Things Falling Apart
After the two nihilistic epicsThe Downward Spiral(1995) and its belated follow-upThe Fragile(1999), Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails are settling into a loud, predictable rut. The same thrashy, complex-yet-melodic industrial rock that sounded so groundbreaking onDownward Spiralis beginning to show its limitations. Though often mesmerizing in the way Reznor's inventive sonic structure and relentlessly bleak tone congeal so convincingly around the catchiest of pop melodies, the man seems to have run out of places to go.Things Falling Apart, a collection of severely remixed songs fromThe Fragile, adds precious little to Rezner's familiar, impossibly angry milieu. Almost all the songs fall short of their original versions, especially all three versions of "Starf***ers Inc" (though, to be fair, that may have beenThe Fragile's best track). There are a few previously unreleased tracks here that shine; theFragileouttake "10 Miles High" throws a simple, pounding chorus into a swamp of washed-out ambient noise, while theGary Numancover "Metal" makes convincing use of Reznor's gift for pop melody. Still, it's apparent that, despite how great he is at what he does, Reznor just can't keep doing it forever.--Matthew Cooke