| eMOTIVe | 
 enlarge | Artist: A Perfect Circle
Label: Virgin Records Us
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy Used: $4.64
You Save: $14.34 (76%)
New (39) Used (46) Collectible (1) from $4.64
Avg. Customer Rating:  419 reviews
Sales Rank: 3482
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.7 x 0.5
MPN: 66687
UPC: 724386668721
EAN: 0724386668721
ASIN: B000641ZIQ
Release Date: November 2, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Tracks:
| • | Annihilation | | • | Imagine | | • | (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love And Understanding | | • | What's Going On | | • | Passive | | • | Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie | | • | People are People | | • | Freedom of Choice | | • | Let's Have A War | | • | Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums | | • | When the Levee Breaks | | • | Fiddle and the Drum |
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Maynard James Keenan is known for venting his personal angst through the abstract metal of his former band Tool and the poisoned art rock of his current outfit A Perfect Circle. On the group's third full-length release, however, the songwriter drops the high drama and gets blunt: War is bad. Politicians are evil. The world is doomed. To support his case he delivers a handful of politically charged originals and unusual Eastern-influenced covers of crusty anti-war anthems like John Lennon's "Imagine" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." You could never accuse Keenan of being predictable. --Aidin Vaziri
Amazon.com
A Perfect Circle Photos More from A Perfect Circle
Mer de Noms | 
Thirteenth Step | 
aMOTION |
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 414 more reviews...
 Deep Structures Screaming November 6, 2004
317 out of 452 found this review helpful
Perfect Circle has, until now, been a band that I've eagerly gone out and scooped up, ready, willing, and waiting for anything new. And why not? The first album Maynard pressed together was impressive, the second topped the expectations the first had given, and a third was more than welcome. So, when it came out I picked it up, marveled at the pretty packaging, and then listened. And there, in the contradiction I heard, i found soemthing that makes me ask what Maynard has been thinking.
Before I begin, I have to say that, while writing this review, I'm really torn on what to say because I enjoy the band and I actually enjoy portions of the album as well. Still, I can't say that I'm happy with what I've purchased because I'm listening with disappoint, put off by what the album is in some ways and what it tries to do. It, in my opinion, takes away much of the introspective bliss I have come to enjoy for this outlet and gives back subpar propaganda in a twelve-track setting. And why do I say that? Well, a few reasons float to mind.
First, one has to realize that most of these songs are covers, and most of the material is about war and the horrors of death. And that's fine, too, and it makes a valid point. War is war, people should love each other, and the skies should be laced with cherub-like vultures waiting to rain love down on a sickly world. The only problem herein is that this is Maynard telling this to me, the same guy who told me that the world should be flooded and that people should "learn to swim" because he's sick of them, and its kinda hard to buy. Furthering that, the message within this bottle tells the world to wake up and defy the whims of your master and to be free. It follows that up from a pulpit depicting images that were used in World War I and II to make its point, and it would have had a lovely effect except for one thing. At the bottom, in the corner, it had a little stamp that said "FBI Anti-Piracy Warning" and was marked with the FBI's logo. So, violence and threats from the powers that be ARE NOT good and you should love and share the world - unless you run contrary to an artist's copyright beliefs.
Then the system is fine.
I could go on and on about the portions of this puzzle that don't fit into the socialist ideals presented on the album but, basically, I guess I should say that you get what you want to get out of something and that this might have something for you. If you want a political message depicting war as atrocity and people as sheep dancing to that drum, then run out and buy this. There are some great songs on here, with Maynard pulling off "Imagine" nicely and "Passive" turning out to be a good track. And maybe you'll like it better knowing what it actually is and expecting the contradiction that Maynard, in his years of despise for certain types of people, tries to sell. I honestly wish I could say that he'd looked into the deeper structure of what he'd built and I wish I could stand with the message against "greed" and for "sharing the world," but listening has yet to make me blind.
Counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums, indeed.
The perfect CD for the Industrial Hippie November 4, 2004
56 out of 77 found this review helpful
I bought this CD today just on the strength of APC's first two albums. And while I can't say it was a total waste, the album has its share of problems. Let me explain.
Two things will mark this album as different in the APC canon: it is political and it consists of mostly covers. Neither of these characteristics is inherently problematic in a CD, but they do both set limitations that can narrow its appeal. APC has already done some excellent covers ("The Nurse Who Loved Me" and "Love Song"), so it's not necessarily a bad idea to try a few more. The band's opinions (heavily suggested by the selection of songs even if you missed the peace symbol on the front) are actually irrelevant; what matters here is the quality of the music in the first place. And even if the ideas within are probably in sync with most APC listeners, the songs are overall a disappointment.
