Review Summary: There is something worthwhile here.
Bathing in the glories of success from the likes of Tool and A Perfect Circle must set the bar pretty high for any frontman. Preferring to follow the introspective route lyrically and avoiding the spotlight at all costs, Maynard James Keenan has built up a shrouded guise around himself, keeping things mysterious and yet at the same time baring his soul for all to see. While for the most part he has consistently maintained a solid creative output, building up a massive following in the process, it is this level of commitment during his work with Tool and A Perfect Circle that has boosted his reputation, and it is this reputation that made Puscifer seem at first like a complete joke. Of course, Keenan himself was mostly to blame for this; stirring fan intrigue by referring to a brand new project as his "creative subconscious" and then immediately releasing a debut album titled
V is for Vagina was bound to have its repercussions. Sure, Tool has a bit of a thing for phallic imagery and sexual lyrics, but this was bordering on ridiculous. That being said,
V is for Vagina wasn't a completely
bad album; it simply squandered most of its potential on sub-par material, and the whole thing came across to most fans as a cruel prank.
That is, until
Conditions of my Parole came along.
Featuring a large ensemble of collaborators, most notably Carina Round on back up vocals, and largely focused on a more serious, ambitious musical style, Puscifer's sophomore effort's sprawling ambient soundscapes and delicate electronic rock composition boasted a huge potential, all hidden beneath a comical album cover completely devoid of any representation of what lay within, to the point that the record presented a literal embodiment of the phrase "you can't judge a book by its cover." Since its 2011 release, the dust has long since settled and allowed plenty of debate over what would come next, whether it would be a return to older, less substantial material, or a continuation of what
Conditions of my Parole started. Thankfully, what
Money $hot hides beneath a similarly comical exterior, is something worthwhile to be found.
Soaked in Keenan's distinctive eccentricities and quirky habits for the strange and unexpected, the album skips along as unapologetically as it's cover art would have you believe. With swelling ambiance and punchy instrumentals filling the air in almost every track, the influence of
Conditions of my Parole is instantly recognisable, particularly in synth driven lead single 'Grand Canyon', or the ambient fuelled 'Smoke and Mirrors'. And yet, instrumentally the album feels more organic, utilising pounding acoustic drums and featuring a far more guitar driven sound than its predecessor; this is hugely evident in title track 'Money Shot', or the explosive electro-rock highlight 'The Remedy'. While plenty of the album leaves room for the many sonic layers and calm meanderings of 'The Life of Brian', a thick, distorted bass guitar will suddenly come into focus on other tracks, bringing an edgier vibe to the album as a whole and making things all the more interesting.
As opposed to the slightly uncertain direction of
Conditions of my Parole, one of
Money Shot's greatest strengths is simply how comfortable it all feels; considering the long, drawn out expectancy for the next Tool record baring down upon him, Keenan is clearly in a good place here. He knows exactly what he wants to deliver, and this is done so with zero hesitation. In fact, the entire album just feels incredibly natural and enjoyable, instead of the forced effort it could easily have been. His vocal performance throughout the album is completely on point, faultlessly delivering on the steady build from soothing to spectacular that is 'Agostina', or the energetic aggression of 'The Remedy's thundering chorus;
"You speak just like someone, who has never been smacked in the ***ing mouth."
Carina Round's presence has also been far more emphasised upon, with plenty of tracks featuring Keenan and Round sharing vocal duties, harmonising beautifully on 'The Life of Brian' or 'The Arsonist'. The relationship the two vocalists share throughout the record is often so intertwining, that a feeling can't be shaken that Round has become a key addition to the sound of Puscifer, performing just as strongly as Keenan himself on the record, often joining Puscifer live, and giving
Money Shot one of its most captivating elements.
Considering how it all started, Puscifer has grown gorgeously since its inception. It's become something to stand behind for Keenan and Co, since it's early days as a playground for the intriguing and insane, through to the ambient wanderings of
Conditions of my Parole, and this growth is wonderfully apparent on
Money Shot. Every moment throughout the record has the feeling of something that has been nurtured, and this makes
Money Shot something memorable and worthwhile. Sure, Tool fans everywhere are probably cursing Keenan for focusing on anywhere other than a follow up to
10,000 Days, but until the fateful moment comes that sees Tool's next record sees the light of day, that's where Puscifer comes in to take off the pressure and give Keenan the room to breathe and do whatever he wants. Ultimately this seems to be what it all comes down to; while the intimate nature of his work within Tool is far more cathartic, it just so happens that Puscifer has become something worthwhile in the process.
