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Not content with simply reviewing movies, I've decided to start reviewing albums as well. It was recently brought to my attention that I have a very strong opinion about the majority of music I listen to (which is extremely varied) and so I felt the time was ripe to get some of those opinions out there for all you to see. It's my hope to bring some great stuff to your attention while also covering a bunch of albums I consider to be classics. I'll be covering all bases in here, but I thought I'd start with the album I was listening to this morning, since its freshest in my mind. So hold on to your hats or your butts or whatever else you want to hold on to, here we go!
Released in 1989, Pretty Hate Machine would be the first official studio recording from Nine Inch Nails. Consisting mostly of songs from the Purest Feeling demos as well as The Right Track sessions, this album bore an interesting industrial/dance hybrid similar to the earliest works of the band Ministry. While Trent Reznor would go on to create louder (Broken) and more complex (The Downward Spiral) works before becoming one of the biggest acts in music, his earliest sound and style is firmly rooted in this album. With a sort of manic, psychotic disco/rock tinge, Pretty Hate Machine stands out among many varied electronic and industrial albums of the day and clearly shows that Reznor was not going to be content to follow the rest of the crowd.
Track One - Head Like A Hole (3.5/5)
A nice opener and a staple of the Nine Inch Nails live set to this day, Head Like A Hole is more rocking than most of the tunes on this album and that's sort of its downfall. While its great, its hard to compare it to the songs that follow and so by the end of the record its largely forgotten. Not that its a bad song by any means, it just seems more suited to Reznor's later album, Broken, than this one.
Track Two - Terrible Lie (4.5/5)
A definite early classic from Reznor, Terrible Lie has a driving beat and helps to introduce the true industrial hybrid sound that Nine Inch Nails was initially going for. The lyrics are among the best on the album and introduce the early "blame God for all my problems" theme that Reznor eventually popularized for Goth's everywhere.
Track Three - Down In It (3/5)
There's something about this tune that just doesn't work properly, though I've never been able to put my finger on it. There exist better versions than the one that ended up making the album, and this proto-pop sound is not one that really lends itself to Reznor's vocals. I've also never been a big fan of the whimsical lyrics, they kind of go against what was just being talked about in the previous song.
Track Four - Sanctified (4/5)
An awesome bass line kicks this song off with a bang and really helps to snap the listener back to attention after the somewhat lacklustre Down In It. This song also shows the first examples of Reznor's fascination with sexuality, as referenced by being "sanctified inside you." Of course he would return to this theme for one of his most popular songs, Closer, but Sanctified gives that one a run for its money as well. There's something really sexy about this tune too, which makes it all the better.
Track Five - Something I Can Never Have (3.5/5)
Moving into more dreary and depressing territory, Something I Can Never Have is one of those odd Nine Inch Nails songs that seems to have been forgotten by many fans. That's a shame because its a nice piece which only suffers from a really repetitive rhythm line. Outside of that, its Reznor's first foray into more poignant storytelling, which would eventually become a staple of his sound, so its well worth a listen to hear where those roots were established.
Track Six - Kinda I Want To (3/5)
Playing almost like a continuation of Down In It, this song is slightly better due to its timing changes, but certainly not anything that could be considered among Nine Inch Nails best works. I really like the chorus of this song though, its dirty and nasty, much like the lyrics themselves. As a side note, the Right Track demos feature a more 80's pop style version of this song which has to be heard to be appreciated.
Track Seven - Sin (3/5)
Another tune that has way better remixes than the version that ended up on the album, Sin is a more straight ahead sounding tune than many others here. It's a great early example of the many sounds and styles that Reznor would eventually incorporate into Nine Inch Nails, but its ultimately one of the more forgettable tunes on this album.
Track Eight - That's What I Get (4/5)
Now this is more like it! That's What I Get is an early classic from Reznor that perfectly fuses 80's pop and industrial music like few others. Along with that, this song more than any other on the album shows Reznor's willingness to take chances with his vocal stylings, and with strong results. Once more, there is a better version of this song on the Purest Feeling demo, but this one is still great and easily a standout from Pretty Hate Machine.
Track Nine - The Only Time (4.5/5)
"Lay my hands on heaven and the sun and the moon and the stars while the devil wants to fuck me in the back of his car." Those lyrics alone make this easily the most interesting and entertaining song on the album without a doubt. I love the different time signature on this tune, as well as the great breakdown in the middle. As far as Pretty Hate Machine goes, I'd consider this and Terrible Lie to be the absolute standouts.
Track Ten - Ringfinger (4/5)
Closing out with a synth-heavy piece was a good call, as it once again reminded listeners that Nine Inch Nails was not your ordinary, run of the mill rock group. At the same time, its neat to see the album begin with rock (Head Like A Hole) and close with industrial pop. The song itself is really well put together, though once again the original version from The Right Track (Twist) has much better lyrics. Regardless, Ringfinger provides the album with a nice finish which is what it was intended to do.
Overall, Pretty Hate Machine holds up very well and is an album I often pop on when I'm working around the house or going out for a long drive. At just over 48 minutes, it never overstays its welcome and provides the listener with some quirky and interesting tunes. While its obviously hard to compare to Reznor's later works, I still think its among his best stuff and would gladly recommend it to anyone who's looking for something just a little different. 7.5/10
Agree? Disagree? Never heard this before but plan to check it out thanks to my review? Whatever your thoughts, I'd love to hear them, so please feel free to comment and watch this space for more reviews.