Consider first the original material. "Passive" is of course the result of Maynard's project with Trent Reznor, so naturally the expectations should be high. But both artists have done much better than this. It's not unbearable, just rather bland. There is also "Counting Bodies Like Sheep..." which is essentially a reworking of "Pet" from Thirteenth Step. Not bad, but it sounded better the first time around. (Strangely, it bears a much greater resemblance to NIN than "Passive." Call it subconscious plagiarism.)
Four of the covers succeed in reinventing their respective originals. "When the Levee Breaks" is particularly beautiful, a mellow but thought-provoking rainy day of a song. Its closing piano riff brings to mind Massive Attack's "Heat Miser," which even if derivative is not necessarily a bad thing. "Annihilation" and "Peace Love and Understanding" both fare well as creepy anthems with a message. And finally, "Fiddle and the Drum" provides an opportunity for an eerie a capella rendition, and Maynard delivers. If there are any doubts regarding his abilities as a singer, they are put to rest here.
But the remaining covers are really quite miserable. For example, John Lennon's "Imagine" is a song of profound optimism, but here it has been robbed of its sunshine, as if Maynard knows communism is a dead end but doesn't really want to admit it to himself. Similarly unrecognizable and wretched is the rehash of Depeche Mode's "People Are People." The catchy tune from the original is gone, replaced by an ugly collection of sounds that may or may not pass for a song. And just skip "Let's Have a War," unless you're feeling masochistic.
Emotive is not one of those CDs that "grows on you." It lacks cohesion and ends up feeling like a very mixed bag of B-sides. Initiates to A Perfect Circle should start with either Mer de Noms or Thirteenth Step; leave this one to the die-hard fans (you know who you are). Let's look forward to the next album of genuine APC material, or, barring that, another complex and addictive Tool release.
 Unpredictability... Just what you should expect from APC November 14, 2004
51 out of 66 found this review helpful
Ok I've read the reviews that have been posted so far on this page, and a mixed bunch they all are I must say. Not that that's a bad thing, if anything I think this album was always gonna get mixed receptions on its release.
One thing I think we all have to realise is that there are always going to be two types of person who listen to APC, and indeed any band in this particular vein (or is that artery?). There are people who listen to APC for the straight-from the balls basslines, the ever-increasingly haunting ambience from mr's howerdel and iha and breathtaking drumming that really needs no description from an inept welk such as myself. Oh, and for maynard of course. I'm talking about the fans who are there for the music and the typically intoxicating aural epxerience of listening to the band. THEN there's another group who enjoy this aspect of the band also, though perhaps go a little further than just whether it's got a drumbeat you can go mental to or a screaming banshee of a guitar setup in songs like judith and pet. This group tends to listen a little more deeply and certainly takes account of the lyrics at least as much as the music itself. I mean, when the writing's this good, why ignore it? I'm certainly a member of this latter group.
In writing this I'm not trying to say one type of fan is better than the other; after all there's f*** all wrong with surging along with the electricity created by a thousand APC fans in a dark, atmospheric venue in the heart of paris, with APC right in front of you, trust me on that one. But when it comes to an album like eMOTIVe, which, by very nature of containing protest songs, is going to be conveying a message to the listener, you really can't afford to write off the songs on the basis of the musicality not being up to the heaviness of mer de noms or 13th step. I think I read one reviewer here who wrote that he never listens to lyrics or messages in songs, and that a beat and catchy guitar line is all that matters to him. In that case, why aren't you listening to Busted? I'm not trying to be obtuse, but if what you say is true then you're really missing half of what APC is all about. Surely you can't be sitting there and telling me that after a fair few listens, you think this album is a let down? Not with a straight face anyway...
First of all, anyone who's a fan of tool (and I'm guessing a vast majority of you are) knows the depth and ethereal quality of keenan's vocal range. I can't therefore believe that anyone who claims to really listen to APC and tool could fail to be touched by the multi-dimensional sound created on 'fiddle and the drum', considering that's just maynard's voice laid over itself. And as for there being a lack of time shifts and impressive stickfiddlery from freese, just listen to 'let's have a war'; the guy practically makes the kit sound like bursts of gunfire going off around the guitars. "Drum whoring" pays off with this guy it would seem. Ok there are some songs that have come off not as well as others, and to be honest I still find 'people are people' a little awkward to listen to, but then maybe that says more about me as a listener than APC as a band. As far as I can see, not only has APC exceeded success in conveying to a modern audience the messages created by songs written when my mum was a wee lass, but they've also interwoven it all into an incredibly atmospheric, darkly colourful soundscape that makes me wish i had dolby 5.1 in my humble university room. 'When the levee breaks' is a perfect example of this, and it's yet another shift from any sort of sound you've heard on Mer de Noms or 13th step. I like the fact billy howerdel steps up to the mic on a few songs too; it's not like keenan's the only voice you want to hear.
In short, if you're not prepared to lie back, turn the lights out and let this disc spin a fair few times before making a final decision, then i don't think you're gonna absorb the real substance that is just oozing from this album. Like the previous two, it really does demand your full attention. But hey, you guys listen to tool so you don't need me to tell you that.
