Post by Salem6 on May 8, 2008 11:58:39 GMT
Trent Reznor serves up some free goodies.
by Ed Thompson
US, May 7, 2008 - The freedom is intoxicating. The independence is liberating. The accountability makes both that much more special.
Freed from the constraints of "traditional" recording contracts, Trent Reznor has established himself as THE artist most technologically in tune with today's music fans. So Monday's announcement that Nine-Inch Nails' latest release, The Slip, was available totally free as a download in multiple formats may have come as a surprise, but only because of the timing. The fact that the album is as good as it is only serves to further validate what Reznor is doing.
The only comment from Reznor about the release came in a single parenthetical sentence on the website: (thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me). Guess he's going to let the music do the talking.
Put simply, The Slip is an amazing record. Even calling it a record is somewhat strange because as of right now, it is not available on CD. For those who prefer their music on pre-packaged media (CDs and vinyl), The Slip will be in your hands shortly (though an exact release date has yet to be determined with Reznor saying only "for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon.")
But I digress. The Slip is a rare album that is enjoyable as a complete project, but still has the ability to sound as if each song were written at a different time. Most often, when an album gives a disparate collection of songs, the album suffers from its eclectic nature. Not so here.
Things start off with a song titled "999,999", an introductory-type number that is strictly instrumental. Those who have devoured Reznor's first online release, Ghosts I-IV, might wonder after this tune whether the new album will be another all-instrumental release. Um, no. The intro track leads into the aptly titled second track, "1,000,000", which changes gears immediately and kicks the release into gear. The track is very reminiscent of "The Hand that Feeds" from With Teeth and has the same aggressive attitude.
To show the diversity and the freedom of the "new" NIN, the next track, called "Letting You", could very easily have been written and released on The Downward Spiral. The aggression and the emotion from this tune channel that period in the NIN life cycle almost perfectly.
The next two tracks on the release, "Discipline" and "Echoplex" had been leaked in previous weeks on the band's website. If this were a traditional release by a major label that was being pressed into play by super suits (read: record execs), these would be the two songs that got the most airplay. The two tracks harken back to the best of 1980s music, channeling bits and pieces of Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, and even some Souxie and the Banshees).
"Head Down" then washes away those feelings and brings back the classic elements of Nine Inch Nails – drum loops, furious guitar, frenetic keyboard and a wall of sound that completes the package. With about a minute to go, the music suddenly sounds as if it is being heard through a wall or with some cotton stuffed into the listener's ears.
"Lights in the Sky" is as poignant a song as Reznor has written. The simple piano, the softly sung lyrics and the occasional dissonant note combine for a chilling effect. The best part of the song is that there is no crescendo, no sudden burst into loud industrial effect or no additional music to "fill out" the tune. It stands on its own and actually serves as a perfect intro to the next two songs – "Corona Radiata" and "The Four of Us are Dying" which very easily remind one of compositions from the Ghosts release.
Reznor ties up the album perfectly with "Demon Seed", a song that defies classification in that it brings in elements from the entire NIN catalog into a single song. The song - in a fitting metaphor – ends as abruptly as it appeared on the NIN website: no warning, no build-up, just music one second and complete silence the next.
The Slip is an album that is clearly something Reznor could not have pulled off even five years ago. Clearly not lacking for money, Reznor has given himself and his fans the freedom to explore new avenues to get his music heard. And with the release of the music on his website, Reznor has proven to the fans and to the executives that his most important goal is not the creation of more dollars in his bank account but rather the songs in his catalog.
And let's be totally honest here: for the cost of the songs, there's not a person reading this review who should not add this to his or her collection. For if you have read this far, you are obviously enough of a Nine Inch Nails fan to have the music on your computer, your MP3 player or even burned onto a disc. Go get this release. Get it now. Do not wait.
Download Worthy:
1. "The Slip"
uk.music.ign.com/articles/872/872307p1.html