Someone pinch me!!! Could it be??? A new song??? Without lyrics??? For a supermacho, run-of-the-mill first person shooter??? Coming out in November???
This truly is the Age of Wonders.*
So, Reznor is doing the theme for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Headshotting A Bunch Of Juvenile, Racist, Sexist, Brainless, Pothead Douchbags In Multiplayer.
And I am thrilled.
One year : one song.
A bold new artistic direction for Nine Inch Nails, but, hey, you never know, this could be what saves the dying music industry.
You can hear a few bits and pieces of said theme underneath one of the most......long winded....and overdramatic.....speeches......EVAR...here.
You can also hear it in the background under David S. Goyer and Reznor talking about how video games are viable entertainment here.
In the same (not proofread) interview with USA Today, Reznor was also asked about the How To Destroy Angels album (set for release Q1, 2011) and said the following:
We have a finished album. It's been finished for a little while. We're doing a little bit of tweaks on it (see what I mean about the lack of proofreading?). The record will be out soon. We are doing a different type of distribution this time so it's taking a bit longer to coordinate stuff. There's a lot of music about to be unleashed, videos et cetera.
Now...I think I've discussed (at length) Trent Reznor's definition of "soon"...yes? So, my pants are sad, but, he also said there is "a lot of music coming". Last time he said that, he released the three disc Girl With The Dragon Tattoo score, so my pants are happy.
And, as far as, "a different type of distribution"...well...I have no idea how they're going to reinvent this wheel in a way that really matters and I'd be fine with his previous methods of distribution if it meant we got the new music faster but...I don't know...if they come up with something other than the various purchase options (ranging from mp3 to FLAC to CD to deluxe to super deluxe to sell-a-kidney super deluxe packaging), great, just don't let the wrapping delay the contents, namean?
One thing I will say; if this magical and stunningly original distribution plan involves six months of posting blurred images, then a handful of short, abstract videos with a bass line or synth loop or drum beat, then a free song, then a music video and then, finally, the album...expect me to be a touch vexed.
Note: the previous sentence is rendered null and void if said album meets or exceeds the aforementioned six month period of hype.
Thank you.
Reznor also mentioned, rather offhandedly, that he's working on new Nine Inch Nails music and that it was "in gestation".
Whether we're talking the gestation period of a mayfly or of an African elephant...well, I suppose we'll find out in 2015**, when the next Nine Inch Nails album is slated for release.
You can read the whole interview here.
They Might Be Giants
Although the first major IFC package (as well as our custom ringtones) was promised in July...nothing came, although, again, thanks to Flans' constant updates via the IFC Tumblr account, the fans have been kept well informed and, according to Mr. Flansburgh, they should go out in the next week or so.
In other news, TMBG have announced their only three shows scheduled for 2012: Saturday the 29th of December through Monday the 31st of December at the Williamsburgh Music Hall for Apathetic, Eye-Rolling Douchbags Who Drink Beer They Don't Like Because It's "Funny".
While I would have loved to go to their New Year's Eve show (I went once and it was awesome), I'm working, so I got tickets to both the preceding shows, the first of which will consist of one side of their second and third albums (Lincoln and Flood) and the second of which will consist of the other side of their second and third albums. Should be fun.
Beck
While the month started off with more flyspecks of not-news manufactured specifically to feed my hatefire (oooh, Beck produced a track for some chick who did a song on the Fleetwood Mac tribute album, ooooooh and oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh, here's a recording of a Woody Guthrie song from the mid-90's, ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!), the end of the month presents us with the revelation of NEW BECK MUSIC.......well, three new songs ("Cities", "Spiral Staircase" and "Touch The People") to be used in a video game called Sound Shapes.
In this game you sort of play the songs as the level...?
You know, it's a little hard to explain and while it does look like a pretty innovative game design and this is a fitting place for Beck's sexy robot musical stylings***...well, I guess I'd like to know where I can purchase these songs as, you know, songs...for listening...with my ears.
Will I buy this game specifically to hear new Beck music?
That...is a good question.
Here's a video that kind of clears things up a bit, and here's another video with one of the new Beck songs ("Cities").
Getting better Beck, but I want album meat, not video game salad.
Eels
In about three months, it'll have been a full year since Eels' official web site has been updated and even longer since it was updated with anything pertaining to Eels' music.
I have nothing else to go here, I'm just worried.
Has anyone talked to E lately?
Everything okay, big guy?
How's your beard?
How about Bobby Jr.?
I have a pretty strong feeling that, if/when that dog dies, E is soon to follow...
And, if you think that sounds a bit shallow...listen to his music some time, he's a seriously fragile dude.
In other musicy newsy poo, I haven't really been overlistening to anything, but I have been focusing on older Bowie (Hunky Dory, The Man Who Sold The World, Diamond Dogs, Pin-Ups). The rampant joy in this young David Bowie's voice is just darling. You can hear those wonderful, jagged, pre-capped teeth giving each syllable its own unique skew...
Some highlights from each include:
From The Man Who Sold The World (1970)
- The Width Of A Circle - A bit long winded at times, but so are you, shut up.
- Running Gun Blues - In which Bowie's voice has this lilt of madness...really unsettling.
- The Supermen - It's a story about a planet of undying gods that can do anything but die. Basically, it's an Alan Moore graphic novel sung by David Bowie.
From Hunky Dory (1971)
- Uh...actually? Pretty much the whole album.
From Pin-Ups (1973)
- Here Comes The Night - Just fun, stop pestering me for reasons you should listen to songs.
- See Emily Play - Why? Because it's Bowie covering Pink Floyd, that's why.
- Friday On My Mind - Just a good time groove. Or GTG, as I call them.
From Diamond Dogs (1974)
- Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (reprise) - These three tracks are really one track, and it's amazing. Dark and brash and triumphant and go and listen to it now.
- Rock and Roll With Me - I have never felt as good about rocking and rolling with someone as when I hear this song,. Yes, David, I WILL rock and roll with you...unless that means sex, in which case...I'll probably still rock and roll with you.
- We Are The Dead - In this we meet a creeping and slimy Bowie (perhaps Halloween Jack from the title track?) who's representing the dead. I have no idea what's happening here, but I want to be somewhere else.
Other than the Bowiefest...hm, that's about it.
This has been a rather horrible month, emotionally, and I've mostly been listening to podcasts about video games to take my mind off things and, when I have been listening to music, it's been my 500+ song "mellow" iPod playlist on shuffle.
I need some more mellow music.
Oh, one last thing: just found out yesterday: a new album from Tori Amos called Gold Dust. When I went to her site and saw the track list, I was bummed; it looked like a best of made up of deep cuts rather than her better known stuff, but, upon further, you know, reading what was written there, I saw that Tori has, in reality, rerecorded and rearranged these fourteen songs with the Metropole Orchestra.
This is intriguing.
I love when bands I've loved for a long time do things like this; reinterpreting their own work years after they wrote it, making it more pertinent and vital and contemporary, finding something new it something old.
This is an excellent exercise for bands that have been around for decades.
Reznor has always excelled at this, as has TMBG, who have been playing some of the same songs in completely different styles for over thirty years.
And, as far as Eels, every single concert features complete reimaginings of their work.
Very much looking forward to this.
Gold Dust is coming out October 2nd.
Anyway, see the bitch/be the bitch.
*Read "Internet Sarcasm"
** Late 2015
*** As in, he is a sexy robot, not that his robot stylings are sexy...even though they are.
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