Thursday, March 13, 2008

NIN's Ghosts II, Wherein Iris Loves the Music...

...but retains the right to poke fun. But first some other very important NIN related news. According to nin.com yesterday we were to "watch for an announcement tomorrow!" Today was the day and HOLY SHIT what an announcement it was.



I think the only other thing that could have made me happier is a solid confirmation to play Lollapalooza. But as excited as I am right now about the potential greatness of this band/fan interaction (seriously Trent I'm so proud of you!) I also groan at the thought of all the pure and utter crap it will produce and that has already started. Let's face it...at the end of the day a large portion of NIN fans are retarded. But do I plan on making what will probably be an equally retarded entry? Well after a little pep talk from my excellent friends for what has otherwise been the shittiest workday I've ever experienced in my life, the answer is a definite HELLZ YEAH!

For now though I'll continue on where Maise left off with my random review of Ghosts II. Perhaps I shouldn't reveal all my ideas since I may be competing with some of you in the film festival...but oh what the fuck, right.

10 Ghosts II-- So if you nodded off during the soft tinkering piano in #9 Trent's added a nice "CLAP" at the beginning of this number to wake you up. Points off. I was just getting somewhere in my daydream and then you had to go and snap us back to reality. Well not reality...just some TV static, pots and pans percussion, some other noisy bits, and more piano. This track seems to be lacking something to me. It just doesn't really go anywhere musically or take your mind off on a trip.

11 Ghosts II
--A slow builder that weaves an interesting path between distorted guitars, warbled synths, piano, and a staggered drum line. This one is excellent for headphones as it shifts from one side to the other. It finishes with a nice fade out that makes you ponder where you've just been. #10 should take notes.

12 Ghosts II--I really like this song but I can't deny that it makes me think of the Dresden Doll's "Delilah". There's really only about 3 second long piano part that makes me think that but then it kind of repeated throughout the song. And now that I've made the association I can't not hear it. I hate to even bring it up for those who may not have made the connection. I'm wondering...was this intentional or did Brian Viglione suggest it?

13 Ghosts II--Ah...sweet, sweet #13. Far and away my favorite track on the whole release. Just Trent noodling away with his piano. Another great one to listen to on headphones. Sit down, close your eyes, feel your breathing slow as you let it sink in and wash over you. -sigh- So relaxing that I believe that Trent may have even nodded off towards the end. Some people who want to take it out of context may say the breathing you hear during the last half of the song may be creepy and a little "the call is coming from inside the house" but they can fuck off. I love that Trent can make this kind of quiet retrospective melody in what I'm sure can still be at times a frat-boy mentality environment. Although I can also picture Trent holed up in his room with his keyboard and beat up boombox ala the "Non-Entity" Hurricane Katrina Benefit performance. My only complaint with this one is what feels to me to be an abrupt ending.

14 Ghosts II--If I were giving these tracks real names this one would definitely be called "Trent Goes to Bollywood". The music video would be an odd assortment of belly dancers, snake charmers, perhaps even the Indian Thriller dance troupe, some hand held Cloverfield-esque footage of walking through the streets of Bangladesh, and it would all be projected on the giant cheese cloth screen during the live performances. Just to keep it in line with Trent's other movie projection projects there would also be pictures of oh...I don't know...rotting coush-coush, a sacred cow chasing down a bird or attacking a kid or something, and maybe this Minnie Mouse(?) just to scare the shit out of little kids and send a "Fuck you" to Disney for maybe an old repressed grudge when they told Trent he was too short to ride the rides. I don't know. Just thinking out loud here.

15 Ghosts II--The feel of this song and the picture accompanying it me think that I'm being held captive in some evil scientists laboratory out in the middle of the woods where the mad doctor performs experiments on those forgotten in some kind of 70's sci-fi thriller. Perhaps Trent had just watched the "Island of Dr. Moreau".

16 Ghosts II--Another track reminiscent of international origin. It's like electric Aboriginal? The "vocals" remind me of someone using an electrolarynx. Either that or one of those auctioneers talk so damned fast you can't really understand them so later when you go to settle your bill you find out you didn't purchase the antique rocking chair that you thought your Grandma would like but instead bought a cardboard box of mismatched shoes, broken drill bits, and a collection of 12 years worth of pocket lint. Yeah it sucks when that happens but if I got to listen to this song when I got back to my car I guess it wouldn't be so bad.

17 Ghosts II--Starts off sounding a bit like "TDTWWA" and "Help Me I'm in Hell". Um-hmm...working my way through...listening...um-hmm...yeah...FUCK, Trent! What did I say about that xylophone? I don't care that you tried to bury it under layers of other noise! This is not acceptable. Did you listen to Lullaby Renditions of NIN and think it was a good idea?

