Sledgehammer vs. Closer

damn

I have to think about this one

("Closer" vs "Big Time" is a no-brainer decision for Gabriel)

Yeah I don't know if I'll be able to vote here. I'm asking from a place of genuine uncertainty!

Search reveals that "Sledgehammer" has previously been pitted against "Big Time" and "Steam." This is Gabriel's first time taking on Reznor I guess.

Sledgehammer by a mile. They're both pretty earwormy in their respective ways, but these days Closer feels kinda ploddy and dull to me, while the brightness and joy of "Sledgehammer" remain just as fresh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymeUS0DVNa4

vs.

https://youtu.be/C0g_LYOFJ1I?t=1m31s

Now imagine David Bowie covering "Sledgehammer."

Sledgehammer rocks, a big dumb soul hammer with flashing lights... It's all about that coda with the call-response stuff and Gabriel acting all ecstatic.. super powerful and intense

Closer is pretty good! I'm trying NIN again

The "Sledgehammer" coda is amazing.

does closer have tony baldguy playing bass with giant qtips on his fingies?? i do not think so!

hey show the funk fingers some respect

I want to fuck you like a honey bee
I want to feel your fruitcage from the inside

Closer feels kinda cheap. Everyone otm about the Sledgehammer coda.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

They both have an incredible coda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1_gzwg8Tmo

vs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXMx62SWYc

^ Why I subscribe to ILX.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I'm surprised. Thought these results would be farther apart.

Reading history O’ prog rock book....

Forcing self to listen to Peter Gabriel solo for first tyme

It’s Fairlight Nine inch Nails !

— Stephen malkmus (@dronecoma) December 26, 2020

The third and fourth albums always seemed a bit proto-industrial to me and no doubt Reznor listened to them, cf. The Wall, Moving Pictures.

Maybe that means NIN is digital prog rock?

i can def see the line connecting the two

like most NIN, listening to "Closer" has always been a bummer to me due to the dissonance btw the amazing instrumental vs lyrics so excruciatingly bad that i get embarrassed for him as he sings them

I definitely appreciated them much better once I focused less on the lyrics (which are Reznor's own primary focus, acc to Song Exploder!).

"NIN is digital prog rock" well he did have Adrian Belew on the Downward Spiral (and invited him, then disinvited him, from joining the live band)

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

"my whole existence is flawed" is, however, not

"NIN is digital prog rock" well he did have Adrian Belew on the Downward Spiral (and invited him, then disinvited him, from joining the live band)

And Mike Garson (from David Bowie's mid-70s band) plays piano on several tracks from The Fragile.

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020

if sung by Peter Gabriel

Digging in the Dirt vs. Closer might be a better match here

(which are Reznor's own primary focus, acc to Song Exploder!).

― Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, December 28, 2020 11:29 AM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

he works hard on them, of course there’s no guarantee theyll be good even if you put the work in. i’ve prob claimed otherwise on this board i’m at the point in my life where i think his lyrics are effective and work in their context even if they’re often beholden to my least favorite rhyme schemes. and i’m not sure nin as a concept would work for me with a better lyricist

I know we've discussed it to varying degrees on ilx, but it generally seems like good lyrics can make a good song better, but bad lyrics won't make a good song appreciably worse.

when i hear closer i always think that if it had banal lyrics about rocking til the break of dawn or something it would be a masterpiece

What if it had lyrics about 10,000 fireflies?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytYJBxmpGb8

"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric

― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020

if sung by Peter Gabriel

I can 100% hear that in my head and now I feel dirty

when i hear closer i always think that if it had banal lyrics about rocking til the break of dawn or something it would be a masterpiece

― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, December 29, 2020 2:15 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

i want to rock you til the auroral
i want to get down til the sun shines
i want to rock you til the auroral
the caffeination is on
you get me closer to dawn