Thirteenth Step

Infobox Album |
Name = Thirteenth Step
Type = Album
Artist = A Perfect Circle


Released = September 16, 2003
Recorded = Perfect Circle Studios, North Hollywood, California
January 2003 - June 2003
Genre = Art rock, Alternative rock
Length = 50:36
Label = Virgin Records
Producer = Billy Howerdel
Maynard James Keenan (Executive)
Danny Lohner (Tracks 3, 6, 9, 10)
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3dq3g40ztvjz link]
* Drowned in Sound (8/10) [http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/8668.html link]
* E! Online (B+) [http://www.eonline.com/Reviews/Facts/Music/RevID/0,1107,3043,00.html link]
* "Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/aperfectcircle/albums/album/299856/review/5946192/thirteenth_step link]
* Ultimate Guitar (9.1/10) [http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/a_perfect_circle/thirteenth_step/index.html link]
* Yahoo! Music [http://launch.yahoo.com/read/story/12053568 link]
Last album = "Mer de Noms"
(2000)
This album = "Thirteenth Step"
(2003)
Next album = "eMOTIVe"
(2004)Singles
Name = Thirteenth Step
Type = Studio
Single 1 = Weak and Powerless
Single 1 date = December 3, 2003
Name = Thirteenth Step
Type = Studio
Single 2 = The Outsider
Single 2 date = 2004
Name = Thirteenth Step
Type = Studio
Single 3 = Blue
Single 3 date = July 27, 2004

"Thirteenth Step" is the second studio album by the American rock band A Perfect Circle. The album was released as a compact disc on September 16, 2003. The album was a success, reaching the #2 position on the Billboard charts in its premiere week, selling over 231,000 copies. The RIAA certified it as gold on November 4, 2003 and as platinum on March 24, 2006. The first single from the album was "Weak and Powerless", followed by "The Outsider" and "Blue". The tracks have their remixed versions on a 2004 remix album "aMotion".

It has been speculated that the title is a reference to the Twelve-step program. According to Keenan on the commentary for the "aMotion" DVD, the album is a concept album with all of the songs dealing with the problem of addiction from a different perspective. He said that it refers in a way to his 13 years of residence in Los Angeles. [cite news| url = http://media.www.cw.ua.edu/media/storage/paper959/news/2003/09/26/Entertainment/A.Perfect.Circle.Keeps.Spinning.Churning.Out.Great.Music-2859285.shtml| title = A Perfect Circle keeps spinning, churning out great music | author = Chris Otts | work = The Crimson White | date = 2003-09-26 | accessdate = 2008-01-25 | quote = Keenan told MTV that the title refers, on one level, to his now 13 years living in Los Angeles as a musician. ]

"The Nurse Who Loved Me" is a cover of the song by Failure, originally featured on the 1996 album "Fantastic Planet".

"Pet" has its follow-up, "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums", with the same lyrics, on the band's following 2004 cover versions album "Emotive".

Track listing

All music and lyrics written by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan except where noted.

# "The Package" – 7:40
# "Weak and Powerless" – 3:15
# "The Noose" – 4:53
# "Blue" – 4:13
# "Vanishing" – 4:51
# "A Stranger" – 3:12
# "The Outsider" – 4:06
# "Crimes" (Howerdel/Keenan/Freese/White) – 2:34
# "The Nurse Who Loved Me" (Edwards/Andrews) – 4:04
# "Pet" – 4:34
# "Lullaby" – 2:01
# "Gravity" (Howerdel/Keenan/Freese/Van Leeuwen/Lenchantin) – 5:08

The Japanese version of "Thirteenth Step" includes an exclusive extended version of "The Package".

Personnel

*Maynard James Keenan − Lead vocals, executive producer, artwork direction
*Billy Howerdel − Guitar, vocals, production, engineering, additional photography
*Josh Freese − Drums, backing vocals
*Jeordie White − Bass, backing vocals
*Troy Van Leeuwen − Guitar (on "The Package", "Vanishing" and "Gravity")
*Paz Lenchantin - Strings
*Danny Lohner – Guitar (on "The Noose"), additional production
*The Section Quartet – Strings (on "The Nurse Who Loved Me" and "A Stranger")
*Jarboe – Vocals (on "The Noose" and "Lullaby")
*Devo H. Keenan – Backing vocals (on "Pet")
*K. Patrick Warren – Instrumentation on "The Nurse Who Loved Me"
*Jon Brion – Instrumentation on "The Nurse Who Loved Me"
*Steve Duda – Digital engineering assistance
*Andy Wallace – Mixing
*Steven R. Gilmore – Sleeve art direction, design and digital photographic manipulation
*Dean Karr – Cover Design & Photography

Charts

;Album

;Singles

References