Trent Reznor, sound better then his songs

[HOTC]

Im sure I shall get blasted but i dont mind..
I was listening to the last few albums from NIN and to be fair its so boring,
Like from a production view its good and well done but its like the guy ran out of ideas like 10years ago
I think Reznor is cool for how hes trying to push the model of the music business and thats cool,,but i just feel when I her the newer NIN stuff I say that sounds good..but im only talking about the sound and not the actual music.
Im sure hes a busy man but if he reads this dont get offended,,theres millions who would disagree with moi

[larry b]

Well, for me, nothing will ever top Pretty Hate Machine.

But thats just me.

[cowudders]

oh yes, the sounds on 'year zero' f.e. are great. Don't know if Alan Moulder still does all his stuff, but it sounds like this is the case.

And 'The Fragile' still sounds sooo great and the converters were Digis 888/24 (maybe even the old 16bit model) and the session was a 16bit session. so there.

-b

[HOTC]

yeah soundwise great
music wise-boring..tho thats most only the newer shit from the past few years

[csl]

The Fragile is probably my favourite album for production inspiration -- it's incredible-sounding (it's a brilliant release all-round IMO). For ideas, The Downward Spiral is also still very rich, though not at the same level as Fragile, production-wise.

I thought the following releases dipped in quality somewhat, but that doesn't diminish my respect for him as a producer in the slightest.

[magibatalla]

Originally Posted by larry b

Well, for me, nothing will ever top Pretty Hate Machine.

But thats just me.

It's just you and me then

[Jake]

Originally Posted by magibatalla

It's just you and me then

and one more makes three!

To contribute my own highly contrarian view of NIN -- Reznor's harsher and more aggressive tracks are invariably my least favorite. I think he's at his best when he doesn't try to hide so hard to cover up his inner electroclash-pop-funk leanings. I don't mind hard industrial, I just don't think it's Reznor's strong suit, his reputation notwithstanding. There I said it!

[logicll]

I think downward spiral and fragile were his high points. I think it suckes he ditched his SSL G series Akai S1100's and started mixing in the box.

I think his new "work flow" contributes to his new sound and writing style..

[csl]

Originally Posted by logicll

I think downward spiral and fragile were his high points. I think it suckes he ditched his SSL G series Akai S1100's and started mixing in the box.

I think his new "work flow" contributes to his new sound and writing style..

Is that so? Innnteresting... The Fragile and TDS sound so much richer and deeper than With Teeth or Year Zero, even if I largely enjoy YZ. Ghosts sounds quite good though, and I bet that's recorded and mixed ITB, so I shouldn't be too dismissive of his/their ITB work.

[Dysanfel]

I think the guy forgot how to right a hook.

[logicll]

it seemed that year zero was done on a laptop. I have personally modeled most of my studio around the 96-2000 "vibe"... 2" Tape, AKAI S1100's, Pultec filters,zoom 9030 and
Eventide H3000S...ect

I think what is being lost these days is work flow. If things are two easy (a laptop with 50 soft synths and samples) the music suffers as-well as the sonics.

[HOTC]

Originally Posted by Dysanfel

I think the guy forgot how to right a hook.

thumbsup

[sage691]

Originally Posted by HOTC

Im sure I shall get blasted but i dont mind..
I was listening to the last few albums from NIN and to be fair its so boring,
Like from a production view its good and well done but its like the guy ran out of ideas like 10years ago
I think Reznor is cool for how hes trying to push the model of the music business and thats cool,,but i just feel when I her the newer NIN stuff I say that sounds good..but im only talking about the sound and not the actual music.
Im sure hes a busy man but if he reads this dont get offended,,theres millions who would disagree with moi

No, you're dead on. He sucks and has always hidden that behind elaborate production gimmicks in the studio. The only halfway decent attempt he's ever made at soulful songwriting was Pretty Hate Machine -- and even that was pretty trite.

