From Trent to you...
Trent Reznor, as leader of (and mastermind behind) Nine Inch Nails, has always been an industry rebel. Now a free independent artist with no major label ties, Reznor has been releasing albums at a rapid clip and making them available for a pittance. (Interestingly, as recently reported in Rolling Stone, the guy's making a killing doing so, minus the middle-man.)
Now, Reznor and NIN have outdone Radiohead - that band offered its recent "In Rainbows" on a pay-what-you-like basis to fans, via its web site - by making the new "The Slip" available to fans at no charge. That's right - a complete, high-quality DRM-free download of the whole album is yours for the taking at www.NIN.com. There, you'll also find a note from Trent, reading in part, "Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me." Pretty cool.
More importantly, "The Slip" is easily the best NIN album since "The Downward Spiral". Seriously. It's bold and creative, and boasts stronger hooks than anythng Reznor's done in quite a while.
Grab the record, and share your thoughts on it here.
Jeff Miers has been The Buffalo News' Pop Music Critic since 2001. Prior to that date, he
served as editor in chief of one alternative news weekly, and music editor of another.
C'mon, With Teeth was perhaps the worst CD I've ever heard. "With the Teeth-ah." Latest CD was a lot better.
Anyways, I'm really hear to complain about the Thursday at the Square lineup. C'mon Myers, that made for 6 o'clock news press conference ain't enough for you to throw up a paragraph for commenting? What a joke that lineup is. There's no one I'd even half be interested in seeing. Blech! Gin Blossoms? Candlebox? You're telling me you can't grab some up and coming band that might someday be relevant instead of these never were hacks?
At least TV on the Radio is coming this month to Town Ballroom.
Posted by: Joel | May 16, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Nice thursday @ the Square .. Horrible Not one relevant artist , Just shows to drink and thats about it. How about a Radiohead show in the Buffalo area, Arcade Fire Coldplay? Hmm ridiculous that no one of any relevance rock or alt rock wise comes to Buffalo
Posted by: Jchris | May 16, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Nothing against Trent or Radiohead, but I find it so hypocritical of theses bands that became millionaires...house hold names from major industry support, and now 15 or so years after the fact they are "rebeling" against the industry. These bands would have been fringe/cult artists at best without exposure from major distributors, MTV, Rolling Stone, etc. It's great that they are giving back to thier fans, but it's only because they can afford to.
Posted by: Pumpy | May 14, 2008 at 08:32 AM
I dunno man, I'm almost done with my first listen, and while enjoyable, there's no way this record comes close to Fragile or With Teeth. What little there is in the way of lyrics seem uninspired and uninteresting. Granted, I'm on my first time through, but it almost seems that Trent is trying to recapture some of the elements of the Downward Spiral, both musically and lyrically. More than a few songs pretty heavily harken back to that lp, enough that they could have been tunes written in 1993/94 and just now released.
Posted by: Nick | May 12, 2008 at 11:04 PM
I've been a fan of Reznor/NIN since I first heard Pretty Hate Machine and some 19 years later I still find him and his music interesting and relevant. The Slip is a great album and I haven't stopped listening since I downloaded it. Great production, great hooks, and he hasnt mellowed with old age or sobriety.
Posted by: Paul | May 12, 2008 at 09:31 PM