18 Ghosts II--A catchy tune but aside from the small guitar riffs and feedback, I would say it was solely comprised out of old Nintendo game sound bytes. Remember when Meathead remixed "Closer to Mario"? Yeah. Or maybe it predates Nintendo...is that Pong I hear?

If you've not downloaded the album and want to listen to the songs we're referring to then check the playlist here on Channels Parallel. Stay tuned to hear Maise weigh in on Ghosts II and for the eventual third installment. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to make my masterpiece video that will win this "non-contest".

60 comments:

Iris said...

Can I just saw that this first paragraph from Trent's recent letter to the fans warms my cold and bitter heart.

First of all, a sincere THANK YOU for the response to Ghosts. We are all amazed at the reaction for what we assumed would be a quiet curiosity in the NIN catalog. My faith in all of you has been restored - let's all go have coffee somewhere (my treat)!

I'm also glad to see that some of the figures coming out on Ghosts' apparent financial success. $1.6 MILLION in a week! That's a pretty nice haul for an album with no record label backing, no pre-album hype, and for what is so far a strictly online release. Congratulations! Of course about $750,000 of that would have been generated for the Ultimate-Limited-Edition-In-Your-Face-Suckers collectors set. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the profit breaks down in terms of the other packages offered.

D:ANGEL said...

Anvil's METAL ON METAL is actually a good album, especially if you take into account it came out in '82.

Gillian said...

I read about this, uh, either this morning or yesterday

it's a shame that I'm useless with a camera of any description. And incapable of animation.
ANGST.

But I'm happy to spectate. I'll totally agree with the notion that a lot of NIN fans are retards but there are also a lot of really talented people who follow His Angriness too. So this could be pretty fucking cool.

Isabel said...

I know it's supposed to be about 'fan collaboration' and all, but I really wish Trent would close down the youtube comments - it's like a roll call of idiocy. I was hoping his announcement about a partnership would be him doing a soundtrack for something on television or film not just letting some gimps loose on the visuals for Ghosts.

Still, I love the album anyway and I bought it. 3Ghosts I is my favourite so far. Having just had a baby, I've been playing Ghosts a lot while doing feedings.

D:angel, I'm going to see Iron Maiden at Twickenham doing a 'Powerslave' era show in July - is that metal enough for you or do they not float your boat?

Anonymous said...

Bruce Dickinson = Nigel Tufnel.

Isabel said...

Cool - I brought out an anonymous poster with just one comment. Hey, is that the only Spinal Tap comparison you can think of? There must be more

D:ANGEL said...

oh yeah, Maiden doing Powerslave is definitely metal enough! Great album! Finally - a genuine metal comment.

Celtic Frost anyone?

D:ANGEL said...

isabelle is my new favorite poster!

Isabel said...

my metal credentials pretty much stem from late 80's early 90s so Anvil are off my radar. Although I have got Dave Mustaine's autograph on a Hangar 18 vinyl single from a HMV signing in Manchester in the early 90s on their tour for Rust in Peace. One of my favourite gigs ever

Iris said...

Isabel you need to slow down on name dropping/autograph-having details. Angelman has been our only metalhead here for a long time. You're going to get him too excited and he'll have a fit.

Isabel said...

Hey, the majority of my post was about Ghosts, but I thought I'd throw Angelman a bone - felt sorry for him with his little snippets of metal-info going unanswered

Iris said...

Well just so long as it doesn't get to the point of "my obscure metal band is better than your obscure metal band". Actually you know what, it's kind of quiet around here so what the hell.

Isabel listens to __________
who trumps DA's new fav band __________.

And...GO!

Anonymous said...

Where's the love for Eric Gaffney?

How come Angelman gets a fan and I don't?

How come none of you jerkies can understand talent when it's waved under your nose?

Why do I bother?

*sulk*

Isabel said...

Eric Gaffney? Anyway, aside from occasional forays into metal at the moment I'm all about the love for Trent.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Eric Gaffney.

If you're not already familiar, click here or here and get enlightened.

Iris said...

I'm trying to listen to your podcast JR but Jesus Christ the blasting noise that is song number two (I think) is NOT doing anything for the screaming headache I've had all day. -meh- But that picture you have of your dear Gaf behind the drums waving is cute.

Anonymous said...

You must be talking about "Crisis"; he reworked it years later, and it was way better. I don't really care for this version.

But yeah, how great is that picture of him waving from behind the drum kit?

Anonymous said...

Oh, and everyone?

I just have to say that Iris rules because she gave Gaff a chance.

The rest of you can suck it.

Iris said...

Whaa??? JR leaving kind words in my favor? After all this bickering I feel confused?

Anonymous said...

Listen, anyone who is willing to give the brilliance that is Eric Gaffney a chance to penetrate is aces in my book.

I may have news to report on that subject, but I might not.