Oh yeah, but I forgot that he's a genuis to many here. dfegadWell, so is Lil Wayne according to the latest Rolling Stone. Maybe a genuis conman in the studio is what they mean. Listen to some skinny puppy from the late 80s, and you'll see that he's just a copycat that took their sound and made it more "poppy".

But he does indeed write some decent lyrics!

[packagebear]

As long as he can still left a jab

[DeathMonkey]

I gotta say I'm still a big fan. I've been doing some of the remixes they have on the site, and the deeper you get into some of these songs, you begin to realize that they are actually more accessible and catchy than you think they are.

I seem to recall that he layers tons of stuff to build the song, then removes all the stuff that's in the original harmonic structure, just leaving all the bits and pieces inspired by but not necessarily related to the original harmony.

I'm a freakin hack, but I've found it interesting to try and replace that stuff with more melodic and consonant parts, and it really shows you the framework he's removed. Add the right chord or line, and certain harmonic choices hes made make a bit more sense. I dig it, it's like removing the identifying characteristics of a photograph and making it into something abstract.

I might not want to listen to his stuff all the time, and I understand and to some extent agree with the criticisms, but he's one of the few artists that I always find intriguing.

[Ry-Fi]

Originally Posted by packagebear

As long as he can still left a jab

Wow, I thought the exact same thing you did!

[macr0w]

He should do a country album.

[gregwar]

when i first heard with teeth and year zero i was a little dissapointed but now that i've had lots of spins of both albums i'm blown away i think they're both masterworks. i've seen them live twice, once in 2006 where they actually lugged around like 3 trailers of music gear (recording byit) then the second time in 08 when they used laptops and plug-ins for EVERYTHING kind of sucked imo.. (the acoustics were way better at the first venue because its an ampitheatre, plus i'd never seen them before. the second venue the air canada center has terrible sound so that's a big part of the experience).

ghosts was amazing but the last 2 tracks (on the ninja samler) weren't especially great neither was the slip, but maybe i'll spin them again in the future and fall in love again. i'd have trent's babies in a heart beat so my opinions are totally biased.. he mixes on an ssl aws 900, i spoke to the ssl rep from la who confirmed this. clearly analog summing, etc. is going on regardless of sample rates/bits, etc. it sounds awesome. dunno who does mastering i always assumed it was done in house but honestly i don't know.

i think the laptop is a springboard for his ideas (lets face it being on the road for like 5 years your gonna rely on portable gear for writing) but then when he hits the studio with atticus ross, mouldar, etc. its pure analog magic! i just think its odd that he always has a revolving door of musicians, it seems like their contributions are small or insignificant they just play the stuff, kind of makes me wonder if he's like a tyrant or difficult to work with..? dunno, my 2c

[MikeFFG]

I have to say I'm still amazed by Trent Reznor. I definitely agree that TDS and Fragile are his high points musically and sonically, but as far as the idea that he can't write a hook anymore, I have to flat out disagree...His new songs are as catchy as ever. "I want your discipliiiiiine." He's definitely always been a one-trick pony and hasn't really branched out, but he still rocks.

And he kicks ass live also. Seen him three times and always left me wanting more.

[Silver Sonya]

The title of this thread is quite a zen puzzle.

- c

[biggator6]

I'm with you.. I think he's been mostly coasting since Pretty Hate Machine. A few real bright spots right after (Downward Spiral), and a couple of good tunes mixed in with a lot of elaborate filler.

It's a shame, because while the poster above is correct in saying that he 'stole' a lot of Skinny Puppy's sound (and a few others) - he DID turn it into something else by actually using SONG STRUCTURE, unlike Skinny Puppy and their ilk. I loved industrial - but when I heard Pretty Hate Machine, I thought .. 'wow, someone finally took industrial and made songs out of it'.

[malaclypse]

i love NIN.
Pretty Hate Machine really blew my mind back in the day. as a kid, i was just amazed at the crazy sounds Trent was coming up with. and i really dug the dark, sinister vibe. kinda got me wanting to make my own music.

going to see them with Jane's Addiction next month.

