Nine Inch Nails With Teeth
Released May 3, 2005
Trent Reznor may frequently leave his audience hanging, but the man never seems to disappoint. Always a few clicks closer to eccentric than the average Joe, and himself always a few steps from the edge, Reznor and his industrial rock outfit Nine Inch Nails stand in notable and defiant contrast to pop music trends by truly brooding over albums.
In a time when mediocre, overproduced, poppy ensembles of mediocre, overproduced, poppy artists churn out an album every 1-2 years, Reznor does not conform to the mob. He writes, evolves, considers, walks away from suicide, maybe kicks an addiction or two, and only then releases his spawn. Six years seems to be the accepted incubation period, and prodigal results emerge every time.
"With Teeth," Reznor's latest creation, is no different. It captures the anger, the passion, the intensity of one man's tortured emotional spectrum, and practically speaking, it covers all his career stops. The album's second track, "You Know What You Are?" screams of Reznor's mid-20s personal crises with all the fury of "Pretty Hate Machine" (1989). The opener, "All the Love in the World," echoes the repressed rage of 1994's "The Downward Spiral." Finally, the album's arrangement speaks to fans of "The Fragile:" high-low transitions from song to song mixed and mingled with the mainstay prog constructs that support Reznor's wily vocals. On the whole, the album is definitely a good spin: strong, but not solid; firm, but not flawless.
In retrospect, I may have been too young, too musically prepubescent to understand the brilliance of 1999's "The Fragile." Or maybe I was just less angry. Let's see: "W" wasn't yet at the helm, I didn't watch an NHL Zamboni NOT clean professional ice for a year, and those friggin Red Sox hadn't yet won the Series. Things are different now. Not that my life sucks, but at least I can say that I'm starting to get Reznor.
The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan
Released June 7, 2005
Just when you think all possible permutations of the duo are used up, here come the White Stripes, once again primed and poised to rock your world the way only minimalists can. Jack and Meg never seem to exhaust the power of their instruments, and on their newest LP "Get Behind Me Satan" (following up on the smash success of 2001's "White Blood Cells" and 2003's untouchable "Elephant"), the duo gets even freakier. Point one: Marimba is not only a sexy word, but a dynamite addition to the Stripes' arsenal. Factor in the simple introduction of several piano tracks and you approach an insight into the workings of this album.
No longer are we dealing with camera-shy, up-and-coming protégés; they are now seasoned artists with a unique and compelling understanding of who they are and what they can bring to the music scene. And what is that? An uncompromising will to NOT sell out, to NOT create the same album time and time again and to NOT shy away from a rock-disco-bluegrass hybrid if the moment calls for it.
"Get Behind Me Satan" treads some familiar water on "The Denial Twist" and "Red Rain," but for the most part, it moves in a new direction. "Blue Orchid" kicks off the album in all its gloriously Black Sabbath-induced distortion. Play it loud and feel Meg's bass drum slamming your chest. Play it real loud and feel your ears bleed beautiful under Jack's falsetto.
The marimba additions make the most impact on "The Nurse" and the marvelously transitioning "Forever For Her (Is Over For Me)." And for a good time, feel free to read into the lyrical suggestiveness of "My Doorbell."
"Little Ghost" is the wildcard of the bunch, and surely one of the album's hippest tracks. Its distinctive sound shakes the foundation of whatever one might call the White Stripes' signature style. Dig Jack's twangy high end and be moved to step.
The fact is that The White Stripes are more than creative musicians. They are more of an artistic package, a whole act, and despite their minimalist tendencies, they have the potential to continue ringing doorbells for a long time.
System of a Down Mezmerize
Released May 17, 2005
Some bands just don't get the credit they deserve. The current pop opinion may spell the end of metal's general popularity, but to say that the genre is dead is just ridiculous. System of a Down have quietly — though, not really — carried the torch of groundbreaking and unbending metal madness for almost 10 years now. This is a band composed of some serious talents, most notably John Dolmayan, the most underrated drummer on the metal scene, and Serj Tankian, a lead singer with inhuman range and a vocal ferocity.
