Fun Stuff > BAND
NIN:With Teeth
KharBevNor:
I think the real problem here is that Nine Inch Nails are a somewhat dull and vastly over-rated band, mainly liked by people who would cry if exposed to real Industrial music, and that Trent Reznor is a whining, tedious fart, who's only real skill is being able to churn out music that is simultaneously bland enough to garner mainstream appeal (whilst giving people the feeling that they're listening to something unique, interesting or even innovative) and complex and well-thought out enough to somehow blind everyone to the fact that all his 'emotional problems' are self-manufactured addictions funded by his vast album sales, pulling off the incredible feat of making people who claim to have musical taste, actually interested in his petty existence and somewhat tedious music, and even discuss it as if it was art of some sort.
Trent Reznor is to Industrial music as Jonathan Davies is to Metal. The difference being some Nine Inch Nails is pretty okay, whereas KoRn is universally dire.
Hector Gilbert:
My review from rateyourmusic.com:
The introduction of Dave Grohl on drums and Trent's quite revealing desire to make a simple album with no instrumental breaks both make for a surprisingly rhythmic and light-hearted Nine Inch Nails album. The percussion is quite present and the vocals are more casual-sounding than they were on previous albums.
"So what's wrong, then?" you say.
What's right? Trent's pretensions of making an innovative, industrial-tinged alternative album are clearly well behind him now. Apart from the introduction of Dave Grohl (which does not necessarily help a record), much of this sounds like an unimpressive retread of past work. The bizarrely-tuned notes that sounded so fresh at the end of "Closer" appear quite often, as do numerous familiar-sounding noises that sound hand-picked from The Fragile and the cheesy drum'n'bass and crummy guitar sound that peppered many of the remixes. The lyrics and song titles typify the album with their familiarity.
I've heard many people - particularly those who are fans of NIN - uniformly dismiss Trent's song-writing abilities as being secondary to his ability to create soundscapes and textures. To those people, I object - citing the clever and evil Pretty Hate Machine and the fitting sadomasochistic rage of Broken as examples from his early work - but I also have to add that the lyrical deterioration that took place from The Downward Spiral onwards has continued. Clichéd phrases, which once popped up only every now and again for effect, are now central and commonplace enough to ensure that Trent's vocals seem as ponderous as the music set to them.
All that said, this isn't a horrible album by any means. There are still a few songs from this that I can kind of enjoy, but as a whole this album is quite tiresome and fails to stand out from the crowd unlike any of the other major releases - without anything to match the cunning of Pretty Hate Machine, the violent and thrashy yet dense sound of Broken, the atmospheric texturing of The Downward Spiral, or even the (over-wrought) ambition of The Fragile. It may as well be another remix album.
Two stars
Willis:
Tiny Mix Tapes Review.
Nice touch.
I've never gotten into NIN, aside from what's ever been played on the radio. But its funny. I've usually enjoyed the stuff I've heard, but never to the point where I feel the need to go buy the album. I've heard snippets from this album and was intrigued. Intrigued to the point where I may actually purchase it. Of course if TMT has any say, it will not be joining my collection.
~~Willis
Hector Gilbert:
If you want to get into NIN I suggest either Pretty Hate Machine if you like Depeche Mode/80s synths and wouldn't mind hearing something a bit more dramatic than what's on Violator, or The Downward Spiral if otherwise.
Johnny C:
Willis, that review is incredibly hurtful but indubitably awesome.
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