- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Thirteenth Step is the sound of a musical and lyrical maturity that normally doesn't occur until a band's third or fourth albums.
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Alternative PressOnce again, A Perfect Circle have quietly produced a masterpiece that challenges the very nature of testosterone-fueled angst. [Nov 2003, p.110]
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BlenderThis is a classic 1970s-style headphones record that is both arty and unusually undisciplined. [Nov 2003, p.108]
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Thanks to the calibre of the line-ups musicianship, and Keenans ability to write lyrics that dont insult the intelligence of his audience, the gems on Thirteenth Step outnumber the filler.
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Granted, Step doesn't have anything as effortlessly flawless as the classic single "Judith" from the band's last album, but it does have a number of songs ("Blue," "The Outsider") that are almost as bombastically beautiful.
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Entertainment Weekly[The] band's winding, off-kilter rhythms and contrapuntal guitar riffs create an ominous atmosphere. [19 Sep 2003, p.86]
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By muting Tool's over-the-top attack, Keenan has more time to devote to deepening the textures throughout.
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MojoWith greater degrees of deliberate construction than Mers De Noms, Thirteenth Step is more cohesive band effort, less ad hoc side project. [Nov 2003, p.132]
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Q MagazineAmid such moments of clarity, however, there's the kind of meandering you originally expected from such an arty bunch. [Nov 2003, p.105]
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Sounds more like the dusky thrum of Disintegration-era Cure than it does any of the members' previous bands.
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SpinIt's more cerebral than aggressive.... A derivative effort that makes Keenan sound less talented than he actually is. [Oct 2003, p.105]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 143 out of 158
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Mixed: 7 out of 158
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Negative: 8 out of 158
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Oct 5, 2014This album is amazing. Every song has so much meaning and depth to it and they all sound and feel amazing. A Perfect Circle's best album completely...
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Jan 18, 2022A Perfect record!
MJK on his peak, beautiful riffs and an amazing basssound!
This Album creates a beautiful but also melancholical vibe. -
Jan 13, 2022