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
Released in 1989, Pretty Hate Machine would be the first official studio recording from Nine Inch Nails. Consisting mostly of songs from the Purest Feeling demos as well as The Right Track sessions, this album bore an interesting industrial/dance hybrid similar to the earliest works of the band Ministry. While Trent Reznor would go on to create louder (Broken) and more complex (The Downward Spiral) works before becoming one of the biggest acts in music, his earliest sound and style is firmly rooted in this album. With a sort of manic, psychotic disco/rock tinge, Pretty Hate Machine stands out among many varied electronic and industrial albums of the day and clearly shows that Reznor was not going to be content to follow the rest of the crowd.
Track One - Head Like A Hole (3.5/5)
A nice opener and a staple of the Nine Inch Nails live set to this day, Head Like A Hole is more rocking than most of the tunes on this album and that's sort of its downfall. While its great, its hard to compare it to the songs that follow and so by the end of the record its largely forgotten. Not that its a bad song by any means, it just seems more suited to Reznor's later album, Broken, than this one.
Track Two - Terrible Lie (4.5/5)
A definite early classic from Reznor, Terrible Lie has a driving beat and helps to introduce the true industrial hybrid sound that Nine Inch Nails was initially going for. The lyrics are among the best on the album and introduce the early "blame God for all my problems" theme that Reznor eventually popularized for Goth's everywhere.
Track Three - Down In It (3/5)
There's something about this tune that just doesn't work properly, though I've never been able to put my finger on it. There exist better versions than the one that ended up making the album, and this proto-pop sound is not one that really lends itself to Reznor's vocals. I've also never been a big fan of the whimsical lyrics, they kind of go against what was just being talked about in the previous song.
Track Four - Sanctified (4/5)
An awesome bass line kicks this song off with a bang and really helps to snap the listener back to attention after the somewhat lacklustre Down In It. This song also shows the first examples of Reznor's fascination with sexuality, as referenced by being "sanctified inside you." Of course he would return to this theme for one of his most popular songs, Closer, but Sanctified gives that one a run for its money as well. There's something really sexy about this tune too, which makes it all the better.
Track Five - Something I Can Never Have (3.5/5)
Moving into more dreary and depressing territory, Something I Can Never Have is one of those odd Nine Inch Nails songs that seems to have been forgotten by many fans. That's a shame because its a nice piece which only suffers from a really repetitive rhythm line. Outside of that, its Reznor's first foray into more poignant storytelling, which would eventually become a staple of his sound, so its well worth a listen to hear where those roots were established.
Track Six - Kinda I Want To (3/5)
Playing almost like a continuation of Down In It, this song is slightly better due to its timing changes, but certainly not anything that could be considered among Nine Inch Nails best works. I really like the chorus of this song though, its dirty and nasty, much like the lyrics themselves. As a side note, the Right Track demos feature a more 80's pop style version of this song which has to be heard to be appreciated.
Track Seven - Sin (3/5)
Another tune that has way better remixes than the version that ended up on the album, Sin is a more straight ahead sounding tune than many others here. It's a great early example of the many sounds and styles that Reznor would eventually incorporate into Nine Inch Nails, but its ultimately one of the more forgettable tunes on this album.
Track Eight - That's What I Get (4/5)
Now this is more like it! That's What I Get is an early classic from Reznor that perfectly fuses 80's pop and industrial music like few others. Along with that, this song more than any other on the album shows Reznor's willingness to take chances with his vocal stylings, and with strong results. Once more, there is a better version of this song on the Purest Feeling demo, but this one is still great and easily a standout from Pretty Hate Machine.
Track Nine - The Only Time (4.5/5)
"Lay my hands on heaven and the sun and the moon and the stars while the devil wants to fuck me in the back of his car." Those lyrics alone make this easily the most interesting and entertaining song on the album without a doubt. I love the different time signature on this tune, as well as the great breakdown in the middle. As far as Pretty Hate Machine goes, I'd consider this and Terrible Lie to be the absolute standouts.
Track Ten - Ringfinger (4/5)
Closing out with a synth-heavy piece was a good call, as it once again reminded listeners that Nine Inch Nails was not your ordinary, run of the mill rock group. At the same time, its neat to see the album begin with rock (Head Like A Hole) and close with industrial pop. The song itself is really well put together, though once again the original version from The Right Track (Twist) has much better lyrics. Regardless, Ringfinger provides the album with a nice finish which is what it was intended to do.
Overall, Pretty Hate Machine holds up very well and is an album I often pop on when I'm working around the house or going out for a long drive. At just over 48 minutes, it never overstays its welcome and provides the listener with some quirky and interesting tunes. While its obviously hard to compare to Reznor's later works, I still think its among his best stuff and would gladly recommend it to anyone who's looking for something just a little different. 7.5/10
Agree? Disagree? Never heard this before but plan to check it out thanks to my review? Whatever your thoughts, I'd love to hear them, so please feel free to comment and watch this space for more reviews.