A Perfect Circle has just released their new single "Disillusioned." A reviewer at Rolling Stone describes it as "bleak."
Lyricist Maynard James Keenan focuses on society's obsession with instant gratification and quick fixes in the new track. The lyrics urge a return to a focus on long-range planning and life's big issues.
The frontman of Tool and A Perfect Circle explored similar issues in the title track of Tool's 1996 opus Aenima.
In "Aenima," Keenan urged the residents of the city of Los Angeles to put down their lattes and hairpieces and focus of something more meaningful, relishing the thought of a series of natural disasters wiping out the city of vacuous Californians as they fretted about their cars, money, careers, wigs, and beverages.
"Disillusioned" adds a 10's-appropriate twist, with a new focus on smartphones and gadgets. The reference to "putting down your silicon" is probably a reference to the mass-reliance on Silicon Valley-developed smartphones, gadgets, and tablets that has developed in the last decade.
Keenan urges the gadget-obsessed to pay more attention to their surroundings. The lyricist/singer encourages listeners to put down those tablets and center themselves. He stresses the importance of tuning into one's own needs, instincts, thoughts, and experiences without the constant distraction of apps and screens.
"Time to put the silicon obsession down/ Take a look around, find a way in the silence."
