Category — CDs

Nine Inch Nails released their new album “The Slip” (which features the famed Josh Freese), for free in May. Now Trent Reznor has decided to release a physical version to coincide with Nine Inch Nails upcoming US arena tour.

“Each of the 200,000 discs arrives with a DVD of the band rehearsing Slip tracks live, plus a 24- -page booklet and stickers. The set hits Canada and the States July 22, with a Japanese release date is still TBA. A virtually identical set– sans the limited/numbered business– is due in the UK and Europe July 21, and whenever the Australian edition is released, it, too, will be available in this manner.

In addition, an unnumbered/unlimited gatefold vinyl set, featuring a single 180 gram LP of the disc and a 24-page booklet, is due August 4 in the UK and Europe and August 5 in the States. Further info on the Japanese and Australian releases can be expected shortly.”

The 180-gram vinyl version sounds the most interesting to me, as I’ve already got the free version on my iPod. This should also sell well as vinyl is making a resurgence. Nonetheless, very cool way of doing things. Release your record for free to your fans as a sort-of thank you, and then if people still want to buy the physical copy, make it available. Nice work Trent.

Source.

Here are NIN’s current tour dates…

07-25 Pemberton, British Columbia - Pemberton Festival
07-26 Seattle, WA - Key Arena at Seattle Center *
07-28 Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place *
07-29 Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome *
07-31 Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre *
08-02 Minneapolis, MN - Target Center *
08-03 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-05 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre %
08-07 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena %
08-08 Worcester, MA - DCU Center %
08-09-10 Baltimore, MD - Pimlico Race Course (Virgin Mobile Festival)
08-12 Knoxville, TN - Knoxville Civic Coliseum %
08-13 Duluth, GA - Gwinnett Arena %
08-15 Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center #
08-16 Houston, TX - Toyota Center #
08-18 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center #
08-20 Saint Louis, MO - Scottrade Center #
08-22 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
08-23 Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills #
08-25 Toledo, OH - Seagate Convention Center #
08-27 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center $
08-29 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center $
08-31 Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena ^
09-02 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater %
09-03 Salt Lake, City UT - The E Center of West Valley %
09-05 Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena %
09-06 Inglewood, CA - The Forum %
10-24-26 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience

* with Crystal Castles
% with Deerhunter
# with A Place to Bury Strangers
$ with Does It Offend You, Yeah?
^ with White Williams

To continue on the theme of popular metal bands, (see yesterday’s post about Metallica), it appears Slipknot will be gearing up to record a new album.

According to band frontman Corey Taylor, the album “Is going to rip your face off.”

“Declining to give an album title or song names, Taylor describes Slipknot’s forthcoming set — which is being recorded in the band’s home state of Iowa — as a “very dark” cross between “Vol. 3″ and 2001’s “Iowa.” “It has so much power in it and yet there are so many great spots for melody,” he explains. “It’s a controlled chaos that hits you right out of the gate.”

“Lyrically, “Instead of bitching about what went wrong in my life, I’m bitching about what’s wrong in life, period,” Taylor says, noting that his vocals are much more melodic than before. “I got to the point where I was tired of pretending that I couldn’t sing every time I made a Slipknot album, so this time I’m going all out.”

However, a lot of people will be looking forward to drummer Joey Jordison’s work on this album. He has come to be known for ridiculously fast blast beats, crazy tom fills and basically all out double bass explosions.  These trademarks of his drumming I am pretty certain will be featured on this new album as well. Last time the band worked with Rick Rubin, and while a producer hasn’t been announced yet, I’m hoping they go with someone a little less played out with more of a metal sound.

Source/More Info.

Rashied Ali has been one of my favorite drummers for a while. He played with John Coltrane and comes from an avant-garde jazz background. His playing, (a lot of it at least), is very improvisatory and complicated. Not complicated in the sense where he is just spinning his wheels, but complicated in the sense of being extremely exploratory, daring and fluid.

A record I highly recommend checking out is “Duo Exchange”, released in 1973 on the Blue Note jazz record label, it stands as a powerful statement on avant-jazz, improvisational drumming. Its just Rashied Ali and a horn player; Frank Lowe, 2 tracks, around 20 minutes each. The music featured on this album may be hard to listen to for some, but the fruits of your listening are worth it as it shifts from intenese driving sections to slow, moody sections with oddly placed accents coming from Ali.

Ali is all over his kit on this album, with amazing tom tom sections being the highlight of the drum sound. Even if you aren’t into jazz or the somewhat abrasive sound of this record, if you’re into drumming there is a lot you can pick up here. When I first heard this record, there were so many drum tricks, fills and accents I’d never heard before. Great album and an amazing drummer.

So apparently the Melvins new album “Nude With Boots” leaked. I don’t want to post a full review of an album thats not out yet, but just some thoughts.

The album has been completed obviously, but additional mastering may occur later on which could effect the sound. Anyway, upon my first listen I think the album is great and even better than the band’s last record (A) Senile Animal. The production is a lot dryer and the guitar sound is a little more solid. The overall sound is similar to the bands last record yet with an obvious 70’s classic rock influence, mainly in the from of the guitar riffs, there’s also some older-style Melvins heaviness.

Once again both Dale Crover and Coady Willis are playing double drums. The drum sound this time around is much more direct and it seems both drummers are playing more of the parts together. They tend to deviate a little, a lot of times for added percussion flourishes , but mainly they both rock out and do a lot of fills together at the same time.

I’m already liking this record more overall than (A) Senile Animal, and thats saying a lot, since that was also a great record.

*(Photo copyright - Kevin Willis 2006).