THE DEAL: Debut EP from Trent Reznor and his wife, Mariqueen Maandig.
THE GOOD: Fans of Reznor who were worried they’d never hear from the Nine Inch Nails front man again have to be pleased that the industrial rock veteran is still making music. These songs sound like Nine Inch Nails, but with Maandig singing instead of Reznor, though he does offer hints and harmonies in random spots. The music continues the recent NIN format of heavy electronic/industrial aura with fuzzed-out riffs and throbbing beats. “Fur Lined” sounds a lot like NIN’s “Only” with Maandig talking over a simple drum beat. The album hits its peak with the final track, “A Drowning” — Maandig’s soothing vocal style over a piano-driven industrial backbeat reminiscent of “Something I Can Never Have.”
THE BAD: Like I said above, these songs sound like Nine Inch Nails, but Reznor’s not handling much of the vocals. “BBB” started out alright, but was nearly annoying with its repetitive “Listen to the sound of my big black boots” line spoken 15 times in the last minute of the song.
THE VERDICT: A solid debut if not also a tease at what Reznor could be doing under the NIN monicker. There’s no way this stuff won’t be compared to NIN. While it doesn’t match the “old stuff,” it’s definitely a good side of Reznor’s future and the female vocals offer a nice balance to the dark industrial backdrop.
This article appears in Aug 10-16, 2010.