***

And my new year's resolution is to "confound expectations."

Iris said...

In other random news...parents shelter their children WAY too much. WTF lady? I'm sure the kid didn't realize it was a cock-shaped straw. And what kind of mother are you that you'd recognize it as one? Give a lot of head back in your day?

I also feel the makers of the straws are being sexist. Where's the va-jay-jay shaped straw?

D:ANGEL said...

Isabelle - truth be told most of my metal experience is in metal from '86-'93 too. However, I have been trying to move on (both forward and back) to see what was/is good. So I gave stuff like Judas Priest, etc a chance (and seriously, Judas Priest is great!) and also went forward to stuff like Opeth, Immortal, Mastodon, etc a chance (all are great). My heart will always be with bands like Megadeth, (old) Metallica, Testament, Forbidden, Death Angel. They all lived right by me growing up so we had all the demos and stuff.

Iris - I love how you are discouraging posting on the site because it is about metal. If I'm getting in the way of the active dialogue about GHOSTS, please let me know. I thought this was a music-discussion site.

Iris said...

Didn't you hear? Eric Gaffney is the new shit.

Anonymous said...

A Gaff convert. Aw yeah.

Anonymous said...

Oh my god, you guys.

Oh my god!

I can't say more right now, but Oh. My. God. In a good way.

I should be able to elaborate more tomorrow.

!

D:ANGEL said...

tease.

Anonymous said...

I know!

I want to tell everyone, but I also don't want to jinx it. And I can't even cryptically tell people that I KNOW know, so you guys are lucky to even get to know that I've got something majorly exciting cooking.

I should be able to spill tomorrow.

!

D:ANGEL said...

do

THE TOXIC WALTZ
THE TOXIC WALTZ

D:ANGEL said...

From the net:

And you thought all this In Rainbows crap was over: During an interview last week, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor condemned Radiohead for its moderately historic release of In Rainbows. Thom Yorke and company, of course, released the album late last year as a pay-what-you-will download weeks before making it available as a conventional CD. Reznor—who earlier this month released a 36-track, download-only work titled Ghost I-IV, one that netted him $1.6 million in its first week—called Radiohead’s experiment “insincere” and a “bait and switch,” then accused the British band of shrewdly getting fans “to pay for a MySpace quality stream as a way to promote a very traditional record sale… I don’t see that as a big revolution they’re kind of getting credit for.” Of course, the more cynical among us might theorize that this whole brouhaha is just another way of keeping Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails—the two headliners of this year’s Lollapalooza—rolling in free ink between now and August. Not that we’d ever be taken in by such a cheap trick.

Isabel said...

I'm sorry but the whole Radiohead vs NIN debate is pissing me off - I listened to the interview in which Trent said that about Radiohead - firstly, Trent never brought Radiohead up, the interviewer did. Trent kept saying things about how he thought generally their thing was 'cool' trying to make it not sound like a 'dig' - it was Radiohead's manager who came out first admitting that the download thing was a scam to get people to buy the CD so what is Trent supposed to say when actually asked by an interviewer? He'd sound pretty stupid if he didn't know that!
Then what happens, the press jump it like Trent took out an Ad in all the press 'slamming' Radiohead etc. I'm sorry, it's not a scam on Trent or Radiohead's behalf, it's the magazines that can't sell copies sensationalising it so fuck you D:angel

Isabel said...

Sorry to post again but : I forgot to mention that what pisses me off MOST about this whole debate is that the new way of distributing music is supposed to be artists sticking it to the labels on behalf of the fans (well supposedly) - so if idiot fans start making it into some stupid fucking competition of 'my band did it better than yours' or 'my band did it first' they're just screwing themselves over and playing into labels hands - when someone says 'so and so did it first' - (bearing in mind loads of unsigned bands have probably been selling online for years so neither aforementioned band did it first anyway) what is any other band supposed to say? Oh well since Radiohead have done it noone had better sell online again???? ANNOYING
(Apologies for constant posting but this issue REALLY pisses me off)

Iris said...

Preach it, Sister Child!

I feel the same way on this issue. It's bullshit the way they're trying to spin it into some big schoolyard argument. I'm sure if they haven't already started hounding Radiohead for a response to the SLANDEROUS remarks by Trent, then they soon will be. I listened to that same radio interview and I think Trent was honest but still respectful to Radiohead. We've all heard how the Angry Midget can go off on people and this was nothing.

But for the sake of stirring shit it shouldn't be long before Trent and Radiohead are compared for their similar fan video contests, although it should be pointed out that TRENT DID IT FIRST! Neener neener neener Thom Yorke!

Anonymous said...

"Sister child"? Whatever.

Anyway, I should be able to spill my news tomorrow.

I wish it was a two-parter, but I'm thinking it's going to be just one element. For now.

