Nine Inch Nails “The Slip” (self-released 2008)
I’m sure you don’t want to read this any more than I want to write it, but I’ll just come straight out and say it. The new Nine Inch Nails record is really, really good.
Perspective first: I hate Nine Inch Nails. I have never liked this band, and while I would get along with Trent Reznor on a lot of copyright and music industry issues, I can’t say I have ever cared for his songwriting or records one bit.
But who can resist free? Reznor, since ditching the major labels he rallied so vocally against for so long, has embraced the Internet in ways that would make Radiohead cringe, releasing music under Creative Commons licenses in high-quality mp3 and lossless, ridiculously high quality audio formats, as well as on CD and vinyl, and being all the more successful for it. Just a couple months ago, he released a massive, not very interesting instrumental album this way, Ghosts I-IV, and that’s all cool. But then, a few weeks ago, here comes The Slip, an actual Nine Inch Nails album. Might as well listen and see how bad it is, right?
Dah! Wrong! Foiled! Damn you, Trent Reznor, taking my previously assumed notions of quality and destroying them so gleefully. Honest, this is a great record. I’m still shocked I’m writing that, but I’ve been playing it repeatedly over the past few weeks and it holds up.
“1,000,0000″ kicks things off with a very organic drum set pounding away, something some people might not normally associate with Nine Inch Nails. Obviously there are plenty of electronics running around here, but they’re surprisingly restrained. Melody is favored heavily over noise, and focus is preferred over meandering noise and effects.
“Letting You” goes into punishing industrial mode, but nails it in ways Reznor never has before. And the single, “Discipline,” sounds radio-friendly and standard rock until about the distortion gives way to some very nice piano and surprisingly falsetto crooning. Suddenly, it’s almost more Top 40 than modern rock. That sounds like a criticism, but it’s not at all. It’s a really great texture addition that completely elevates the song out of the mediocre muck of rock radio.
A few more loud tracks and the record takes a pretty serious Low/Berlin-period turn, with “Lights in the Sky” starting out as a simple piano/single vocal near-ballad that turns into, well, nothing. You’re expecting some synths or drums or “uhhhhhhh’s” it all to start at any moment. But only some very slight texture fades in underneath, and you’ll need some good headphones to even hear it. The song signals and immediate dip into minimalism and it’s unexpected but completely welcome and flows beautifully. What follows is a nearly 13-minute instrumental section of the album that is better and more interesting than all of Ghosts put together.
The rock returns for one song and it’s over. That’s it. 43 minutes, and it doesn’t even feel that long. That’s all I want from a Nine Inch Nails record. Fans might want something longer, more dour or conceptual, but what better could Trent Reznor do right now than make a 10-song album that plays to all of his strengths, doesn’t focus on the industrial music cliches, and doesn’t outstay it’s welcome?
Fans might be disappointed that “it’s just a collection of songs.” There doesn’t seem to be any sort of story being told or overall theme holding the record together, but I think that’s one of its best assets. It doesn’t need it. The songs are strong. Past records (especially, God, The Fragile) have so much filler trying to find that general vibe that, despite a vibe’s eventual presence, the music suffers in the end. Here, 10 great songs, free of any perceived emotional weight. Ta-da. Everything it lacks only makes the album stronger as a result.
Since I’ve never been a NIN fan, I think it’s safe to say you can ignore what actual NIN fans think of The Slip. If a longtime NIN fan hates it or thinks it’s weak or short or something, then, uh, I’d take that as a good sign. This record is not for fans, it’s for Trent Reznor. He’s doing exactly what he wants to do, from the songs right through the release, and the newfound independence shows though. There’s some actual personality in these songs. Maybe even- gasp- a little bit of joy underneath the angst.
So don’t listen to the fans. The Slip is not a throwaway album in the slightest. It’s the best thing the guy has ever done.
Nine Inch Nails - 1,000,000.mp3
Nine Inch Nails - Discipline.mp3