[onion]

Never been all that enthused about his music, but art is subjective. I think Reznor is a cool guy, a real pro, and a positive force in reforming the music business. For that, I admire him and wish him continued success.

[u b k]

i'll always be in awe of TDS and everything he achieved on that record, from performance to songwriting to arrangement to production. there isn't a lull in the whole arc for me, and when i do decide to listen to it i do so from start to finish. like all of my favorite albums that have a unified thematic framework i exclude it from the library that gets shuffled because i don't want to hear any of those songs out of context; i need the setup and i need the followup.

as much as people may love his music that came before, which to my ears simply mirrored the ethos of the times, imo TDS created and defined a new production aesthetic that still thrives today in largely unaltered form, just more compressed. i love the compression on Spiral, much of it is smashed but much of it is not and the dynamic contrasts are stunning. nothing today gets as loud and as quiet.

love it.


gregory scott - ubk
.

[malaclypse]

Originally Posted by u b k

i love the compression on that record, much of it is smashed but much of it is not and the dynamic contrasts are stunning. nothing today gets as loud and as quiet.

love it.


gregory scott - ubk
.

yeah, i remember always turning the volume way up for "Hurt," then getting my ears blasted by the huge guitar chord at the ending.

[WestBerliner]

Originally Posted by onion

Never been all that enthused about his music, but art is subjective. I think Reznor is a cool guy, a real pro, and a positive force in reforming the music business. For that, I admire him and wish him continued success.

nicely said!
I personally love almost everything Reznor has done, and The Fragile inspired me to write and produce my own music. here I am 10 years later, still going at it! I still listen to that album quite regularly, and to this day it inspires me. I have come to enjoy With Teeth quite a bit, though it isn't my favorite, but I found Year Zero to be very inspiring (and I am very grateful that I have a Nord Modular at my disposal), and The Slip is a cool album, good one to have in the car.

[Diktatoren]

For me, The Downward Spiral was perhaps the most inspiring record of the nineties. To me, it just sounded incredibly fresh and original, and at the same time, very catchy. His newer albums lacks hooks, IMO, but I think the guy deserves praise for always trying to break into new sonic territory, and coming up with something original.

[LoopQuantum]

Originally Posted by DeathMonkey

I gotta say I'm still a big fan. I've been doing some of the remixes they have on the site, and the deeper you get into some of these songs, you begin to realize that they are actually more accessible and catchy than you think they are.

I seem to recall that he layers tons of stuff to build the song, then removes all the stuff that's in the original harmonic structure, just leaving all the bits and pieces inspired by but not necessarily related to the original harmony.

I'm a freakin hack, but I've found it interesting to try and replace that stuff with more melodic and consonant parts, and it really shows you the framework he's removed. Add the right chord or line, and certain harmonic choices hes made make a bit more sense. I dig it, it's like removing the identifying characteristics of a photograph and making it into something abstract.

I might not want to listen to his stuff all the time, and I understand and to some extent agree with the criticisms, but he's one of the few artists that I always find intriguing.

I'm kind of in the same place. Whenever NIN's in town, I won't miss the show. Whenever a new NIN record comes out, I'll buy it. Pretty Hate Machine's a great record, and so's Downward. I think he gets a little too much "god" status from the fanboys, but NIN is really THE band that made industrial music acceptable to a mass audience. Not that Trent really pioneered anything, but he did find the pop sensibilities in the genre.

My favorite NIN right now is the Year Zero REMIX album. It's killer.

[steelyfan]

[ Listen to some skinny puppy from the late 80s, and you'll see that he's just a copycat that took their sound and made it more "poppy".


And there we have it.

[LoopQuantum]

Originally Posted by steelyfan

[ Listen to some skinny puppy from the late 80s, and you'll see that he's just a copycat that took their sound and made it more "poppy".


And there we have it.

Yep. True. I'm a huge SP fan too. I don't really see this as a problem though. What artist doesn't have an influence?