Nine Inch Nails
So. "Dive And Slam".
If this is real (and, even if it is, obviously Reznor, a huge hater when it comes to leaks and all that stuff is going to say it's not), that means a whole new era of Nine Inch Nails starts in a matter of days. Will there be a new artistic style or will Mills helm this new work as well? Will Sheridan hop back in the saddle? Or will we get someone new? What about a new font? New logo? Very exciting times indeed...
In honor of this (alleged) new track, I decided to fritter away a moment or two on Nine Inch Nails' past lead album singles.
As I wasn't aware of them until 1994, I can't really speak to "Down In It" or "Wish", but I do remember when "Closer" was everywhere. Singular. The only thing that looked and sounded like that at the time...or ever? I don't know. Are there music videos any more? What the hell is Mark Romanek up to these days?
...
Okay, I just checked, and he seems to be back to directing music videos.
For pop stars.
*sigh*
Anyway, I've still never heard a NIN single like "Closer".
Next up was "The Day The World Went Away", perhaps the least radio friendly song NIN have ever released as a single. There's no chorus*, no drums, just a goddamn wall of sound juxtaposed by Trent whispering some shit, perhaps about suicide. It's a four minute song with less than one minute of vocals.
It is one of my favorite Nine Inch Nails songs.
After that was "The Hand That Feeds", alternately, one of my least favorite Nine Inch Nails songs.
No, that makes it seem like I enjoy it on some level. I do not. As the first new NIN music since The Fragile, I was ready for disappointment, but, come on, this? Ugh. What's worse is that Reznor seems to love it, as he has played it at 99.9% of all live shows since its release. Aside from the next single, THTF marked the beginning of the decline in quality of radio tracks from Nine Inch Nails.
And that next single was "Survivalism". Great shit. Great video. Great everything. Still felt like a single, albeit rough and electronic and brutal. Perfect lead in and representation of what was to come with Year Zero.
After that was "Discipline", which felt like what someone who doesn't know much about Nine Inch Nails would call the perfect Nine Inch Nails single. It's not a bad song; it's well crafted, the instrumentation varies in an interesting and compelling (yet somehow predictable) way, but...you know, years ago, Reznor mentioned he was concerned that his and Saul Williams' cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" sounded "too much like Nine Inch Nails". "Discipline" sounds too much like Nine Inch Nails. If you know what that means, then you are a Nine Inch Nails fan.
Next, we have "Came Back Haunted" which had exactly the same issue as "Discipline", but, if "Discipline" was "The Perfect Nine Inch Nails Single (Rock)", then "Came Back Haunted" was "The Perfect Nine Inch Nails Single (Electronic)". Then there's the fact that, in one, Reznor can't help himself, whereas, in the other, he can't stop himself.
Won't someone please help/stop Trent Reznor?
As with "Discipline", I like CBH, but I still feel the same way.
Which leads us, maybe, to "Dive And Slam".
Shall we begin judging this (potentially non-existant) book by its cover?
First off, I do believe this might be the name of a new Nine Inch Nails song. After all "The Hand That Feeds" was one. "Starfuckers, Inc." was another. As far as what it could sound like...well, I'm going to go with "aggressive". It would be a little silly to have the lead single from a new Nine Inch Nails album, called "Dive And Slam", turn out to be a piano ballade. Unless there's a line about "diving into kisses and slamming into hugs" in the chorus. Or, "Dive" and "Slam" could be his kids' nicknames. I really have no idea. No one does.
If this is real, I'm sure I'll listen to it.
Probably.
Anyway, since Reznor is currently suckling from that Columbia teat, I believe (if this real and not some troll trolling) the math works out to a new Nine Inch Nails album in November...one month before the end of 2016.
You cunt.
Beck
A remix of "Wow" by the Mexican Institute of Sound (AKA "GUAU!") has been released. It's...well, it's kind of what one might expect from a remix of a Beck track by the Mexican Institute of Sound. Listen here.
Also, a few new song titles (specifically "Seventh Heaven" and "No Distractions") have been mentioned but that's about it. Crazy Joyous New Beck Album That Doesn't SOund Anything Like 'Morning Phase'** is due out October 21st. Unless Beck opens his Third Eye and consumes us all in Its Burning Glory.
They Might Be Giants
Only four more months until the deluge of new TMBG music recommences. It's September and I have not actually found myself dying without new songs by the Johns every Tuesday. Weird...
On a more secret note****: the offerings from this year's IFC (the physical stuff, anyway) have arrived and they are lacking. Golf tees? A light up pen? Low quality sunglasses? Yikes, guys, really? I mean, I know this is a writing/recording year and this is the money for the (3) new album(s) we're getting in 2017, but, I don't know, maybe don't have an IFC on off years? There was a pretty solid live album (digital only) which featured some rare treats ("Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal", "The Statue Got Me High", and about a third of Glean), and there's the personalized ringtone thing (no news on that yet...) but, still, lacking.
Eels
I'd rather have a healthy, happy E than new Eels music. That being said...is there a middle ground?
And, finally, had a chance to listen to that score Atticus Ross handed me last month. Review is huur.
Next month...shit, maybe a new Nine Inch Nails song. If not, at least you'll be getting a review of the awesome new Matt Berry album, The Small Hours.
* Unless you count Reznor saying "nah" a couple dozen times.
** Working title.***
*** By which I mean my working title.
**** I'm assuming that everyone reading this is a member of the They Might Be Giants Instant Fan Club. If not, just ignore this paragraph entirely. For you, it does not exist.
No comments:
Post a Comment