Despite the fact that Nine Inch Nails
has ceased to be relevant in any musical sense, Trent Reznor's
rampant support of the modern digitalization of music has kept
his music thriving. From online alternate reality games, to releasing
his albums for free on the web, one gets the sense that his attack
on music industry commercialism has revitalized his efforts, and
it shows both in the frequency with which he's released his last
few albums (three in little more than a year), as well as their
quality (Year Zero was probably his first worthwhile album since
The Downward Spiral). The Slip continues this trend, still prolonging
the next step in his career, but nonetheless, making yet another
enjoyable pit-stop.
The album makes its two halves very distinct
from one another. The first half contains all the usual industrial
influenced, rage ridden dance-pop that Nine Inch Nails has made
itself known for; in other words, 5 straight reprisals of "Bite
The Hand That Feeds". Admittedly, "Discipline"
and "Head Down" manage to be worthwhile with repeat
listens, but one can't shake off the feeling that this is pure,
artless angst-rock, void of any substance.
Thankfully, that's the only issue with
The Slip, and it quickly salvages what's left with the remaining
songs, which all show an infinitely greater amount of reserve.
The first track of the second half, "Lights in The Sky"
blows away everything that has come before it. Stripped down to
its emotive core, Reznor's songwriting talent is finally given
the treatment it deserves. No more pedestrian, overtly-distorted
anger overflowing his composition; just Trent and a spacious piano,
with haunting results. "Corona Radiata" is ambiance
that would make Brian Eno proud and "The Four of Us Dying"
is a hypnotizing piece that functions as even more evidence that
Reznor should consider following through with the experiments
he conducted with Ghosts I-V, and compose a full-fledged instrumental
album. Finally, "Demon Seed" returns with vocals, but
rather than make the listener feel like it's been tacked on as
an afterthought, like so many of Reznor's tracks have tended to
do, they function as simply another instrument in his buzzing
layers of synth-pads and de-tuned guitars. It's seamless, impressive,
and leaves much to hope for in Reznor's future recordings.
As a whole, the second half of The Slip
is exactly what a successful Nine Inch Nails album would sound
like this late in Trent's career. In conjunction with Year Zero,
it forms an ever-building wall of promise for him. Only time will
tell if Trent decides to actually follow the wall somewhere or
just lingers in this point of transition, still fatally attached
to his younger years of misplaced angst. But at the very least,
the albums he's dropping along the way are way more satisfying
than With Teeth or the shudder-inducing Fragile was. (Aron Fischer)
|
