Fragile, The [Digipak] - Nine Inch Nails > Reviews > Careful, it might break!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	A classic masterpiece
Disadvantages:	Maybe a little too long

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

THE BAND

Nine Inch Nails is a band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988 by Trent Reznor. The only constant member is Reznor with other musicians coming and going. Trent Reznor IS Nine Inch Nails. Other members featured on The Fragile (and at the live shows) are:-
Robin Finck - Guitar, Synthesizer
Danny Lohner - Bass, Guitar, Synthesizer
Jerome Dillon - Drums
Charlie Clouser - Synthesizer, Theremin

The genre is a bit harder to pin down. They are usually classed as industrial but there are so many different sounds to them: metal, rock, punk, electro, goth - you name it Reznor's done it.

DISCOGRAPHY

Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Broken- EP (1992)
The Downward Spiral (1994)
The Fragile (1999)
With Teeth (2005)

Nine Inch Nails also use the Halo numbers to catalogue their releases.

THE FRAGILE

NIN's fourth major release is the two-disc album The Fragile (1999) or Halo 14. The Fragile went double platinum in January 2000. It was released on Nothing records label.

TRACK LISTING

LEFT
1. Somewhat damaged
Its pumping opening riffs are similar to those of the downward spiral album.

2. The day the world went away

3. The frail
Piano led instrumental, each note seem laboured.

4. The wretched
Great sing-a-long chorus, 'You know this is what it feels like'. Excellent performed live!

5. We're in this together

6. The fragile

7. Just like you imagined

8. Even deeper
Dr. Dre gave mixing assistance on this one proving just how diverse Reznor can be

9. Pilgrimage
Wow!Chanting buddha boys choir and marching percussion - sounds crap I know but trust me it works!

10. No, you don't

11. La mer
another simple piano melody that gradually builds into a powerful drum climax

12. The great below

RIGHT
1. The way out is through
a slowly-building track that is kind of reminicsent of "The Downward Spiral

2. Into the void
Into the Void," has echoes of "Closer"

3. Where is everybody?

4. The mark has been made
an instrumental

5. Please

6. Starfuckers, Inc.
"Starfuckers, Inc." is a bit of a dig at Reznor's former friend and protégé, Marilyn Manson aka Brian Warner. Manson and Reznor eventually kissed and made up, and Manson even appeared in the video for Starfuckers, Inc.

7. Complication
Another instrumental

8. I'm looking forward to joining you, finally

9. The big come down

10. Underneath it all

11. Ripe (with decay)
an instrumental full of stringed instruments, piano and NOISE. A cool track and a great one to end on.

THE ALBUM

In interviews before the album was completed, Reznor said he was considering organizing the album so that one disc had the instrumentals and the other had the songs with lyrics. These plans changed when Bob Ezrin (producer of Pink Floyd's The Wall) suggested an arrangement of tracks that would strengthen the "four corners of the album"-namely the beginnings and ends of each of the two discs. I'm glad Reznor took his advice.

The music just flows effortly from one track to the next without a pause. To fully appreciate the album its best if you listen to it uninterupted (easier said than done at almost 2 hours I know).

The songs are full of Reznors trademark lamentations, self pity and desperateness. In a way the album feels quite voyueristic as Reznor bares his soul. It is a highly emotional album and so doesn't always make for easy listening, but thats what I love about Nine Inch Nails.

There is an honesty about the songs in that they don't cater for the masses - they are more a cathartic outlet for Reznors self pity. That said and done its some great music. It wouldn't be Nine Inch Nails without a bit of wallowing in self pity!

The album has a bit of a prog rock feel and it was certainly a risk to include so many instrumentals. However, I think this album is brilliant. Its epic, its big, its shamelessly self indulgent and the music is fantastic. I love the way it flows from quiet whispery bits to BANG in your face, kick ass music.

Its not going to be to everyones taste this but I would recommend this album if you like dark, industrial, rock, syth music or if you like Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Depeche Mode or Ministry.

AVAILABILITY

Amazon £12.99
play.com £14.99 delivered
HMV £17.99