обзор от SputnikMusic
отсюда: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=54
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I was first introduced to A Perfect Circle through their cover album Emotive, which I borrowed from a friend. Thankfully I did not pay one cent for it, as it possesses the same musical integrity as urinating in a Pepsi bottle and throwing it at a basement wall. However, after hearing singles The Outsider and Judith I became more familiar with the band in their glory days and I was compelled to purchase their first two albums. Their second effort, Thirteenth Step, would go on to become one of my favourite albums of all time, and one of few that I could listen to for years on end without tiring.
At first I was thrown a little by the title, which seemed like one of the generic meaningless titles assigned to alt-rock albums at random. However, once I caught on to the addiction and recovery concept that runs through the album, I understood the title for what it means. The songs to follow are all excellent and all contribute to the central story or meaning of the album. Although I am not a die-hard fan of A Perfect Circle and do not know the exact stories behind many of Maynard's lyrics, I could draw enough from them that I gained a deep appreciation for the bands songwriting.

A Perfect Circle was (is?):
Maynard James Keenan- Lead Vocals
Billy Howerdel- Guitar and Vocals
James Iha- Guitar
Jeordie White- Bass
Josh Freese- Drums


The first stage of alcoholism is denail, and that seems to be what we're greeted with on the opening track, THE PACKAGE. Over in 7 minutes in length, its the album's longest and almost overstays its welcome. The song brings in with light guitar and a rim beat, then Jeordie enters with a smooth bass line. Maynards vocals are dark and hollow, "Eye on what I'm after, I don't need another friend". Then, halfway through the song the guitar cuts into a heavy riff as Maynard utters "Mine!" under the music. A powerful start to an equally epic album.

Next comes the huge radio single WEAK AND POWERLESS, which does kind of live up to its name. The song is clearly about addiction, in which the narrator now admits to their problem and how it affects them. Not one of the abums strongest songs, its never really captivated my interest in the same way as most other tracks. However, although not very dynamic or powerful, it still conveys a bleakness that makes it a worthwhile track, and makes for an obvious single. I only really feel the need to skip it when desperate to hear the next track, likely my favourite on the album.

THE NOOSE always seemed out of place to me, such a strong and impactful track would have done well as the album's closer. The song seems to be written about someone who has recovered from an addiction or illness, but then becomes overly righteous. I like dedicating it to my ex-anorexic girlfriend who recently left me. The song has an almost ambient feel at the beginning, with a soft piano chord which is joined by light but innovative drums, guitar, bass and vocals. Much like The Package, it builds and climaxes near the end of the track, however the end result is a beautiful cascade of some of the most emotionally powerful strings I've ever heard. Maynard's final line, "Your halo's slipping down to choke you now" echoes long after the song to haunt the listener for hours to folow.

Then comes BLUE, another radio single. This song has a little more 'pop appeal' to it with a more upbeat guitar and vocals. However, it is still an excellent track and a nice break from some of the bleakness found on the album. The song sounds like an ex-girlfriend revenge fantasy, particularily the chorus in which Maynard sings about her 'turning blue', possibly from strangulation? An enjoyable, livelier track.

VANISHING took a little while to grow on me, as it isn't a vocally driven track nor does it have solic catchy instrumentals. However, the song is enjoyable for its raw power and emotion. The music sounds like a dark ambience laced with guitar and steady ride cymbal. I'm not sure what to make about deeper lyrical meanings, so I won't try. Next we have A STRANGER, an acoustic song with Maynard's superb singing cast under the spotlight. The song is about the narrator's/Maynard's views on God and how he doesn't feel that God cares about him or is relevant to his life (a sentiment that I have found in several addicts). The single guitar notes are met with strings and light strummming that layer the song nicely. Got to respect any band that can make a drum-free song still sound somewhat like it has balls.

And enter THE OUTSIDER, the song that truly drew me towards this band. One of their angrier songs, it most defenitly is of the anti-ex-girlfriend theme. The song is about a girl described by Maynard as a 'narcissistic drama queen' whose self destructive nature damages those around her. The music stays true to the bands alt-rock format, the guitar only really thickens on the second verse for a few moments. Much of the volume is conveyed through Josh's creative yet consistent drumwork. However, the lyrics are bitter and vitriolic from start to finish, making for a dark driving song that sounds great when up late at night.