As for this being the final full-length from APC before they split, I haven't heard that, but with keenan off on tour with tool from early next year no doubt, it may be a while before we hear anything more from them. Hell, even if it is the end, this is a stellar album to go out on, and like someone said before, this is hardly easy listening for the conscience, but what perfect circle album is? These guys have constantly been evolving their sound as well as their ideas within art rock/metal, and with this as their latest message, they've not failed to live up to their reputation as one of the most important and original groups of their time.
You've got two chances - you'll either love and embrace it or you won't.
 Good--depressing, but good February 19, 2006
37 out of 44 found this review helpful
Nowadays, if you're a celebrity, there are really two ways you can protest a war or government. You can either do what one Fred Durst did, and make a holy fool of yourself by grabbing the mic at an awards show and saying to the crowd "I hope we're all in agreeance that this war should go away"; or plan b) you can make a protest album. Maynard James Keenan and his side project, A Perfect Circle, have a little intelligence on their side, so they chose the latter option. "Emotive," APC's third release, is a protest/covers album; it covers everything from John Lennon ("Imagine") to Depeche Mode ("People Are People") to Black Flag ("Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie"). Plus, there are two original songs (tracks which aren't covers). Track five, "Passive," is actually a remake of a song written by Keenan and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, and "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" (catchy title, huh?) is, contrary to popular belief, not a remix of the song "Pet" (which appeared on A Perfect Circle's last album, "13th Step"). Rather, this song is a continuation/second part of "Pet."
Some fans think that "Emotive" isn't an anti-war album, because of comments made by Maynard before the album's release. But, with lyrics like "war is not the answer" (in "What's Going On," a song originally done by Marvin Gaye), it's hard to believe there isn't an underlying political or anti-war message, here.
Almost every song on here is moving and touching. "Emotive," as a whole, is very depressing, but it's also very pretty. Plus, some of the songs (like "Imagine" and "Passive") are even kind of catchy.
The album begins with "Annihilation," which has very creepy, almost bonechilling whispers about power. The next song, "Imagine," is the single. It has some funeral-like piano playing, occasional string plucking, and a rhythmic drum beat; but it's mainly catchy because of Maynard's vocal style. Tracks three and eleven, ("What's So Funny `Bout) Peace Love and Understanding" and "When The Levee Breaks," find Maynard singing in a clear, limpid, feminine, almost falsetto tone. Plus, the former track is very atmospheric, with reverberating piano keys, a violin, and a resonating drum beat.
Elsewhere, "What's Going On" has very spacey singing with humming, almost static-y synthesizers; "Passive" is rather up-tempo and fast; and the album closer, "Fiddle and the Drum," is almost breathtaking (with nasal, a capella singing).
"Emotive" doesn't raise the bar for Maynard or A Perfect Circle, so it's understandable that some fans would be quite disappointed by this album. Plus, if you think a protest album should uplift the listener's spirits and give you a feeling of empowerment, you'll definitely not have any luck with this C.D.. But if you're an anti-war Maynard aficionado who's looking for some peace love and understanding, or if you just want a C.D. that's very calming and soothing, look no further.
APC makes it their own November 4, 2004
33 out of 54 found this review helpful
O.K., enough. We have heard that it is a cover album, so what. APC makes the songs their's. They could do a remix of Kci and Jojo's All My Life and make it their's. Its the beuty they put into it that makes it what it is, not a normal cover album, but something more, something worth listening to. Many people would disagree with me, but they dont seem toget that its not about republican or democrat, the release date did send a powerful message, BUT its not like the band could predict who would win. If kerry would have won, the album would have been the same, and still would have been released on the same day. Its not anti-bush but anti-war. These songs were for hippies until APC redone them and now the rock and metal fans have something that represents the fact that war kills people and the government tricks us all into it. Its one of those albums that makes you think "if i was in the president's place (any of them) would i call a war? Would I trick the people of america into elieving that this war is right because I want to do it? Maynard has a way of hiding messgages into every album he creates, and APC is no different. I think it was time for a remake album, most bands dont get to release a second album, let alone a third. Avrial released a greatest hits album WAY to early in her musical carrier, so did other bands. Before you start talking about APCdoing a cover album, you should check into other bands that you may like, such as Godsmack, who was originaly an alice in chains cover band. APC done this for a message and they stayed true to the music, they didnt do it for props or money, they done it cause they had a message to send and they sent it, end of story. If you like APC then this is a great album. Bottom line, if you look back, all the APC albums had a theme and they changed the style of music each time. This is creativity and revising the sound makes them unpredictable and edgy. My recomendation are : buy this album, listen to it a total of 3 times all the way through and you will fall in love with it if you have an open mind and are willing to let the music decide if you like it and not other people or pre-thoughts.
|
|
|
