Feature Review

Nine Inch Nails

Things Falling Apart

***

Does the world really need another three versions of "Starfuckers inc.?" Trent Reznor and his merry band seem to think we do as the song takes center stage on Things Falling Apart, the reprise of the latest Nine Inch Nails (NIN) double-album, The Fragile. NIN have always taken advantage of their remix albums to experiment with their material, forsaking the limitations of radio friendly hooks and choruses--a tradition that Things Falling Apart continues.

Beginning with "Slipping Away," a manipulation of the moderate radio hit "Into the Void," Reznor stripped out the failing narrative lyrics of the original and allows other sounds to drive the music forward--setting the apathetically haunting, if utterly disjointed, anabasis of the record. "The Great Collapse" does the same thing (and with considerably more success) to "The Wretched." A strict remake of "The Wretched" follows, inverting the original song to demonstrate the shock value of absolute silence, which is interesting--if less than memorable. "Where is Everybody" is superior to the original, incorporating the vocals into the instrumentation, not simply overlaying them, and is the most intriguing evolution on the record. A cover of Gary Numan's "Metal" (remember the video, "Cars?") is solid, though disappointing, as the vocals are muted; even though Reznor has never been more confident with his voice. "10 Miles High," a long crescendo in the style of The Frail, is the highlight of the album and is a cleaner version than the impressive original, which was previously an exclusive of the Green edition of the "We're in this Together" single.

Topping it all off, are three versions of the anti-corporate music, anti-rockstar song, "Starfuckers inc." which is either hard-hitting or hypocritically ironical--depending on whether or not you think Reznor is industrial music or wrecked industrial music by diffusing it into pop culture. With versions by Adrian Sherwood (the Cure), Dave Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy and David Bowie), and NIN's own Charlie Clouser--who renders the most compelling track in his attempt--the song is a treasure trove of patterns and rhythms. However, each remix tries to retain at least part of the original's lyrics, lending a top-heavy unnaturalness to all.

Things Falling Apart is not an essential purchase, even for the most die hard NIN fan, as the disc is too disjointed to listen to as a record, while the standout songs are less than compelling, which is disappointing considering the number of original tracks that hit the cutting-room floor during the recording of The Fragile. This isn't a bad EP by any means, but you might want to save your money for the VHS/DVD live recording of the Fragility V2.0 tour which should be landing in stores any day now.

by Richard Leader