#thirteenth-step — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

Sloucher.org @[email protected] · 2026-07-15 · 23:34 UTC

The bit that you skip #196: A Perfect Circle – The Noose

“I can see my breath” whispers Rowina just loud enough so we can hear her in the front over the noise of the car’s heating. We are somewhere between Aberdeen and Glasgow, in the dead of the night, returning from a Radiohead concert.

Spirits were now down as it was somewhere around 3 AM, the coldest hour (or so I’m told). Theresa told them they packed light clothing and now they were paying the consequences. I take off my sky jacket, insulated with fleece everywhere, and lend it to both Rowina and Carla. They are thin enough to fit and they thank me, even if Carla complains “it smells”.

I don’t pay any heed to her comments and just enjoy the emerald green and dark blue borders of the night. The sun won’t come out until 9 am or so, and even then, it’s akin to a permanent dawn/twilight situation in these latitudes, at this time of the year. A sign reads “Druid Circle” and Rowina jokes about stopping and breaking in. Theresa makes a small grunt and I just nod “no”.

We are listening to something 80s and poppy as it will keep Theresa awake while driving into the wee hours. In my head, however, I’ve got the eerie tones of A Perfect Circle’s The Noose. I can imagine a camera hovering over the moors we traverse, as the synth and arpeggio meld and our car, painted dark blue by the skies, moves silently. The camera pans inside, with Theresa’s worried expression and my blank stare on the vanguard, and cousins Carla and Rowina on the back, chitter chattering the night away. Topics include Asian Dub Foundation and Thom Yorke’s dance moves.

Thirteenth step is A Perfect Circle’s sophomore album and I genuinely think it’s miles above Mer de Noms. Released in september of 2003, it was a day one purchase for me. The Package is a brutal opener, misleading you with an easy going introspective opening, then blowing in your face. Lead single Weak & Powerless does its job, being a stark contrast to the heavier version included in the Underworld soundtrack (another day one purchase). The Noose following Weak & Powerless is a tremendous choice and it’s one of several atmospheric tracks on the album. Vanishing follows this trend, and Pet sorta loses me with its remora like follow up, Lullaby. Gravity feels like acceptance, a beautiful closer to a wondrous album.

-Sam J. Valdés López

https://youtu.be/ngZvHBUdYYY?si=S4cQ9HE_uNf7zDGh

#2003 #APerfectCircle #Aberdeen #AsianDubFoundation #Glasgow #Radiohead #Scotland #TheNoose #ThirteenthStep

#thirteenthstep #thenoose #scotland #radiohead #glasgow #asiandubfoundation