A Perfect Circle

For anyone who doesn't know, a perfect Circle is Tool front man Maynard James Keenan's other band. The eccentric vocalist seems to use his bands as much as a vehicle to indulge his increasingly odd behaviour as to express his musical creativity. Add to this the ever-changing band line-up of A Perfect Circle and the prospect of their second album being an incoherent, self-indulgent mess seems all too likely. However, cut through the crap and you end up with a fine follow-up to 2000's “Mer De Noms”.

Where the former record used a more straight-forward “rock song” approach (compared to Tool's complex “prog-rock” leanings), “Thirteenth Step” slows the pace down and stretches out the sound. Opener, “The Package” is a master stroke of gradually building sound and intensity. By the time it ends nearly eight minutes later you wonder where they can go next without repeating themselves, a case of blowing their collective loads too soon. They do, however, have some other gems up their sleeves. “The Noose” is another well-paced tune that builds to a powerful climax and also happens to have one of the most complicated choruses ever committed to tape but, bizarrely, seems to work really well. “Blue” and “Vanishing” also cruise through competently, having a powerful yet understated feel and give the album a flowing, cohesive opening first half.

The real creative force behind A Perfect Circle is Billy Howerdel, guitarist, producer and main composer for the band and it's his musical interplay with Maynard's voice and intelligently seething lyrics that lift the band into a higher plane than most of their peers. However, the less obviously commercial approach and the lack of simple and direct tunes on “Thirteenth Step” may disappoint fans of the band's previous album. Where “Mer De Noms” had short, strong bursts of power and beauty, “Thirteenth Step” seems to tease the listener with promising build-ups that only occasionally deliver.

For every “A Stranger” or “The Package” there is the unnecessary meandering of “Crimes” or “Lullaby”. Forthcoming single “Weak And Powerless” lacks a memorable punch and comes and goes almost without you noticing. The album also fizzles out where it should climax with the unimpressive “Gravity” and leaves and ultimately unsatisfied feeling. Having said this, “Thirteenth Step” is a better album than most contemporary rock bands could ever hope to create, fusing delicacy and subtlety (a very underused commodity these days) with real sonic strength and vitriol. Maybe A Perfect Circle will be a “super group” who will actually be able to live up to the title.