Welcomes

Last post, I mentioned some new things going on here at WRR, and today we're rolling out one of them: our new staff writer Sarah W. Currently residing in the Windy City, She hails from the same educational system that produced such luminaries as Andy C. and me, Sean B.

Be on the lookout for some BIG THINGS next week.

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV and The Slip

By Andy C.

Trent Reznor is a happy boy, believe it or not. In 2007, Nine Inch Nails released Year Zero, a sprawling, confusing, multi-media mess that was delayed by Interscope, who later that year parted ways with their once-formidable cash cow. It seems to this observer that it was exactly what the original DIY man wanted. 2008’s Ghosts, I-IV, and The Slip¸ are both flawed, yet prolific works of art for an artist who clearly has a new sense of purpose and freedom.

Ghosts I-IV is a collection of 36(!!) instrumental tracks that, according to Reznor, is a “soundtrack to daydreams.” Each album of Ghosts simply has track numbers, perhaps to leave your imagination unabated. I enjoyed playing a game while driving to Ghosts, imagining where the ghost of each particular track came from. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the ghosts died from piercing accidents, getting trampled at an Autobahn show, or from auto-erotic asphyxiation.

Some of the tracks aren’t worth the work at all - the 3 tracks with banjos particularly grated my nerves (the ghosts of Boss Hog and Roscoe P. Coltrane kept popping up). However, a good number of these songs are some of Reznor’s best work. I’ve often had issues with some of NIN’s lyrics, and to hear the music speak for itself is refreshing. Reznor has always been particularly stunning with the piano - “track 4” on Ghosts II (how annoying is that?) builds slowly, but horizontally instead of vertically—the sound becomes more lush, instead of harsh.

The Slip, a more traditional NIN album, came out just months after Ghosts for free download—Reznor was happy to point out that his system was far superior to that of those 'other guys'. Again, back to the point that Reznor is relishing his independence from a big label—this album is his best in a decade. The opposite of Ghosts, The Slip runs at just 45 minutes. The first half sounds a little too overproduced, and the Reznor self-righteousness is certainly there, but the B-side is royal: sparse, spacey, and menacing.

Where does this leave you, loyal reader? There’s a lot of new Nine Inch Nails out there in 2008, and I’m betting you haven’t thought about ‘em since The Downward Spiral. I’d say take a chance. Besides, it’s free. Bottom line: love, hate, or indifference to NIN, its always invigorating to hear an artist so reinvigorated.

Note - There is a youtube channel with vid-art done to the tracks of Ghosts. Neat.

Lambchop - OH (Ohio)
By Sarah W.

In order to get my facts straight about Lambchop, I turned to that fount of all knowledge: Wikipedia. My eyes immediately settled on the words “alternative country,” which was almost enough to scare me away, but I refrain from labeling them as such. Plus, this album is so lovely, and so completely and utterly worth listening to, I decided to get over my genre-phobia.

Lambchop is a conglomeration of revolving musicians from Nashville, a town so rich in musical history that it’s almost requisite for music from there to be heartfelt, emotional, and twangingly lovely; OH (Ohio), is all of that and more.

On my first listen, I was completely and utterly enthralled before the opening and title track “Ohio” was even over. The song is understated and gentle and with an unexpected lounge-y feel, aided by female background vocals and soft drumming. And it contains the subtlety brilliant lyric: “Green doesn’t matter, when you’re blue…”

Frontman Kurt Wagner is, without a doubt, another champion in the singer-songwriter tradition. His lyrics are less Dylan, more Gary Wilson and his voice is reminiscent of other white guy singers, most notably Cat Stevens, with tones of Nick Drake and Wilson. Wagner’s voice is warm, yet restrained, like he’s speaking rather than singing. But that’s part of the slow charm of this album. Aside from the warm vocals and sweet lyrics, Wagner also has quite a sense of humor, with songs like the cheekily titled “National Talk Like a Pirate Day” (which may be my favorite song, with its up-tempo and slightly rockish feel) and clever/random “Sharing a Gibson with Martin Luther King, Jr.”

I must admit, I’m not entirely sure what Wagner is singing about with some of his off-kilter lyrics, but I’d like to think that he’s singing about love. In “I Believe in You,” his voice follows the same gentle, sway-worthy accompaniment that the rest of the album does:

I don’t believe the price of gold, but certainly of growing old
That right is right and left is wrong, and north and south can’t get along
East is east and west is west, and beaten first is always best
I believe in love, I believe in babies, I believe in mom and dad, and I believe in you

This album is the kind of album that gets me excited about music again. By the end of it, I find myself totally smitten and wanting to replay it all over again. Which is what you should do with this album. Listen once—love it. Listen again—notice the lovely and quirky lyrics. Listen again, and again, and again.