Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

[Guest Ron Manager]

 

 

Apropos to nothing - I still hold the opinion that Further Down The Spiral (The UK version, the US seems to have a slightly different track listing) is one of the most important electronic albums of the 90s. Utterly stellar production quality and a real diverse range of incredibly made tracks/remixes.

Agreed - "Reptile" came on my phone the other day, and I was blown away at how good the production, lyrics, and overall vibe was - if Trent had a Magnum Opus, it would be TDS.

 

definite agreement here.

 

 

All well and true, although mcbpete was referring to the remix album Further Down The Spiral, as opposed to TDS itself.

 

And yes, I agree that FDTS is a phenomenal set of tracks. Both versions are worth tracking down as the exclusives on each are all worthwhile.

[Lane Visitor]

^ agreed! further down the spiral remains my favorite nin album to date

[modey]

Fixed and Things Falling Apart were fucking awesome too, imo (even though TFA had what, three remixes of starfuckers?).

[Guest trananhhung]

I bought Further Down the Spiral BEFORE The Downward Spiral.

[modey]

I dunno, Gary Numan is still releasing quality stuff imo. What's he gonna do, start making bouncy upbeat pop simply because he's got lots of money?

[Guest Ron Manager]

Fixed and Things Falling Apart were fucking awesome too, imo (even though TFA had what, three remixes of starfuckers?).

 

I quite liked TFA too, although a lot of people definitely didn't. Worth it especially for The Frail remix (a guy from Telefon Tel Aviv was involved in that one), 10 Miles High, and Metal cover. Apparently Into The Void and Slipping Away were originally one single, 10-minute track.

 

For anyone who's interested in this era, I seem to remember nin.com has (or had) a few unreleased Fragile-era mixes. I have (version)s of La Mer, No You Don't, and The Fragile. Also, the 'quiet version' of The Day The World Went Away from the single is really great too.

[Joyrex]

 

 

 

Apropos to nothing - I still hold the opinion that Further Down The Spiral (The UK version, the US seems to have a slightly different track listing) is one of the most important electronic albums of the 90s. Utterly stellar production quality and a real diverse range of incredibly made tracks/remixes.

Agreed - "Reptile" came on my phone the other day, and I was blown away at how good the production, lyrics, and overall vibe was - if Trent had a Magnum Opus, it would be TDS.

 

definite agreement here.

 

 

All well and true, although mcbpete was referring to the remix album Further Down The Spiral, as opposed to TDS itself.

 

And yes, I agree that FDTS is a phenomenal set of tracks. Both versions are worth tracking down as the exclusives on each are all worthwhile.

 

Ah, I didn't catch that - yes, both releases are great - and FDTS is memorable for me as that was the first time I heard an Aphex Twin track on a "mainstream" release and was surprised that someone like Trent would even know of Aphex Twin.

[Joyrex]

of course not. but he never used to be like this. when he started life in Tubeway Army he was just a young musician open to experimentation, hence that androgynous robotic kind of persona that seemed to emerge naturally from the kind of music he was making/writing which was itself both mechanical and organic at the same time. the first couple of Numan albums continued that. like, no one had thought to do something that sounded like Pleasure Principle before. it was genius. he totally had his own image and music.

 

then he wrote a string of pretty mixed albums (since Telekon which was imo his last solid work) and went into kind of a slump. and I think somewhere in the middle he discovered he's an Aspie, which made him sort of step back from himself and start thinking too much about who he was and that. and then in the 90s he started getting all this acclaim and godfather status, from NIN et al, and he sort of moulded himself into their image with his newfound overtly-angsty stuff. that's what I don't like. it's like he's following in their footsteps instead of continuing to blaze a trail that others were following in the first place.

 

ftr I did like some tracks from Pure but yeah just my two cents. if I'm being totally honest, as someone who was into NIN et al as a kid and has grown up to feel it was all a bit fake, I do resent this shit somewhat.

Gary Numan is exactly like Trent Reznor is/was - a great comparison, I must say - Numan really hasn't 'had it' since the late 80's - don't get me wrong, but Numan will never, ever capture the magic of his early hits like Cars, Down in the Park, I Almost Married a Human, etc. I expect Reznor to fade into the same obscurity like Numan has.

 

In other news: Numan has a new album. I'll have to check it out and be disappointed like the last 8 or so releases.

[Lane Visitor]

An example of an aging and EXTREMELY mopey musician whose current releases are still awesome:

 

Tom Waits

 

In fact, imho, they keep getting better and better.. although i can't deny The Heart of Saturday Night and Blue Valentine are unmatchable classics... but shit, Chocolate Jesus... the Blood Money album, etc? Tom Waits is dope. You can really feel it when artists LIVE for music, they don't become a shadow of themselves when they mature, they refine themselves, keep exploring and writing good stuff. Just wanted to put my two cents in that aging=/= not always fading, musicwise lol

 

+ tom waits is even older than trent reznor and gary numan

Edited August 1, 2013 by Lane Visitor

[Zephyr_Nova]

An example of an aging and EXTREMELY mopey musician whose current releases are still awesome:

 

Tom Waits

 

In fact, imho, they keep getting better and better..

 

True. Tom Waits is the man.

But he tends to write from another character's perspective, and his lyrics are actually good. Trent sort of does the other perspective thing, but it's always angsty-teenage-deadjournal.com style, like he's really trying to portray this misunderstood suicidal fuck-up and get listeners to empathize with him. Tom Waits approaches it more like a vaudeville act.

