(thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me)
The album is available in every digital format imaginable, and in true NIN style, all 10 tracks are available for remixing. For the fans that enjoy holding music in their hands, a CD release is expected in the summer, but like with Ghosts, the digital version and CD are identical in sound quality, so the only difference is the ability to hold it in your hands.
Contrary to speculation by myself and other blogs, The Slip is NOT Year Zero 2.0. It is a completely separate entity combining the best of With Teeth (such as it was), Year Zero, and Ghosts I-IV. Musically this might be the best thing I've ever heard NIN do. It packs the same angsty, emotional punch of previous work, puts it behind a manic blend of grotesquely danceable hooks and drum beats (as best heard on first single "Discipline") and grinding synths and guitars (see also "Letting You") that would make unsuspecting listeners' ears bleed. Lyrically this is a different animal than Year Zero. I think I'm one of the few people who at least liked for the songwriting, and those strengths came through on this album. And then there are the two surprisingly chill instrumental tracks near the homestretch that lead into the final punch of "Demon Seed". Overall in the last three months Nine Inch Nails has released two quality albums that bloggers would be remiss to let slip by unnoticed when it comes time for the Best of '08 revues. It's too early to hand the prize to Trent for The Slip, but there's no denying the mark NIN has left on this year.
Ruling on the Field: 9/10
Highlight Reel: Echoplex, The Four of Us Are Dying
(The downloads are really just a formality so I can get picked up by Hype Machine. Go get the full album from nin.com. It's free and amazing. You have no excuse.)
And with that I am delcaring a one-month moratorium on NIN-related posts, barring Trent Reznor announcing his candidacy for president between now and then.
Also joining the free music party yesterday were The Offspring, following Coldplay's footsteps and releasing "Hammerhead", the first single from this summer's Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, as a free download. "Hammerhead" is classic Offspring with a bit of a twist in the style of new Green Day. Those soaring harmonies are still there (one of my favorite things about the Offspring), and it's still fast paced punk rock, but there's something bigger about it. "Hammerhead" is a bit more arena-ready than I've ever heard The Offspring, and more power to them for it. I don't think that means we should expect a new take on American Idiot with the new album, just a broader sound this time out. I've never actually bought an Offspring CD, but at this rate I just might give Rise and Fall, Rage And Grace a shot.
"Hammerhead" is still available for download at theoffspring.com
I will be back sometime in the next 24 hours with reviews of some traditionally-released stuff from the last week or two (namely the Jimmy Eat World re-issue).
==TJ==
1 comment:
What's up, TJ? I read this blog for the first time today, and coincidentally also listened to The Slip for the first time today. I'm going to see NIN in August. I wish we were in the same city so you could go with me, because I doubt I know anyone else who would be remotely interested. I'm not letting it stop me this year, though -- going to five shows by myself this summer. :-P And am significantly poorer as a result, but it's worth the money.
Jill :-)
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