NIN Year Zero

[n8tron]

Picked it up the day it came out. This is the first album in awhile that I liked immediately. Now I can't get enough of it. The whole concept is really interesting, especially how it was put together with the websites, leaked songs and the whole story behind it. It really immerses you into the album if you start to get into it.

As usually, a lot of very heavy processing on everything, he uses it really well in my opinion. I don't have a ton of comments on the production except that I just want to keep listening to it.

Amazing album I would highly suggest it.

Any other opinions?

[olivia_nb]

It is better than With Teeth to be sure. It doesn't strike me as amazing yet, though 4 or 5 songs seem really strong.
I mourned Chris Vrenna and Clouser leaving the band, I thought they added a lot to the sound of Downward Spiral. I love The Fragile for different reasons, but DS is what Trent will always have to live up to in my opinion.
I will continue to listen to it, but so far Year Zero is falling behind my love affair with Clutch's latest record...

[AlexLakis]

The Downward Spiral will always be second to Pretty Hate Machine in my book. Both great albums, tho.

Couldn't really get into any of his other ones. I've seen him live twice, tho, and his live show is awesome.

Great artist. I'll have to check out this new one.

[n8tron]

Actually I hear a bit of Downward Spiral in this album, that was my initial reaction of the basic flow of the album, and also some elements that would come in and out. It sounds a little here and there like The Fragile too but thats no surprise due to the expansiveness of The Fragile. Much better than With Teeth, Trent Reznor just shines when it comes to concept albums.

[-Noodles-]

I've never really "got" NIN.
Seen them twice through my work, and i get them live - but on CD i just don't really understand the fuss. I can understand how he makes his songs through loops and weird noises etc,..

But is there an important element that i've not been explained about?

[olivia_nb]

Originally Posted by -Noodles-

But is there an important element that i've not been explained about?

yeah man, it's his passion for that woman who screwed him over... 20 years ago...

not to mention a healthy dose of self-loathing...

[-Noodles-]

I know about this self loathing etc,.. when i bumped into him backstage he seemed nice - but with a deep hate for himself.
Apologised greatly.

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by -Noodles-

I know about this self loathing etc,.. when i bumped into him backstage he seemed nice - but with a deep hate for himself.
Apologised greatly.

Good that he has found an outlet for his feelings in music unlike some others, as seen in the news

[soundrick]

I felt the DS immediately as well. I think it has something to do with this record sounding more "Trent Reznor", and less "band". The Fragile and With Teeth seemed to have a lot more live band elements and feel (the latter especially), and while I like them both alot, there is something nostalgically NIN about this record.

That being said, it seems this guy can really do no wrong when it comes to record making.......IMHO

[Sui_City]

I flipped through 5 or 6 songs listening to the first 30 seconds,

and i just felt that everything seemed like a very similar with beatz. beatz. beatz. beatz.

I found it instantly boring.

beatz. verse. pre-chorus beatz. chorus. beatz. verse.

Guess i've grown tired of electronic generation of this nature.

[-Noodles-]

Originally Posted by Sui_City

I flipped through 5 or 6 songs listening to the first 30 seconds,

and i just felt that everything seemed like a very similar with beatz. beatz. beatz. beatz.

I found it instantly boring.

beatz. verse. pre-chorus beatz. chorus. beatz. verse.

Guess i've grown tired of electronic generation of this nature.

I hear a little more than that, but that's essentially what i mean; there's gotta be something i'm missing!

[lpkyer]

I totally love it. Bought it the day it came out.

[soundrick]

Originally Posted by Sui_City

I flipped through 5 or 6 songs listening to the first 30 seconds,

and i just felt that everything seemed like a very similar with beatz. beatz. beatz. beatz.

I found it instantly boring.

beatz. verse. pre-chorus beatz. chorus. beatz. verse.

Guess i've grown tired of electronic generation of this nature.

I think I would find it really hard to get anything out of an album by listening to 30sec of 5 or 6 songs.
Should they have saturated MTV and the radio with a catchy hit single to garner at least a full listen of an entire song??
No offense meant, but I'm really interested in why everything is so "grab&go" these days. I understand if it didn't "touch" you right away or something, or you just don't like the music, but this kind of analysis has no merit really. Like looking at the corner of a painting and assuming the rest sucks, or watching a movie trailer, and assuming the the entire plot has been revealed.
I like the album, I'm not in love with it, but I have listened to the entire thing, and like a lot of great records it seems like more than the sum of it's parts.

[supaheef]

Trent Reznor is an artist that I don't feel I have the right to judge, no matter what differences there are between his albums. I just buy his albums, and adjust my own frame of reference to suit his. I don't expect him to make a "better" album in a style he's done before. Some days need Downward Spiral, other days need With Teeth, or Broken, etc.

Come to think if it, I use this approach with every CD I buy. Some people get too far into their own expectations of their favourtie bands, but in the end that can ruin the journey. Dylan electric, Dylan acoustic: It's all good!

heath.

