The Slip

Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Album: The Slip
Release Date: May 5, 2008
Runtime: 43:47
Producer: Atticus Ross

You can't argue with "free". The Slip is the most recent record released by Nine Inch Nails, which is basically just a fancy way of saying "Trent Reznor." The interesting thing about this release, though, is that you can download it for free from the NIN website (www.nin.com) in multiple files of differing sound quality. But what of the content?

For anyone who has heard With Teeth, the music on The Slip should sound fairly familiar. Distorted guitar riffs and electronic drums abound on almost all of the tracks. Reznor indulges with his patented lyrical style, exploring the dark reaches that many artists are not willing to delve into or performing it better than artists who are willing. The first track after the instrumental "999,999" is the aptly named "1,000,000" which earns its title from the chorus where Reznor laments that he "feels a million miles away" but that he "doesn't feel anything at all." Reznor also contemplates various forms of suicide such as blowing his brain patterns on the floor and jumping off a tall building. This should not come as a surprise to anyone.

And that right there is what holds this album back. Trent Reznor is an industry staple, he is one of the most highly regarded industrial artists ever, and he released one of the most innovative albums of the 90's (The Downward Spiral). His ability to craft catchy choruses and shocking lyrics is clearly evident on The Slip but there is nothing here that stands out in any way. Certainly these are solid tracks, and the deliberate false start on "Discipline", where Reznor begins singing before his cue, lends some tangibility to this otherwise aloof, impenetrable artist. However, this is all territory that has been explored previously.

The blistering first half of the album comes to a grinding halt with the piano-driven "Lights in the Sky", in which Reznor's vocals are mixed so low you have to strain to hear what he has to say. That track is followed then by two underwhelming instrumentals, effectively eliminating any remaining adrenaline in the listener. By the time closing track "Demon Seed" begins, you don't even care anymore. Perhaps that is the point.

This is a solid album for NIN fans, and as I said above, it is worth the price even for those who are on the fringe of the fan base. Nevertheless, there is an element of ingenuity missing from many of the tracks, and The Slip is much less compelling for it.

Arbitrary Alibi Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Leather outfits