D:ANGEL said...

for the record I was just reporting the news to spur on discussion - I know nothing of said (faux) radiohead v. NIN debate. It actually randomly appeared on a metal news site I read.

maise said...

I've been avoiding Places Parallel out of guilt. Because I haven't been participating, and I have no idea who the fuck Eric Gaffney is.

Okay, back to work.

[maise hides]

Anonymous said...

Look, everyone! MAISE NOW HAS A TARGET ON HER BACK. Poor doggie.

Actually, Maise, you're not alone. Far too few people know who the fuck Eric Gaffney is, and I'm setting out to see what I can't do about it.

BUT FOR THE BIG NEWS...*insert drumroll here*

For those of you keeping score at home, please whip out your version of my resume and add "Promoter" to it. And first on the list, IAN MACKAYE.

That's right, I am presenting Ian MacKaye and I couldn't possibly be more excited. What's even better is that because I have the best boss in the world, when I asked to simply rent the smaller portion of our venue, his response was that he didn't want me to assume too much financial risk (he clearly did not understand how low the stakes are), and why not have our organization present it, while letting the whole thing be my baby? So I get to do it as I please AND for not a penny out of pocket. Does it get better than THAT? NO.

There's more to the story, and this is part of a larger story arc (with some points on which I would welcome feedback), and you can find details over on JR, soon.

But for now? HELL YEAH.

Iris said...

Congrats JR!

Anonymous said...

Iris = favorite.

Iris said...

So are you going to do a podcast interview for your site or what?

Anonymous said...

You know, I SHOULD. He's staying at my place, so it'd be easy to achieve.

Iris said...

Wait...he's staying at your HOUSE? Make sure you use "the good sheets" and clean your bathroom! You can tell a lot about a person from the state of their bathroom.

Anonymous said...

Wow.

I like the excessive use of CAPS.

I also like points 4 and 6 in the first section.

I also like that the last sentence works equally well whether your stance is pro or con on the issue.

Iris said...

YIKES! This article is as funny as it is disturbing. No wonder devoted church folk are fucking crazy. It's all that pent up sexual frustration.

Do they think these methods are actually going to work? I've always found that the thing I'm trying hardest to not think about ends up being what I think about the most. The whole first section talks about not talking, thinking, or acknowledging "the urge" but then in the second section you're supposed to meet with your Preisthood Leader to make a plan on how to overcome this addiction? Hmm...seems a little contradictory there.

#13 in the second section is cracking me up. I know an excellent way to "start each day with an enthusiastic activity". Oh wait...that's what this article is trying to prevent. Shit. I fail.

I'm curious as to how you came (no pun intended) across this little bit of self-help advice? Someone sending you an email intervention, JR?

Isabel said...

Hilarious, what I love most about the religious is their complete lack of knowledge about the workings of the human body. I suppose its the whole not allowed to spill seed business from the bible - but the fact is, semen ejaculates of its own accord every so often (would anybody want to spawn a baby with skanky months old semen?) anyway so its either one off the wrist or sticky sheets

Iris said...

Aww man! Two words I did not want to read so early in the morning: "semen ejaculates". I guess I didn't really want to finish my bowl of cereal anyways. Thanks Isabel.

Anonymous said...

"I'm curious as to how you came (no pun intended) across this little bit of self-help advice? Someone sending you an email intervention, JR?

The Church has advised me not to answer your question, Iris. Or to even think about your question. Or the double entendre.

BRB

Anonymous said...

how can PP be a sequel to great wtc?
5 or 6 babbling teletubbies leftover
bet you all really look alike

Anonymous said...

It's not a sequel. Places Parallel, not Places Subsequent.

Jesus Christ.

On a happier note: Anonymous got a screen name! Yay!

Oh, and lala? Your haiku has too many syllables.

Iris said...

Is it sheer coincidence that you refer to us as Teletubbies and your screen name is lala? (even though you spelled it wrong)

I loved WTC just as much, if not a little more, as everyone else but WTC is dead. Get over it.

Iris said...

Oh and in other babbling news...our Juliette and The Licks video from Lollapalooza just kicked over 10,000 views! How fucking cool is that?

Anonymous said...

yes, you´re right, and i´m over it now.
that´s the thing you´re living for.
its always the same with people from the us: they´re big, loud, they think their opinion is most important, and that their ultimate goal is: to be right!!
“Lala” was a bait- and of course – you gulp it, iris!

good girl

Anonymous said...

Sorry, folks, Winky's been drinking again.

Anonymous said...

You´re (b)right, Po!

Anonymous said...

Whatevs.

Anonymous said...

...

Iris said...

I miss pop up video.

Anonymous said...

I miss Beavis and Butthead.

D:ANGEL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
D:ANGEL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Okay, kids, I'm ready for your thoughts.