Peter Murphy ft. Trent Reznor - "Swoon"

Electro-industrial collaboration between Peter Murphy and Trent Reznor. 

Bryan Ferry ft. Amelia Barratt - "Star"

 
Bryan Ferry's first brand new music in 10 years is a track that began as a sketch from NIN's Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. This collaboration with Amelia Barratt will feature in Ferry's upcoming Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023. It's a minimal, pulsating song that sounds exactly what a Bryan Ferry/NIN collaboration should sound like.

Fever Ray - "Even It Out"

Fever Ray's excellent third record Radical Romantics comes out today. I'm obsessed with the song "Even It Out, " an anti-bullying song aimed at her son's former nemesis: "This is for Zacharias/ Who bullied my kid in high school/ There’s no room for you/ And we know where you live." The song was co-produced with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who gives the track an ominous, industrial vibe. The accompanying video is an homage to John Waters' movie Female Trouble.

Halsey - "Girl Is A Gun"

Produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Halsey's new record If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power is a killer alt-pop record that draws on the strengths of all parties involved. I really love the hyperkinetic track "Girl Is A Gun" with its intense drum programming and Halsey's strong vocals. 

Non-Sequiturs

That belly could rule the world.

Gorgeous man and beard.

Chesticles!

Hotness in repose.

Otterlicious.

Haaaay!

Adorable.

Ridiculously hot torso.

Coffee, tea, me?

Nice everything.

Pretty much perfect.

Sweaty tatt.

Grrrr.

UNF.

Yum.

Hot daddy.

Yes, please.

Beefy.

Hairy.

Damn,

So cute.

Bear belly.

I might just post him every week.  Damn.

SBJ.

Sigh.

Gorgeous.

I don't care how handsome, sexy, or gorgeous you are, if you can't kiss, all bets are off.

Just seeing pictures of Provincetown gets me all misty.

I find it weird when people post selfies at memorial sites.

The Waffle House is amazing, but only between the hours of midnight and 6 AM.

Exactly.

Gone Girl is one of the most fiendishly wicked and clever movies I have seen in quite some time.

Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck definitely deserve some awards recognition.

I definitely get my exercise at the client site; the bathroom is all the way on the other side of the building from where my office is, and it is a very, very long building.

Quicksand's record Slip is my go-to metal record.

SCOTUS refused to hear the appeals in the gay marriage cases that were up before it. Now, up to 30 states have marriage equality. Although it make take a few more years, it looks like my marriage will be recognized in Georgia at some point.

So creepy.

Maybe we go out too much. When I tell people we are staying in for a weekend, they think I am joking.

Walmart is the most soulless, worthless company in the world. All they care about are profits. I refuse to shop there.

Although Psychocandy is The Jesus & Mary Chain's masterpiece, I will always go to Honey's Dead for my JAMC fix.

Arabs are like kiwi, sweet and tasty from the inside, and hairy from the outside.

Timing is everything.

Damn, someone couldn't wait to express their dissatisfaction.

I don't think I would ever turn down going out for Mexican food and margaritas.

Facebook would be more enjoyable if I got friend requests from my People You May Know list rather than the random assortment of sociopaths I normally get.

If one more straight man talks about how playing football is like the game of life, I will puke.

I admit I have very little patience. What I hate about that is that I know it, and yet mostly feel powerless to do anything about it. I am working on it though.

Will call is so 1980s.

Perfect.

I used to love correcting people's grammar until I figured out I enjoyed having friends more.

Gay men, please stop using the words "hunty" and "kiki." Thank you.

I know cupcakes have been all the rage for awhile, but for the life of me, I can't understand why. It seems like you commit a horrid social faux pas these days if you don't bring some to a dinner party.

Last night, we went to see Chvrches for the second time. They were fun as usual, but still, it amazes me how many people go to concerts to talk at the top of their lungs for the entire show.

Tinashe's debut album Aquarius is one of the best R&B albums to come out in a long time.

The reviewers at Slant Magazine must be a surly, depressive bunch; they never seem to like anything.

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Through My Brain

"We said way too much
I should have stayed in that time
Now crashing sweeps right on by

And I just did think of my childhood then
The way that I leaped through reality when
It was alright

But I fear for you son
That place is not your home
Cos when I woke up inside
And I felt the blue velvet
Feelings of that same old place
Now on the train I roll back
But my mind's on that distant sun

I make that trip to the old place
Where we kissed and played out till late
The door was open so I could see
The sight was wrong and new to me

But I fear for you son
That place is not your home
Cos when I woke up inside
And I felt the blue velvet
Feelings of that same old place
Now on the train I roll back
But my mind's on that distant sun

But I fear for you son
That place is not your home
I feel the moment in time
But I shouldn't come back here again
Cos in the end it's alright
And I know that I'll feel love again."

