First Impressions

nine inch nails – “discipline“

“discipline” was released just last week with another cryptic “two weeks” message on NIN.com. some of you may remember that the last time “two weeks” was posted on NIN.com, ghosts i-iv was released. could there be another album in the pipeline? already? we’ll find out on monday. if it is an album or even an EP of new material, i’d be shocked (some are saying that the cover art for “discipline” suggests at least four other songs). that would mean that it has only been a year and a half since trent’s last full length of original material (year zero) and a month since his last release period (ghosts). is this what we can expect from NIN in the future? no more 5-6 year waits for albums? now if only someone could introduce this novel method of album-making to tool…

as far as the song itself is concerned, it’s basically what one should come to expect from NIN at this point, but just a bit more poppy. there aren’t any guitars that i can hear… the instrumentation just consists of synth, piano, bass, live drums and vocals. it sounds more like the material from with teeth than it does the material from year zero, an album which trent approached with the idea that noise somehow equates novelty. the drum beat here is a little unimaginative– that hi-hat gets annoying pretty quickly. i suppose it’s better than stale drum machines though. i’m glad trent is embracing his poppiness, despite the bemoaning of all the other NINcompoops. i find he’s most honest with himself when he’s just straight-up pop, without the pretence of some high, overarching concept. his best songs have always been his most poppy, so i think he should stop trying to mask it with noise, strings, or other things that just weigh his songs down. this isn’t his best, but i’m interested in seeing where it leads.

coldplay – “violet hill“

this song gives me the impression that for their new record… whatever it’s called…coldplay have toned down the synth approach from x&y and have opted instead for more angular guitars. the guitars certainly do have a more significant presence on this song than they have had on a lot of other coldplay numbers, but like their past experimentations with synthesizers, this guitar approach seems rather tacked-on, and not a genuine or significant change, because eventually “all you’re hearing is chris and the piano.” i never thought i’d be accusing chris & co. of lacking in the earnestness dept, but here i am. despite all this, i’m intrigued by how short the song is, and the slow shuffle of the verses brought on by berryman and champion.

Filed under: First Impressions , 2008, coldplay, discipline, NIN, nine inch nails, singles, violet hill, viva la vida or death and all his friends, with teeth, x&y