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.
― ﴿→ ☺ (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:02 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymeUS0DVNa4
vs.
https://youtu.be/C0g_LYOFJ1I?t=1m31s
― Trockasturm Hoar The Ramming Battle Ceraton (Old Lunch), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:38 (six years ago) link
Now imagine David Bowie covering "Sledgehammer."
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 June 2017 22:48 (six years ago) link
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
― brimstead, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:08 (six years ago) link
Closer is pretty good! I'm trying NIN again
― brimstead, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:10 (six years ago) link
The "Sledgehammer" coda is amazing.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:12 (six years ago) link
does closer have tony baldguy playing bass with giant qtips on his fingies?? i do not think so!
― kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:14 (six years ago) link
hey show the funk fingers some respect
― sexualing healing (crüt), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:25 (six years ago) link
I want to fuck you like a honey beeI want to feel your fruitcage from the inside
― Beetle Juice continued to spit all over our drinks (contenderizer), Thursday, 1 June 2017 23:30 (six years ago) link
Closer feels kinda cheap. Everyone otm about the Sledgehammer coda.
― gospodin simmel, Friday, 2 June 2017 01:18 (six years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 00:01 (six years ago) link
They both have an incredible coda.
― chap, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 09:45 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1_gzwg8Tmo
vs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXMx62SWYc
― how's life, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 11:49 (six years ago) link
^ Why I subscribe to ILX.
― pplains, Wednesday, 7 June 2017 12:32 (six years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Thursday, 8 June 2017 00:01 (six years ago) link
I'm surprised. Thought these results would be farther apart.
― how's life, Thursday, 8 June 2017 00:14 (six years ago) link
Reading history O’ prog rock book....Forcing self to listen to Peter Gabriel solo for first tymeIt’s Fairlight Nine inch Nails !— Stephen malkmus (@dronecoma) December 26, 2020
― swing out sister: live in new donk city (geoffreyess), Monday, 28 December 2020 17:57 (three years ago) link
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.
― Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:06 (three years ago) link
Maybe that means NIN is digital prog rock?
― Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:10 (three years ago) link
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
― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:21 (three years ago) link
I definitely appreciated them much better once I focused less on the lyrics (which are Reznor's own primary focus, acc to Song Exploder!).
― Marconi plays the mamba (Sund4r), Monday, 28 December 2020 18:29 (three years ago) link
"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)
― akm, Monday, 28 December 2020 21:43 (three years ago) link
"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric
― akm, Monday, 28 December 2020 21:44 (three years ago) link
"my whole existence is flawed" is, however, not
― american primitive stylophone (zchyrs), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:28 (three years ago) link
And Mike Garson (from David Bowie's mid-70s band) plays piano on several tracks from The Fragile.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:41 (three years ago) link
― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020
if sung by Peter Gabriel
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 13:42 (three years ago) link
Digging in the Dirt vs. Closer might be a better match here
― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 14:16 (three years ago) link
(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
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 15:20 (three years ago) link
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.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 19:08 (three years ago) link
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, 29 December 2020 20:15 (three years ago) link
What if it had lyrics about 10,000 fireflies?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytYJBxmpGb8
― MarkoP, Tuesday, 29 December 2020 21:32 (three years ago) link
"I want to fuck you like an animal" is a fine lyric― akm, Monday, December 28, 2020if sung by Peter Gabriel
I can 100% hear that in my head and now I feel dirty
― Soz (Not Soz) (Vast Halo), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 21:43 (three years ago) link
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
― 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 aurorali want to get down til the sun shinesi want to rock you til the auroralthe caffeination is onyou get me closer to dawn
― swing out sister: live in new donk city (geoffreyess), Tuesday, 29 December 2020 23:31 (three years ago) link