But "Mezmerize" finds System of a Down in a new phase of creative leadership. This album, and to a certain extent its complementary second half ("Hypnotize," due out in November), are almost exclusively the products of System's lead guitarist Daron Malakian. Now, there's no doubt that Malakian has contributed to the band's beautifully offbeat eccentricity, its general 'middle finger to the Man' message, and its compositional depth in the past, but his presence is even more apparent here and emerges as the driving force behind this album.
Gone — some might say sadly — are the days of Tankian's front-and-center theatrics and image exclusivity. I, for one, am a little disappointed, but only because the guy is brilliant; can't really blame him for being naturally charismatic. But here, the musical merger of Tankian and Malakian is seamless, and they harmonize at every turn.
Following the exquisite simplicity of the intro track "Soldier Side" and the single-worthy "B.Y.O.B." — which owns a guitar hook that rivals the tightness of "Master of Puppets" (Metallica, 1986) — it rarely quits. But the album's strength is its versatility. Ballads become metal anthems in the span of 2 measures. The guitar tracks are mainly riff-driven, replacing the maniacal high-pitched picking of old, and this opens up creative options for the band.
In typical System fashion, the lyrics are crass and unrelenting (see liner notes for "Violent Pornography" if you don't believe me). However, the album is still permeated by the same political awareness that made "Toxicity" (2001) and "System of a Down" (1998) such worthy metal albums. "Sad Statue," for example, chronicles the demise of a nation in the eyes of its immigrant population, while "Lost in Hollywood" taps into that nation's seething underbelly.
Quiet ambition guides this juggernaut of a band. Something slightly louder hits you in the face when the CD spins. And what an impact it has.
Audioslave Out of Exile
Released May 24, 2005
I have to be honest and preface this commentary with a confession: this is one album I was not looking forward to covering this summer. In fact, while we're being so damn honest, I'll say that yes, I'm still bitter about the breakup of Rage Against the Machine. I'm still bitter that the single most innovative band of the late '90s called it quits, that its supercharger-mad-herald of a lead singer has been AWOL for almost five years and that its remaining members forged an ill-begotten super group with ex-Sound Garden frontman Chris Cornell. Let it be known that I once thought, and still think, that Cornell is too talented a vocalist to be forcing his apparently limitless gravelly range into the confines of a hip-hop-inspired format. And no offense to Tom Morello — who's still smashing sonic boundaries with his soulful axe — but your backing musicians have got to venture beyond the comfort zone.
Still, at the very least, Audioslave's newly released LP "Out of Exile" no longer has that band-that-used-to-be-Rage feel to it. In contrast to the band's 2002 self-titled debut, "Out of Exile" bears the marks of a band that is now comfortable in its own shoes, cozy in its new undies. That being said, the album's still not rocking my universe.
At its core, "Out of Exile" teeters between the excessive and the watered-down. "Man or Animal" has potential at the get-go — an up-tempo, driving and bass-heavy track — but it runs out of gas by the time the chorus drum roll hits home. I won't even discuss the brutal redundancy of "Be Yourself," which has haunted my radio presets for some time now.
The bright spots on "Out of Exile" really speak for themselves, and stand out against the backdrop of the aforementioned. "Drown Me Slowly," while definitely a transition song for Audioslave, has some grungy retro riff-working and a bluesy baseline poised to catch your ear. "Dandelion" is also a fine composition, representing the best of the band's full-effect ballad attempts. "Doesn't Remind Me" reveals the band's desire to unlock its own sound, and the product is pretty decent and includes the most "traditional" solo Tom Morello has cranked out since '91. My advice to you: keep listening, because this band obviously could (emphasize could) be great. Advice for myself: let it go, man ... the Rage is gone. Five years later, it still hurts to say it.
Read More
Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves renovations to Tower and Charter Clubs
Sena Chang and Isaac BernsteinOn March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
On March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
Students support local businesses with new platform Zage
Jack AllenAfter hearing about the struggles faced by a number of these restaurants after students left campus in mid-March, Dilbagi created Zage, an online platform that allows community members to send money to local businesses now to redeem as credits on their purchases in the future.
This fall, go beyond the 'Bubble'
Dora ZhaoEven though classes are picking up, weekends are the perfect time for students to escape the Orange Bubble. While going out to eat on Nassau is enjoyable, there is so much to see beyond Princeton. For those looking for a day trip or a chance to explore the area outside of Princeton, here is a list of ideas to do this fall.