Tool Inoculum

A few years ago, well, 6 years ago, I read one of those; “25 Prog/Rock albums you must buy/own/listen to…” articles. Maybe the number was 30, maybe it was 20 or 10 I don’t remember but that’s not the point; I read the article, mentally ticking-off the albums I had already bought/listened to and disagreeing with the ranking of those albums I both did and didn’t know. One of the albums on this list was 10,000 Days by American outfit, Tool.

I knew nothing of Tool but the bijou reviewette accompanying the picture of the album cover suggested to me that it might be worth a punt. I didn’t seek out their work on YouTube or similar, I just jumped straight in and sourced a second-hand copy of 10,000 Days from Amazon which duly arrived and I opened the package to find the curiously designed CD cover complete with stereoscopic lenses for viewing the album artwork, none of which was apparent to me when I purchased the thing, hey-ho. It being morning, a work day, I ripped the CD to a USB stick which I then took with me to work, thinking that I’d listen to the album during the day.

I listened to the album, I was not impressed.
I got to thinking that as the CD I’d bought was second-hand, maybe the previous owner wasn’t impressed either. Oh well, it was only seven and a half quid, chalk it down to experience. I filed the CD away on a shelf and forgot about it.

In August last year Tool released the follow-up album to 10,000 Days, an album called Fear Inoculum which came in preposterous packaging including a small screen and loudspeaker for viewing video material included in the packaging – or some such – and with a whopping great price tag.
I rolled my eyes and moved on.

Then Fear Inoculum started showing-up in the usual end-of-year reviews and Best Of… lists.
Really?
As I said, when I first listened to 10,000 Days I just wasn’t impressed yet here was their new album not only in but in some cases at the top of, Best of 2019 lists.

Yesterday I decided to give 10,000 Days another chance.
Armchair, headphones, press play, relax.

I listened, I listened…
Actually, it wasn’t bad, quite catchy in places, not the usual fayre I’d go for but not bad.
I guess a lot depends upon where and when you listen to an album for the first time, when I listened to 10,000 Days for the first time I was at work, doing stuff on a computer, not giving it my fullest attention you might say but this time I was relaxed and giving it my attention.

So there you are, Tool – 10,000 Days, pretty good really, I may even listen to it again soon.
Favourite track: Right In Two.
Least favourite: Viginti Tres.

As for Fear Inoculum, well, it scored pretty highly in the “Best of” ranks, who knows? Maybe in a few years time…

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10,000 Days Tracklist:
1. “Vicarious”
2. “Jambi”
3. “Wings for Marie, Pt 1”
4. “10,000 Days (Wings, Pt 2)”
5. “The Pot”
6. “Lipan Conjuring”
7. “Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)”
8. “Rosetta Stoned”
9. “Intension”
10. “Right in Two”
11. “Viginti Tres”

“Right In Two” on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndL7wwAj0U