Review Summary: This album overall is one of Trent’s best works, musically, lyrically, and vocally. He explores new territory and really experiments and perfects musical styles he has never tried before or has rarely used. It is definitely NIN at their best. I would
Just as a foreword, I just got into Nine Inch Nails around September ’06 and cannot get enough of them now. The first album I really listened to was With Teeth, and that really opened up my eyes to NIN. I then got The Downward Spiral, then Year Zero (b/c it had just come out) and now The Fragile. It is currently my favorite of NIN’s work. Just thought I’d give you a history of my musical experiences with the band.
The Fragile, the story of a failing and “somewhat damaged” relationship, is comprised of two discs: The first is the history and details of that relationship and the second is more realizations the narrator makes of himself and the situation. Now to the songs themselves.
01- Somewhat Damaged
Definitely my first or second favorite track on the album. The strange arrangements and time signatures are amazing to listen to. It’s a very aggressive track that most NIN fans will love. It’s surprisingly loud and heavy, despite the use of acoustic guitar. The lyrics and vocals reflect a very painful disappointment, someone who wasn’t there when they were needed. 5/5
02- The Day the Whole World Went Away
A very interesting song. The beginning is made up of weird static and synth effects before breaking the silence with a deep, penetrating guitar riff. Another guitar breaks and forms it own melody, then joined by another doing a similar arrangement. The lyrics speak of a place that is safe to the narrator, somewhere where he is isolated (My thoughts). Then, everything starts to slow down before letting loose in one last sonically assaulting hurrah of vocals and guitar. The ending sounds very popish and is stopped suddenly by a strange sound that leads into… 4/5
03-The Frail
A very fitting track for the album. It is a short piano interlude into the next song. It has a sad yet hopeful sound about it and it a good emotional summary of the album. The end of the song has a vocal track begin to rise from the background as the piano builds up and stops. The vocals continue into… 5/5
04- The Wretched
The change in mood is tremendous between the two interconnected tracks. The song’s lyrics are more of the narrator’s view on the relationship. The piano I feel is one the few times a piano actually sounds aggressive. The chorus is blur of guitars as the vocals stop using echo and begin to yell, “Now you know. This is what it feels like.” This also has very interesting instrument choice switching from piano to guitar to violins to a very odd stringed instrument at the end. The violins at the very end fade into … 5/5
05- We’re In This Together Now
This song starts out with one of the coolest, creepiest beginnings to a song I have ever heard. The distant guitar and synths eventually build up and give you a smack in the face as the drums come into the mix. The vocal style and lyrics reflect a painful struggle and the acceptance of the narrator’s fate with this other person. The chorus switches the song from strange to more traditional hard rock. A long and epic song. There is a strange solo about 4 min. and 20 sec. into it. There is a softer intermission that leads into the next song… 4/5
06- The Fragile
A strange song with a chill sound about it. The song tells of the other person’s problems and the narrator’s wish to help her, saying, “I won’t let you fall apart.” There is a very odd intermission in the middle of the song with some very interesting arrangements. This is followed by a guitar solo following the same arrangement of notes as The Frail. 4.5/5
07- Just Like You Imagined
One of Trent’s best instrumentals. It starts out soft then the drums come in like a kick in the groin. The whole song blew me away with the overall feel. Very electronic and masterful. Then the songs stops and vocals, in sonic euphoria, build up the song again as everyone enters the mix. It ends with the piano, just it had started. 5/5
08- Deeper
Another of my favorites on this album. The deep, ambient sound in the beginning is amazingly carried throughout the whole song. A lot of the instruments and scales used have an Indian-like sound about them. These give the song a very reflective feel further enforced by the lyrics. Near the end, the song begins to deconstruct itself with very creepy sitar-like instruments taking over. Then the songs cuts back in with its ambient feel again, just with a more dark disposition. Leads into… 5/5
09- Pilgrimage
One of the strangest instrumentals I have ever heard that actually keeps your attention without boring you. Very rhythmic and forceful, it will get stuck in your head (Stayed in mine for a week one time). Has a Russian marching sound about it at the end. Very cool drum rolls. 5/5
10- No You Don’t
Probably one the hardest tracks on the album. More traditional hard rock with a little techno flare. The lyrics are kind of uninteresting but not a bad song by any means, just not one of the best the album has to offer. 3.5/5
11- La Mer
Two words to sum up this song: F**king Amazing!!! The piano has a very light-hearted feel. Then the drums, in a jazzy style come in. Others instruments jump in and out of this masterpiece, especially the awesome bass line that further enhances the funk or jazz influences. 6/5
12- The Great Below
Wow! Probably my absolute favorite on the album. One of Trent’s best works, musically and lyrically. Beautifully written and constructed. Very Indian-ish. Not much else to say. You just have to listen, absorb, and experience it for yourself. 5/5
Now we move into Disc 2, which is much different than the first.
13- The Only Way Out is Through
Very cool track. Has an ambient feel to it. Basically, it can be summed up as dark techno. Weird synths are used as Trent repeats a set of lyrics. Drums enter as the song very slowly builds to a pretty heavy and loud climax. 4.5/5
14- Into the Void
Freaking awesome song. Has the same arrangement of notes as La Mer, but with different instruments and a totally different feel and style. As the song progresses, it gets heavier and harder. It has a cool synth solo that is a good addition to the odd sound of the song. 5/5
15- Where Is Everybody?
Interesting sounding song, but the lyrics are lacking a bit. 2.5/5
16- The Mark Has Been Made
A very dark, creepy instrumental. I really liked how the violins worked with the guitar. The song, after a minute or two, becomes a bit heavier by including an electric guitar part. Drums come in to the song as well, giving it an even heavier, darker tone. 4/5
17- Please
Overall, an okay track. The instruments and lyrics are repetitive. I was kind of glad it was a short song.
18- Star***ers, Inc.
A very crazy song. I really liked how the voice cuts out with static during the verses. It has a very intense chorus that really gets you pumped. A short, quiet intermission occurs about halfway through that pushes the song back into the chorus riffs. 4/5
19- Complication
A neat sounding instrumental, but lacks the complexity of the other instrumentals on the album. A good song no doubt, but just not up to par with the others. 3.5/5
20- I Look Forward to Joining You, Finally
This track is very odd and reflects yet again an Indian influence. The song slowly trudges along with some very interesting vocal work. Trent’s lyrics on this track are good and his haunting voice carries the chorus. There is another track of vocals in the background during the second verse and the last chorus that is basically yelling the words. A very good track, one of the better ones on the second disc. 4.5/5
21- The Big Come Down
This is a very strong, weird, and in your face track that I can’t really get enough of. There is a lot good synth work and lots of strange guitar tracks. The lyrics are cool and really jump out at you. Trent’s vocal work in this song is very good, going from yelling to a controlled pitch changing chorus. 5/5
22- Underneath It All
Starting out with a neat synth track, the song is built off of offbeat-sounding instruments. The lyrics are a good chant over the heavy ambience of the song. The song keeps building until it suddenly stops to a much lower volume to end the track. 4/5
23- Ripe (With Decay)
To end the album, there is this cool little instrumental. It reminds me a lot of Alice In Chains (that what I thought of first when I heard it). The song, like most of those on this album, start out soft and then begin to blossom into a complex, menacing masterpiece. It is very creepy sounding, especially when the piano comes before it goes back to the beginning riff. The big problem I have with this track is that it is a bit long and repetitive. 3.5/5
