Review Summary: An album like no other; All chains are broken and the textures and sounds of Ghosts I-IV are explored with grace and beauty.
Sputnik isn’t cutting Nine Inch Nails enough slack these days, and it’s pissing me off. You would think that after a 20 year career of mostly quality material, Nine Inch Nails would be heralded a little more than they are. From starting out their career by releasing one of the most alternative and diversified albums of its decade, Pretty Hate Machine. It was an album like no other from the dreaded 80s. With blending electronica and rock together so seamlessly and flawlessly, the album catapulted industrial music miles ahead of where it was. Then following Pretty Hate Machine with(in my insignificant opinion) a complete masterpiece; The Downward Spiral. A conceptual album so strong in its quality of songs, its coherency, its emotional connectivity, its originality. Although many disagree with me, I put The Downward Spiral above almost every album I have ever heard, and feel it is one of music’s greatest achievements. Such darkness, beauty, pure awesomeness can only be rivaled by a few select albums. God damn I love that album…
Anyways
After the pretty crappy,(The Fragile) to luke-warm,(With Teeth) to relatively solid(Year Zero) releases that Nine Inch Nails has came out with in the past ten years or so, by 2008, I had feared that Trent and his merry band of stand-ins had run out of ideas, and quality for that matter. With Year Zero having it’s major ups, but obvious downs(16 god damned tracks), it had seemed to me that maybe Nine Inch Nails were down for the count. I was contented with Nine Inch Nails’ output and wouldn’t have been asking for anything until around 2009. But then of course Trent had to copy Radiohead and release his digital download. What was unexpected was the completely spontaneous, without-warning release. All of sputnik stroked their beards at the 36 instrumentals coming their way.
It is certainly an unexpected thing to come about. I, being the absurd NIN fan that I am, jumped around in giddy at the relative quality that played through my headphones. Ghosts I-IV is completely barrier-free and is something that seems incredibly appropriate for Nine Inch Nails. If there was ever a band to release 36 instrumental tracks, it would be Nine Inch Nails. It seems like a daunting and over-whelming listen, but as soon as the first track’s soothing piano chords grabs hold of you, you will be lost in the brilliant atmospheres, the rich textural layers and the abstract and experimental beauty that is the album.
From beautifully constructed piano interludes, to hi-fi distorted industrial pieces, all types of music and sound are captured. The album completely breaks free from what is normally expected from Nine Inch Nails, or any band for that matter. The immense mood this album has is indefinable. One that is dirty, gritty, but somehow beautiful in its own way. Most tracks use completely un-orthodox production, instrumentation or sound in general. I-4 begins with an acoustic guitar being strummed, but to be completely crashed over by a violently distorted guitar. II-10 blends hand-claps, muddled guitar and piano chords, go figure. III-21 is almost all done with xylophones, with an infectious and fast section at the beginning with some bass underneath. IV-30 has random sounds mashed together to set the stage for a beautiful, melancholy piano piece. If Ghosts I-IV should be credited with anything, it’s the unique and bold production of all of these tracks.
The album does have its weak points. II-15 is simply annoying, with some breathing and light playing of a marimba. III-27 tries to be a hard-bidding, rocking track and really doesn’t do anything except adding some over-whelming distortion in the song. Some(a fare share, really) of the instrumentals are downright bad, but you can’t possibly expect that 36 tracks of instrumental songs will all be good. Not to mention that 2008 has another album with 30-plus tracks with some inconsistency. (cough, Soundtrack To Vacant Life, cough) But the lack-luster tracks can be forgiven, because they are easily out-weighed by the albums strong and glorious points. II-13 is an absolutely beautiful, tender piece of piano balladry. With such simplicity, it cascades an effect that I’ve never heard from Nine Inch Nails. II-17 is a delicately textured piece, with a gloomy, yet somewhat peaceful elegance to it. IV-28 is the album’s most epic tune. It begins with a simple bassline, but with other instruments entering throughout the piece, building towards a wondrous anthem.
The bold and daring production and unique experimentation is impressive, not to mention the absolutely entrancing and wonderful odyssey this album takes you on. So sputnik can gripe all they want about Nine Inch Nails, but I am one to believe that they are always innovating and thinking of new ways to please their audience, but retaining their trademark sound that is always conveyed in every album. Ghosts I-IV is nothing like the band has ever done before, and I doubt any band could have done it as well as they have. You can understand the tantrum I threw after seeing that absolutely none of the staff featured this in their 2008 lists.
Recommended Tracks:
II-13*
II-17
III-21
IV-28