[Lane Visitor]

 

An example of an aging and EXTREMELY mopey musician whose current releases are still awesome:

 

Tom Waits

 

In fact, imho, they keep getting better and better..

 

True. Tom Waits is the man.

But he tends to write from another character's perspective, and his lyrics are actually good. Trent sort of does the other perspective thing, but it's always angsty-teenage-deadjournal.com style, like he's really trying to portray this misunderstood suicidal fuck-up and get listeners to empathize with him. Tom Waits approaches it more like a vaudeville act.

 

 

yes. tom waits has this imaginative nature to him, exploring the world and putting a magnifying glass up to all the things he discovers, and he's theatrical.

[tec]

I'm not enjoying all this Numan bashing, and I don't think he is just jumping on the NIN bandwagon as you can see the progression through his work to his current and very distinctive sound. At least give Sacrifice a chance if you've not heard it.

[Lane Visitor]

I'm not enjoying all this Numan bashing, and I don't think he is just jumping on the NIN bandwagon as you can see the progression through his work to his current and very distinctive sound. At least give Sacrifice a chance if you've not heard it.

 

agreed.

[Joyrex]

I'm not enjoying all this Numan bashing, and I don't think he is just jumping on the NIN bandwagon as you can see the progression through his work to his current and very distinctive sound. At least give Sacrifice a chance if you've not heard it.

A new sound, eh? Colour me interested!

[Joyrex]

OK, I have to admit, I might have been DEAD WRONG about Numan (based on this teaser for his new album):

[youtubehd]KsY2dpOJGPk[/youtubehd]

 

This is the sound that Reznor wished he could do! I like this.

[Lane Visitor]

OK, I have to admit, I might have been DEAD WRONG about Numan (based on this teaser for his new album):

[youtubehd]KsY2dpOJGPk[/youtubehd]

 

This is the sound that Reznor wished he could do! I like this.

 

 

Oh shit!!!

 

This is dope. Yeah.. his performance is convincing and he makes it seem easy and effortless in terms of expression, groove, vocals, everything. this sounds big, im definitely digging it.

[Lane Visitor]

^ video... the effected cymbal sample @ :17.. is that from the Vengeance Samples librarby? like Vengeance Minimal House/cymbals/fxcymbals/ folder or something? sounds so familiar to me haha

[xfxf]

Back up the Spiral

 

One man's journey from hell to love and understanding. Once he has learnt to truly love himself, find a good work life balance along with healthy diet and a new found sense of responsibility and purpose, he finally falls in love and starts a family:

 

Mr. 12 Step Plan

Figgy

Agreement

March of the Figs

Further

Enabler

The Receding

This is Exactly what I Need Right Now

Small Man with a Big Neck

A Place for my Oscar

Recognition

Avian

The Straight Path

Remedy

 

That being said, I'll probably buy it and go see them.

 

this post... so much genius. laughed pretty hard at this

[Joyrex]

I loved NIN as a nihilistic teenager with my first world problems. However, I do feel a slight blush of embarrassment when I listen to the last few albums. If he wants to hark back to the TDR sound so be it. But as a few of you have already said, enough with the suicide schlock. Perhaps he should write the an uplifting album, it could still be punchy and powerful. He is a good producer and undoubtedly talented.

 

Back up the Spiral

 

One man's journey from hell to love and understanding. Once he has learnt to truly love himself, find a good work life balance along with healthy diet and a new found sense of responsibility and purpose, he finally falls in love and starts a family:

 

Mr. 12 Step Plan

Figgy

Agreement

March of the Figs

Further

Enabler

The Receding

This is Exactly what I Need Right Now

Small Man with a Big Neck

A Place for my Oscar

Recognition

Avian

The Straight Path

Remedy

 

That being said, I'll probably buy it and go see them.

FUCKING LOL

[Candiru]

The Perfect Rug

 

A song detailing the existential woes of rug shopping. I could relate.

[KovalainenFanBoy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVB_DI4ajKA#at=11

[Guest trananhhung]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVB_DI4ajKA#at=11

 

Why wasn't this the first single?

[Cryptowen]

 

 

Why wasn't this the first single?

probably cuz it isn't in yo face enough

 

but f'real this one actually covers some new sonic territory (kinda), & T.Rez addresses the whole "i'm a middle aged dad now & not a suicidally-depressed drug addict, but I still wanna talk about my feelings" theme in a way that doesn't feel like he's trying to remake TDS

[Zephyr_Nova]

I liked the odd meter synth bit that repeats, but was really hoping he'd go the odd meter route with the beat as well instead of the usual kick-snare-kick-snare thing. That could have been interesting. Once again the chorus did exactly what I expected it to do... but hey, at least it plays into the theme of the song this time. Pretty sure I won't be buying this album.

[Goiter Sanchez]

I am enjoying 'Copy Of A'.
I see there is a lot of dissent in this thread regarding the trajectory of Reznor's career following 'The Fragile'. Perhaps my viewpoint is unique and more unfettered upon hearing these 'Hesitation Marks' tracks because I haven't actually listened to any NIN post 'The Fragile' (although I can certainly hear skeins of TDS/TF thematics and gimmicks in the sound of these new tracks, in spite of liking them).

Edited August 12, 2013 by Goiter Sanchez