APC/13th Step (bass, rock, favorite song, single, album)

[TheUsedToolguy]

This album rocks from beginning to end. It starts off w/ The Package, which is more than likely talking about a drug transaction:
I need to get what I came for,
I need to smile and get what's mine,
I felt, personally, like he was talking about how society can be very selfish at times,
mine, mine
he pleads in a childlike tone, however he's giving a voice to what many adults think and don't want to admit
Weak and Powerless was the first single off the album, and was somewhat disappointing, but grew on me. I took it as Maynard basically talking about the games people play in relationships, battles for mind control.
The Noose seems to be talking about President Bush:
I'm more than just a little curious how you're planning to go about making your amends to the dead,
this album came out only about 5 months after the war in Iraq began, however PET is a song obviously about BUSH, plus many people knew we would be going to war around 9/2002, when they started w/ their supposed intel. on nukes. Bush is a christian, so I'm guessing 'your halo is slipping down to choke u now,' is aimed at how many christians have good intentions but don't practice what they preach.
Blue has a beautifully haunting quality to it. The bass in the beginning has tragic undertones to it, and as the song unravels it seems to be talking about someone drowning/dying
Vanishing also has a creepy/eerie quality to it as Maynard croons in a devilish voice Dis-a-ppear, dis-a-ppear, then quickly switches to melodic before slipping back to eeriness again.
The Outsider seems to be pleading for people to stop pleading for attention over their problems. I can see this song as more directed at people in their 30's and 40's who refuse to help themselves, and continually use self-pity to draw attention to themselves. Anyone who lives in the city knows there are plenty of those.
The Nurse Who Loved Me sounds more like The Beatles than APC, a beautifally crafted song w/ orchestra, very slowly paced, not in a hurry to get anywhere, a very chill song
My favorite song is Pet, because of his take on Bush's patronizing style:
Don't fret precious, I'm here, stick away from the window, go back to sleep, go back to sleep, lay your head down child, I won't let the bogeyman come.
It's telling us to sedate ourselves w/ drugs, alcohol, whatever we normally do, just don't pay attention to what's going on outside the window of our own homes, bcuz Bush is here to protect us and make everything alright.
The album finishes on Gravity, a song about the metaphorical 13th step, in that u can seek help through 12 steps, but it's ultimately that 13th step, the individual's willpower that will ultimately determine the success of the effort. A song that talks about withdrawal, and the individual crying out for solution, when in fact the only solution lies within, and the person's ability to face their problems, no matter how terrifying it might seem 10/10
As far as how the album made me feel, it didn't. I make myself feel whatever it is I want to feel, and whenever I'm in the mood some rocking, yet somber tunes I put this on. Love the drummer for this band.

[Health]

I love APC with a huge goddamn passion.

[Merkaba]

Weak and Powerless is about a strong desire to fulfill insatiable wants; you keep putting more into this void, and the void just keeps growing bigger. The running commentary on their DVD will explain that and a few of the other songs to you, such as The Outsider.

All in all this album was good, I mean I wouldn't turn it off if it was on. However, it's been a long time since I listened to APC, and while I really like them I never feel like listening to them these days. To my ears, their greatest piece is The Package.

Edit: I went to see them in '04 and they opened their set with Vanishing, and for five minutes or so the stage was black and blue lights were going over the ceiling and there was that wierd, eerie intro that everyone had heard before but no one could really pick up on. It took almost everyone until you heard the "Disa...pear..." to work it out.

[TheUsedToolguy]

actually I haven't listened to them in a while either, I haven't really wanted to put that album on even though it's never disappointed me. Sometimes I still listen to Mer de Noms. My favorite tracks are 3 Libras, and Brena, both great melodic tunes. I admit Tool is a better band, but APC's better than 90% of the stuff out there