Elsewhere

Do you like Kelly Clarkson? Do you like
people in animal suits playing rock instruments? Do you like being
disturbed that you find something so odd, yet so cute, and unexpectedly
hip? Then check out this music video remix of Kelly Clarkson’s hit.

Stereogum has finally earned a coveted spot on my meager list of links.

On a new update to the blog/Q&A page
of the Nine Inch Nails website, Trent Reznor — amid pinings for the
lost art of vinyl covers and inserts — addresses the relatively
minimalistic art and packaging that accompany his new CD album.
(Incidentally, I find the design quite tasteful and fitting with the
music.)

As this campaign and tour unfolds, you’ll see
how we’ve planned everything to fit together. The band’s performances
will mutate from what they are now to something different. The music
will change, the experience will change, your package will even develop into something else. Watch and see.

OK, Trent, you’ve piqued my curiosity. Exactly what do you have up your sleeve?

I’m thinking:
*
There is hidden audio on the DVD side of the DualDisc release that can
be unlocked through as-yet-unpublished easter egg tricks
* New downloadable audio tracks will be released on the website
*
More tracks will be released in GarageBand format, and users will be
able to post and download each others’ remixes on the NIN website, with
occassional random contributions/edits from members of the band
*
With each performance, they will increase the key of all songs by one
half step (vocals augmented by a real-time pitch-shifter), until the
final tour date which will only be audible to canines (hey… it’s art,
man)
* On a certain date, a hidden pop-up diorama of Trent surrounded by cute forest animals will spring forth from the CD digipak
* It’s a clever marketing ploy to keep us coming back to www.nin.com for updates
* All of the above
* None of the above

Hmm… yeah I guess that about covers it.

So. The new Nine Inch Nails album, With Teeth, out today.

Impressions:
His most straightforward release since 1989’s Pretty Hate Machine.
It’s more rock than industrial — simpler, stripped down. (Actually reminds me of Manson’s Holy Wood album in places.)
Lyrical content hasn’t changed much — maybe mellowed a bit, but still angsty.

Worth the 5.5 year wait since The Fragile?
Not
really. It’s not *bad*, it’s just OK. Maybe it will grow on me. It is,
however, nice to see that he’s loosening up a bit, which may bode well
for new creative directions on his future releases; and he has also
hinted that we won’t have to wait as long for the next release.

He
also said to not expect any remix CD’s for this album, which is
unfortunate, since those are half the fun. I’ll be on the lookout for
them anyway.