Then we come to the first of two semi-instrumentals; CRIMES is dismissed by many as pure filler. However, the throbbing drum beat and soft background guitar makes for an enjoyable track musically. While the only words are Maynard's counting in the background, the light effect paints a colourful result of a person who has lost all respect for society and laws.

The next one really caught me off guard at first. A cover track done originally by the band Failure, THE NURSE WHO LOVED ME is a mellow, disney like tune that utilizes very little instrumentals, no drums and choir-like bakcup vocals. The happy yet childlike song is almost laughable at times, however it works well ironically as the 'nurse' being pined over is clearly a metaphor for a drug, representing the narrator's need-driven ambitions.

After the last track closes on an airy, peaceful note, PET slaps the listener in the face with its heavy guitars, bass and drums. The albums loudest and perhaps moodiest, the lyrics take a political swing, which is vastly different from the rest of the album. "Don't fret precious I'm here", sings Maynard, "Step away from the window. Go back to sleep." On the surface we hear a father consoling his son and his nightime fears, but this is but a metaphor for the American government and its way of assuring the blind American citizen that they can be trusted with their lives. Satirical rock at its finest, with some catchy and edgy guitars to boot. Next comes LULLABY, another largely instrumental track which serves as almost an outro to Pet. The music is even simpler this time, with a female voice singing "Na-na-na-na-na-na' in the background over faint drumming. While not a stand out track in itself by any means, it works well as an aftertought to Pet and as a way to set up the listener for the finale.

GRAVITY is one of the most beautifully optimistic tracks ever the conclude a concept album. Musically, it recalls The Package, which brings the album around to a full circle (no pun intended). However, the vocals on the chorus are the best on the album, shining brighty across the musical landscape; "Catch me, heal me, lift me up to the sun, I choose to live". The song has an uplifting feel despite the title, and lets the listener know that everything turns out well in the end. I truly believe that this song could prevent half of all suicides if only played at the right moment.

The thirteenth step as we know it, and as this album illustrates, is to love onself. The theme of self embrace and acceptance echoes through this album as resoundly as any instrument, and makes it one of the most beatiful anf powerful works of art to ever make it onto a disc. I would recommend this album to anyone who has ever had a rough day, or just anyone with a throurough enjoyment of powerfully transcendant music.

Stand-out Tracks: The Noose, The Outsider, Pet, Gravity
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обзор от AllMusic
отсюда:http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=CASS80305141741&sql=Apsxvad5kq8wo
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Three years after the release of its debut Mer de Noms, A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step sees the light of day. By that time, Troy van Leeuwen and Paz Lenchantin had left and been replaced by bassist Jeordie Osborne White, formerly of Marilyn Manson, and guitarist James Iha, formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins (though he doe not appear on the album). While van Leeuwen appear on part of the set, guitarist Danny Lohner helped out after he departed. Amazingly, despite the changes, the sound is still very much the creation of Billy Howerdel with the unmistakable vocal of Maynard Keenan from Tool. Produced by Howerdel and mixed by the inimitable Andy Wallace, Thirteenth Step is a moodier, tenser, and more atmospheric (if that is possible) recording than its predecessor. Written mostly by Howerdel and Keenan, the songs traverse a particular associated with surrender, loss, having the nature of a person stripped away, and turning in the twilight of those feelings toward a kind of slow transformation into something that can only be called "other." There are no easy outs and no easy answers, only hard questions throughout "Weak and Powerless," where surrender is necessary but far from desired. The title bitingly refers to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, but this is not your average recovery outing. Tracks like "Blue," "Vanishing," and "Lullaby" (one of two tracks featuring the amazing Jarboe on vocals) feature a kind of barely restrained menace caught in a trap by rock & roll vulnerability. The wide dynamic swathes that were so prominent on the band's debut are all but absent here. The squalling guitars have taken a backseat to carefully crafted melodies where atmospherics are maximized and pulled taut over the listener. While not a radical departure from Mer de Noms, there is a real progression here. However, the explosive, heavier-than-heavy rock-ism of A Perfect Circle is so well known for it is readily evidenced on cuts such as "The Outsider" and "Pet." As moods shapeshift from the sepia-toned murk of "The Package" and "The Noose," the over the top hard rock to the Baroquely scaled "The Nurse Who Loved Me" and "Gravity," with its beautiful guitar effects and crystalline bassline, the listener becomes aware of just how much water has traveled under A Perfect Circle's bridge. The Thirteenth Step is the sound of a musical and lyrical maturity that normally doesn't occur until a band's third or fourth albums. Lyrically, musically, sonically, the Thirteenth Step is proof positive that mainstream rock has plenty of life and vision left in it.
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обзор от Drowned in Sound
отсюда: http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/8668.html
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Despite having lost two members from their original line up, quality of musicianship isn’t an issue on A Perfect Circle’s second outing. It must be great having a Rolodex like Billy Howerdel’s.

