Love him or hate him, I don't think anyone could argue that Trent Reznor is not a hardworking man. Reznor's impressive career: front man of industrial powerhouse Nine Inch Nails, an Academy Award win for The Social Network original score, and most recently his new independent band's (How to Destroy Angels_) release of a new EP, "An Omen_," available now for download through the library's Freegal database. Phew.
Imagine a typical electronic pop song as a candied apple. Reznor takes that apple, strips its flesh to the core, and leaves it outside to the mercy of the elements. Every beat, every tone is carefully mapped by this self-proclaimed perfectionist. His tones are as dark and brooding as they are full of life - like a pastoral painting seen through a cyborg's eyes. It is a sound that fit perfectly with The Social Network's theme of human power struggles filtered through the lonliness of a digital screen.
"An Omen_" is a slight departure from the normal Reznor sound. On the seven minute track "Ice Age," Reznor's wife sings a forlorn ballad about the passage of time over a twangy banjo beat. It is simple, haunting, and beautiful. But then there are tracks like "Keep It Together," which throb with digtial menace like a 21st century tell-tale heart. Husband and wife sing, "I cannot keep it together," as the song creeps it way along. For anyone wondering where to use their three Freegal songs this week, you can do worse than sample half of this six track EP!
How to Destroy Angels_, "An Omen_" is available now through Freegal. (click here)!
The Social Network soundtrack is available at your local library (click here)!
A wonderfully dark Nine Inch Nails CD is available at your local library (click here)!
-James
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