Music

"Free" is a huge word. Conceivably — in exchange for absolutely nothing, you get something you want. It works very well with shoe store promotions and movie rental chains, helping boost business and catch the eye of cheapskates around the world. People are doing it illegally anyway, so why not throw this ideal into music as well, right? No stranger to making money himself, Trent Reznor decided to release the new Nine Inch Nails album The Slip absolutely free via download on the band's Web site early Monday morning. Naturally, the press coverage surrounding the sudden release will undoubtedly drown any conversations on the strength of the album itself (similar to the frenzy surrounding Radiohead's "pay what you want" release), rendering the event more of a publicity stunt than a bold artistic statement — regardless of Reznor's original intentions. However, this could work in Reznor's favor, giving the largely under accomplished Slip more coverage and validity than it would have received otherwise. Trent Reznor has succeeded in creating a big scene, but the so-so acting disrupts the otherwise enjoyable cinematography.

The Slip begins with "999,999," densely populating each sound pocket with blips, bloops, guitar, mumbling, and some all around noise that effectively opens the gate for the tightly drummed "1,000,000." Trent Reznor, best known outside of NIN followers as the writer/original performer of the flawlessly fragile "Hurt" (adopted by the late Johnny Cash as an ironically triumphant swan song) and the guy behind 90s smashes "Closer" and "Head Like A Hole," displays obvious technical skill with tight arrangements on Slip. Yet, the words seem a bit too easy for him. Nine Inch Nails devotees likely love anything Reznor releases, perhaps making Reznor a bit too aware of his demographic. His production and instrumental knowledge shine bright on "Corona Radiata" (an instrumental track), and lurk just as brightly underneath the rest of the songs here; but his words never eclipse the same ground covered on countless other NIN albums.

The attention Trent Reznor is sure to get with the unconventional release of The Slip isn't entirely undeserved; after all, he did release an entirely free album. However, from a completely artistic standpoint, Reznor would fare much better with some fresh creative scenery and ripe lyrical themes. The music is pointed in the future, but the words are firmly planted where they've always been. Reznor keeps giving fans I, Robot when most would much prefer Blade Runner.