While retaining the services of drumming god Josh Freese, and Tool’s singer, Maynard James Keenan, APC managed to bag the Smashing Pumpkin’s former axeman, James Iha, and Marilyn Manson’s bassist, Jeordie (Twiggy Ramirez) White after losing Troy Van Leeuwen and Paz Lenchantin at those positions respectively. What you have with APCv2 is the makings of a supergroup, but can these guys play together?

Thirteenth Step is better than APC’s debut Mer De Noms thanks to a couple of changes. The sound is crisper, the band sounds tighter; and White’s bass is more of a driving force than Lenchantin’s ever was; he’s the engine room on several tracks, particularly 'The Package ' and 'Pet'. However, fans of the first album will be glad to know APC have also managed to keep what worked the last time – Howerdel’s ear for haunting melodies is still as strong as ever, and because of this, Keenan gets to showcase his amazing voice throughout the album.

APC’s sound is hard to pin down. Howerdel started this band several years ago after working as a guitar technician for everyone from Tool to The Smashing Pumpkins to Nine Inch Nails. While you couldn’t call APC’s music metal or industrial, it matches the dark tone of all of the aforementioned bands. Perhaps the biggest influence on the song writing is Tool, and their willingness to chuck out conventional song structure altogether in favour of something more original.

'The Package', for example, opens the album with gently picked guitars over a striding bass and caressing drumbeats lulling you into a false sense of security for four minutes. Then a metal riff comes crashing in like an anvil, and the song rips into overdrive. 'Vanishing' begins with chanting over marching drums and then sidles into a hypnotic guitar line with shimmering repetitive vocals pressed way into the back of the mix.

While originality is certainly something to strive for, it can also backfire horribly – as is the case with 'The Nurse Who Loved Me'. It’s a good enough tune, but it feels pretty lifeless, and out of place with what’s gone before. It also isn’t a patch on the version APC deliver live. Another low point is 'A Stranger', which loses its way around halfway through, as first echoes pour in, and then Keenan uses a languid moan to deliver lyrics that are absolute howlers “Shy away/Shy away, phantom/Run away, terrified child”.

However, when this band’s on, they serve up enough intensity to level an entire city block. 'Weak And Powerless' and 'Blue' build up powerful heads of steam, but have the sense to let things down lightly rather than cheapen what’s gone before with guitar hysterics. On 'Pet' (the scathing indictment of the White House’s present incumbent that BRMC’s 'US Government' should have been) Keenan whispers over a gentle riff and drum caresses, and then fights for air as a spiked guitar line cuts its way into the twin rockslides of Freese’s drumming and White’s pummelling stop-and-start bassline – best line: “swaying to the rhythm of the new world order and/Count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums.”

Thanks to the calibre of the line-up’s musicianship, and Keenan’s ability to write lyrics that don’t insult the intelligence of his audience, the gems on Thirteenth Step outnumber the filler. It probably doesn't have the singles required to crack the mainstream, but that's never been the point with APC. Hit or miss, this is some of the most engaging, and unconventional music you’ll hear from a major label band this year.
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