[bcgood]

When Pretty Hate Machine came out I listened to that album so many times. Flood did a great job on that album along with Trent. Downward Spiral from a conceptual engineer perspective is the pinnacle while PHM is better musically.

Now when I listen to his stuff I just get tired of all the gloom and doom. It's funny that someone else commented on the Virgina thing because I listened to Zero yesterday and I couldn't help but make a connection. I just like listening to what I term "life music" like Bob Marley so much more, it has a positive vibration - that's what I want more of in my life...

bcgood

[n8tron]

Originally Posted by supaheef

Trent Reznor is an artist that I don't feel I have the right to judge, no matter what differences there are between his albums. I just buy his albums, and adjust my own frame of reference to suit his. I don't expect him to make a "better" album in a style he's done before. Some days need Downward Spiral, other days need With Teeth, or Broken, etc.

Come to think if it, I use this approach with every CD I buy. Some people get too far into their own expectations of their favourtie bands, but in the end that can ruin the journey. Dylan electric, Dylan acoustic: It's all good!

heath.

thats a really great way of going in to an album. I realize I do something similar with his, but not for every cd. I always buy and album he puts out because I know its going to be good, whether its different or not. to this day I have not been proven wrong.



soundrick,

totally agree with you too.

in fact, this album was the first album in years that has grabbed me, even though my first listen I was like.. yeah its good... until the 3rd listen I was thinking this is amazing!!

I remember when sufjan's album came out, I listened to the 30sec clips on itunes and though eh... this isn't very good. But then a friend played the whole thing for me and I was hooked.

lately for me it takes about 5-10 listens for me to keep or reject a cd. Some of my all time favorites I havn't liked the first few times. They work for the respect they deserve.

[orpheus]

ever since after the fragile, i felt that he was more or less looking back at his work from before, trying to go back in a way. i liked with teeth much more then the new one. year zero feels to me like he is tired, it seems the conept is much bigger then the music, i dont know there is just something weary about it, although it is still a great record for sure.... now i am a HUGE NIN fan, have been since my adolescence when phm came out. but his best record by far is the downward spiral, just conceptional , sounds, intensity, lyrics in context with music... in someway i would say it is the most ****ed up ( in an intelligent way) record ever made. fragile was a listening experience, for sure, but everything after seems like he is looking back and is trying to infuse some of this some of that( with teeth, catchy songs, ala phm with sounds and slick production of fragile, and now the edgy sound of tds..... ) but i am still impressed in how he just can **** signals up that way and still have the whole thing sound good. shit , how many times was i trying to build that pad from closer on my former prophet vs.

[Sui_City]

Originally Posted by soundrick

I think I would find it really hard to get anything out of an album by listening to 30sec of 5 or 6 songs.
Should they have saturated MTV and the radio with a catchy hit single to garner at least a full listen of an entire song??
No offense meant, but I'm really interested in why everything is so "grab&go" these days. I understand if it didn't "touch" you right away or something, or you just don't like the music, but this kind of analysis has no merit really. Like looking at the corner of a painting and assuming the rest sucks, or watching a movie trailer, and assuming the the entire plot has been revealed.
I like the album, I'm not in love with it, but I have listened to the entire thing, and like a lot of great records it seems like more than the sum of it's parts.

My housemate is smitten with it, so i am getting to hear it enough.

But my original opinion still stands:

The melodies (heard them before)

the "pad" type sounds, (be they synth or guitar generated, heard them before)

You mentioned MTV? Well, for me the song structures are completely MTV

And again

Back to the beatz..... heard them before

I honestly believe that Trent is still concerned about how the fans will receive it, otherwise he wouldn't have held onto so many of his own "hooks".

I just feel that he hasn't progressed

I am not always quick to judge, but sometimes it is not difficult to judge quickly.

[soundrick]

Originally Posted by Sui_City

I am not always quick to judge, but sometimes it is not difficult to judge quickly.

I think we are all probably a little guilty of this.......I don't always hear the "thing" about a piece of music right away and feel disinterested.
I'm just tired of the iTunes music store form of album evaluation, it's not fair, for the artist or the listener.

I was going to say actually that I hear a lot of new things on this record, particularly in the vocals. rhythmically, melodically, production, lyrical content. It think vocals are the one thing I hear improving and changing on the last few records.

did anyone else get a chill from the "Queen-like" vocal part on track 13??

[3rd world order]

Originally Posted by El Fatso

The Great Destroyer is definately one of my favorites on Year Zero. i was driving when i first heard that song, and i had already really liked the melody in the first half of that song. once the layered vocal came in i got all excited becuase i love that sound when used tastefully. then the fvcked up sounding distorted beat came in i flipped out even more at how great a syncapated distorted noise can sound.

drum machine put thru a sherman filterbank methinks.. i used to make a lot of distorted beats like this with either the sherman or an arp 2600..

i dig it.

trent still misses sean beavan and all the old character gear... listen to the 8mm cd to hear the difference... once you get over the fact that it sounds like a demo, the tunes are cool...

