Trent Gives Interscope “The Slip”

by Jeff Boule in Album Reviews, Indie Release Highlights, New Releases, Reviews, What's New

TO: Jeff Boule

FROM: Trent Reznor

RE: something new

Hey Jeff, I figured I would let you know the new disc is almost ready to go out, but here are some new tracks I came up with that you might get a chuckle out of.

Hoping for good things, try not to pan it too bad! Trent

Now if that above memo were real, I might pan it just to spite the request not to.

But the problem remains, I can’t! I really like the new album from NIN (no, I am not a one-trick –pony, only reviewing Nine Inch Nail discs, but I did promise Mr. Princeton Record Exchange Webmaster that I would review something more contemporary than, as Count Chocula put it on Robot Chicken, “Last Week’s Ghastly Affair”, and what is more contemporary than something that’s not released yet but is only available online?), The Slip.

The Slip is filled with commercially accessible tunes. If there is anyone who is the worst judge of what constitutes what is commercially viable, it is I. I can’t help but wonder if this is Reznor’s way of sticking it to Interscope in that he knew he could produce airplay worthy tracks, he just chose to do what he wanted to do, label be damned.

In fact, I like this album so much, I am willing to go track by track and do a quick general instrument synopsis. I like it that much.

The first track 999,999, is synths with Renzor’s effected voice. Backward sounding synths and a snake-like hissing that eventually turns into Reznor saying “How did I slip into…” It makes an eerie kick-off for 1,000,000. 1,000,000 is good old kickin’ rock and roll. Trent talks about jumping on rooftops, and getting the sensation of vertigo. All the while, backbeat drum lines propel the requisite NIN distorted guitars and synths. All drops silent for Reznor to say alone “I don’t feel anything at all”. The song resumes and kicks it way out.

Letting You is a high-speed drumbox careening towards disaster with the refrain “We are letting you get away, we are letting you get away with it”. Things remain in control right up to the album’s ‘single’ Discipline. This track is a tad more in-pocket than the other, straight out rockers. It has a bit more groove to it, at least a Reznor groove. Admittedly, his grooves are highly intelligent. But a unique aspect to this is the melodic piano solo, which eventually turns into something that wants to be ‘Hurt 3.7’. The feel remains the same, but the song builds back up during the chorus.

The overactive drum machine rears it head again for Echoplex. Reznor’s unique guitar sound dominates this track, as if he were strangling a telecaster or strat. Funny as Reznor is most associated with Les Pauls. Perhaps it is the wrangling of Robin Finck, long-time sometime NIN member. Drums and things that sound like drums were done by Josh Freese and many drum machines. Touring keyboardist Alessandro Cortini becomes studio keyboardist.

Reznor’s associations reveal themselves again in the second verse where a multi-tracked fiesta of Bowie-like la-la’s (after you hear them you EXPECT the word FASHION to come from somewhere) kick in.

The chorus is mostly “My voice just echoes off these walls”. How fitting that there are little to no effects on the voice other than reinforcement types (compressor, EQ, etc.). Reznor tends to overindulge at the end, but they can’t all be radio friendly, it wouldn’t be Nine Inch if it were ALL “hits”.

Head Down has big drums with a really big riff, and some tough talk from Trentie. The chorus is a little lighter in that the Fuzz brigade lets up, but the lead vocal sounds tormented. Reznor could sing about winning the lottery and sound tormented. He could sing a grocery list and sound tormented. Still, the lyrics in the verse are highly threatening:

You
What you looking at?
Head down
Too late for that
What you want
What you get
Know your place
Don’t ever forget

Then, just when you think things calm down, they stay that way.

Lights In The Sky is classic Reznor on piano. The lyrical imagery, while I am loath to try to dissect things like that, overtly speak of death, dying, mutual suicide, all that good stuff.

Gotta keep those death-hag fans happy. Who am I to look down my nose at those who like the darker images life’s camera has to reveal? My wife has a death watch notification system that sends emails/IMs/texts out to all the subscribers/contributors and gives notice of celebrity/famous/important people’s deaths. She wants to start a death pool.

I love my wife.

Corona Radiata is a page ripped right out of Brian Eno’s ambient book. This ringing, echoing synth-with-chorus-in-extremis could fit right into 1978’s ‘Music For Films’. It clocks in at 7:34, so it even has that to its pedigree. It gives the listener plenty of time to be absorbed into it.

A lone robo-beat starts off The Four Of Us Are Dying, and is quickly joined by some of Reznor’s trademark melody-downstroke riffs. Synth drones build into more ambient-style guitar melodies. Counter-timed parts intertwine in individual simplicity, making up the overall complexity that is this instrumental. There are now two instrumentals in a row, a total of three. Remember, Reznor likes his instrumentals. At about three minutes in, it breaks down to synths only to build back up, bigger and broader.

Demon Seed starts off with more drum machines, or at least drum machine-sounding parts. Reznor uses effects quite deceptively throughout this album, as well as most of NIN’s history. Is it guitar? Is it keyboard?

I remember having to ask that question when hearing some of the keyboard and guitar duels with Utopia. Utopia was a band headed by Todd Rundgren. I bring this to light as it is rumored that Reznor was at one point serious about trying to get Rundgren to at least arrange the vocals on one his recordings. Reznor is a fan of Rundgren, and likes the way Rundgren makes vocals sound. The obstacle to this merger is a distinct difference in production techniques. Reznor is precise, meticulous, painstaking and takes his time with the product, whereas Rundgren plays fast and loose with production, yet manages to make things sound amazing. Plus, without label backing, there is NO WAY Reznor can pony up the millions it would cost to have Rundgren take up a residence at the studio the way he can afford, for example, a week of Adrian Belew’s services. Vocals are time consuming enough, and Rundgren likes layers. Put Reznor’s nit pickiness alongside Rundgren’s penchant for layers, that week could wind up being a very costly month! Even with the $100 million-plus he grossed from the self-sales of Ghosts I-IV, Rundgren is well respected as a producer and vocal arranger, so he’s pricey. Speaking of Belew, his bleets, twists, squeals and other miscellaneous noises made via guitar were missed by this reviewer.

But those drum sounds give way to sustained synth bass, and Reznor’s guitar once again, but the few instruments in the mix sound huge. Reznor whispers that he is trying to tolerate someone. As the song progresses, parts are added as are repetitious backing vocals chanting “yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah…” He breaks the song down to a dance version at about three and a half minutes, and you can hear him count it back in to the outtro where he proclaims “Now I know I know what this is all about, now I know exactly what I am”.

How many of us can HONESTLY say that for ourselves?

The hardcore NIN fans feel this is an appropriate follow-up to Year Zero, even a part two or continuation. I can’t call myself a hard-core fan, (the Mrs. is, however, and we have in our collection, basically, stuff we shouldn’t). I do recall liking Year Zero, and the remix album. But during a discussion with my Mrs. NIN fan regarding the album, she stated she would like to ask Reznor the following question, it would be the first question she would ask him: How do you feel being sober has effected your music?

In my eyes, the last four releases have been drawn heavily from the earlier imbibed, induced days. Maybe that’s why I like them so much.

Normally, I would give you a tease for next week, but I can’t. I have ideas, I could commit to one thing or the other, but like this release, you never know what cool stuff is gonna land in your lap unexpectedly. If that does not work for you, or if you don’t like what you read, go get the album and decide for yourself.

Late breaking…I will be attending the August 29th NIN concert at the Walkoverya Center in Philly. I will report from the show. See? A tease fell into my lap right before deadline!