[84K]

I love how opinions about an album turn into validating a recording artist/performer who has been regarded as a pioneer and inspiration to many. Who also happens to be successfull 15 years after his debut and still maintaining a loyal fanbase. Trent has done well, I am sure his career doesn't keep him up at night.

The album is good. Is it great? No, I don't hink so. Pretty Hate Machine and DS were great albums. He had some other songs here and there. Those are classics. Is it worth buying this new album? If you like what he does.

[STF]

First listen through this album I thought it was pretty much 100% crap.

Another one and noticed how good and interesting SOME of the beats and sounds were. they sound bland, but upon further inspection really are fresh especially to hear from a pop artist.

Trent really does sound a bit old and tired, something about his older works just so much more energy and life in them, guess its the same with every artist though

[Legacy Audio]

There's only so many ways you can write a love song as is there's only so many ways to write doom and gloom.

I think the pinnacle of his career was with "The Fragile". On Year Zero he seems to be recycling old material both with music and lyrics. Having said all that, it's still a hell of a lot more interesting than most of the homogenized music out there.

[Long_Shaded_Eye]

I HATE this album.
The last one was just awfull too.

The sound of this one is better ... but the songs are crappy.


I was (and I'm still in fact) in love with the Fragile. It was so incredible, the songs (so many influences), the textures (many layers of grainy strange sounds) ... now it just sucks (to me at least).

As it has been said , very boring, very 80's style... I'm really sad cause I used to love NIN.

IMHO ... just my opinion.
/Nick.

[3rd world order]

NIN is funny... probably the most polarizing band in music... no other band is under as much scrutiny...

i wonder why.

[GearBit]

Finally gave it a listen. It was kinda like visiting an ol drinking/drug buddy. Lots o decadent memories but not a place I wanted to spend the rest of my days. A sound that defined the negative 90s for me at least.
That said I am really glad to see him getting back to the rhythm, simplicity and rawness that he works so well with. It is definately got those early 90s sounds (bit rate crap etc.)but hey thats kinda like distortion was to hendrix right? Its his sound.
I predict it will be a record that I enjoy listening to for trents sound and vision but I don't think I'll be living it this time around.

[teddy07x]

I PARTS of his records to be great, I am honest and I say, I seldom like all the songs on an album. However, I haven't really listened too much to the new album year 0. But there are some moments and songs in the NIN discography that can put me in any kind of mood. Sorta just blow me there and me being the leaf just wanting to float a bit further.

Not too many bands can move me like that. And I don't expect many songs to be like that.

[Opie Taylor]

All I can say is wow. None of the tracks are fillers. Most of the tracks are powerful and machine like. It made me want to turn the volume to the max. position. Seriously I felt like i was in an action movie listening to this. It has a certain element from his earlier albums but better IMO. Not alot of acoustic instrumentation, but more processing, which i think made the success of it.

[CorkyTart]

You have a right to judge, to say you dont is to say you dont have an opinion even if we really all do

Originally Posted by supaheef

Trent Reznor is an artist that I don't feel I have the right to judge, no matter what differences there are between his albums.

[frugalpole]

Originally Posted by supaheef

Trent Reznor is an artist that I don't feel I have the right to judge, no matter what differences there are between his albums. I just buy his albums, and adjust my own frame of reference to suit his. I don't expect him to make a "better" album in a style he's done before. Some days need Downward Spiral, other days need With Teeth, or Broken, etc.

Come to think if it, I use this approach with every CD I buy. Some people get too far into their own expectations of their favourtie bands, but in the end that can ruin the journey. Dylan electric, Dylan acoustic: It's all good!

heath.

heath,

brilliant post. i think year zero is great. fantastic
we think in order to judge/enjoy/grade something it has to be in the context of others. comparison.
i understand our gravity towards this. i'm not coming down on it. but sometimes i think creativity is chaffed b/c of it.
we create in response to what we have encountered, but when we create to compare to something, i think things go awry.

honestly, i think the general bummer w/ the music coming out currently is that it is most of it is being created to compare to what is out there.

i like, and try to employ the idea of judging each thing on its own merits. and i strive to create that way. nodding to my influences, not running from them, but neither trying to be them or compare to them.

Originally Posted by bcgood

When Pretty Hate Machine came out I listened to that album so many times. Flood did a great job on that album along with Trent. Downward Spiral from a conceptual engineer perspective is the pinnacle while PHM is better musically.

Now when I listen to his stuff I just get tired of all the gloom and doom. It's funny that someone else commented on the Virgina thing because I listened to Zero yesterday and I couldn't help but make a connection. I just like listening to what I term "life music" like Bob Marley so much more, it has a positive vibration - that's what I want more of in my life...

bcgood

got to be room for both types.

life both imitates art.
and art responds to art.

also, i hear a bit of downward spiral in this album too. seems to be a lot of lyrical/conceptual nods in it..

'i let you put it in my mouth'.