Childhood
"Blue Velvet"

"I see myself in your hazy eyes
Hands on my side, moves just like mine
I could feel you on my shoulder, I could die
I wanna steal your summer kiss
I want to stay here just like this
Everything is frozen in time

Nothing else matters anyway
So lets run away
Let’s follow the stars and get lost in outer space
Why don’t we run away?
Why don’t we run away?
Why don’t we run away?

I want to see you run beside
Me as I try to find
Somewhere in the darkness we can hide
Let me be your Mary Jane
Kiss upside down in the pouring rain
Don’t ever want to leave your arms again."

Grace Mitchell
"Runaway"

Appealing Things

The sex-positive movement
PrEP
Tinashe
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' creepy score for Gone Girl
Seeing our San Francisco friends for Pride

Annoying Things

People who talk during movies and concerts
Friends who make you do all the work
Kidney stones

Album Review: Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

Nine Inch Nails
Hesitation Marks
Rating: Woof Daddy

Hesitation Marks, the title of the 8th album under Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails moniker, refers to preliminary wounds made before a suicide attempt, and here there are plenty of references to being on the brink, trying to pull oneself back. It is no secret that Rezor has faced his share of demons over the years, but now, nearing 50, he's married, with two kids, and an Oscar winner, he seems more grounded than ever and still able to put out some of his most vital work since his 90s hey-days. Over these 14 tracks, Reznor revisits his past in a way, but looking at it from up above and with a more critical eye, touching on many of the same themes he has always worked with, however, much more wiser and kinder to himself. The sound of the record too touches on every facet of his career, from the electro-EBM of Pretty Hate Machine, studio excess of The Fragile, glitchy/claustrophobia of Year Zero, and even his masterful industrial synthpop of The Downward Spiral. This is not Reznor trying to reclaim what he once was/had or simply an exercise in nostalgia, it is an natural progression and amalgamation of all his incarnations, and one of his most vital records in years.

Working with longtime producer Alan Moulder and current collaborator Atticus Ross, Reznor is working on a more skeletal platform than usual, but instead of seeming too spartan actually helps the progression of tracks, and adds to the feeling of claustrophobia and tension. From the opening synthetic strains of the pulsating and ominous "Copy of A," Reznor builds off a core idea, never allowing the tracks to be overcome by too many elements.



And thankfully, Reznor is not afraid to be generous with the hooks this go around. While more recent works tended to go heavy on atmosphere over melody, here on Hesitation Marks, the hooks are fast and furious and keep on coming. From the lurching and buzzy first single "Came Back Haunted," throbbing EBM of "Running," and even the maligned punk-pop track "Everything"



Reznor shows why he was and still is the master of mixing the alternative and pop together. And yes, "Everything" sticks out like a sore thumb on the record and really doesn't fit in with the theme or feel of the record, but is so darn catchy you will forgive him for its inclusion.

Another interesting thing about the record is that there is an underlying funkiness to it, as if Reznor has been listening to a lot of old Prince albums. "Satellite," my favorite track on Hesitation Marks, has a funky bassline and percolating percussion that underlying its seething edge,



"All Time Low," even reverts back to his rap-sing attempts on Pretty Hate Machine as the deep funk of its bassline and rhythm guitars pushes it forward,

while on penultimate track "While I Am Still Here," Reznor even finds a way to throw in a horn break down.



There is a good mix of different styles and moods on the record even if Reznor tends to stick to a more muted palate, especially on tracks like "Find My Way" and Disappointed" that find him being about as minimal as he as ever been. But Reznor still knows how to provide a sense of drama regardless of what he is working with. There is a dazzling trio of tracks at the end of the record that prove Reznor just gets better with age. "Various Methods of Escape" seethes with an underlying energy that erupts in controlled bursts, "I Would For You" pretends to be a slow burner until the chorus explodes with cinematic grandeur,



and "In Two" finally releases all that pent up energy and anger into a furious swell of dense electronics and roaring guitars.



Ultimately what makes Hesitation Marks such a vital record is that Reznor is doing what he always does, but with more sense of purpose and less clutter. He is simply focusing on the music he wants to make without having to resort to aping his former work, but not neglecting his rich back catalog, using it as a frame reference to evolve his sound, and finally not trying to "sound" relevant by throwing in shameless nods to current trends such as dubstep and EDM. Hesitation Marks is Reznor finding his way again, and putting out one of the records of the year.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

Non-Sequiturs

Such a hot Daddy.

Lovely fur.

Sexy smile and hot chest.

Awww, so cute.

Love the peek of fur.

Drool.

Woof.

Sleepy bear belly.

Damn.

Beard is almost too much, but he is so damn hot.

Must. Rub. Belly.

Yum.

Nice body.

Grrrr.

Woof Daddy.

Damn, Damn, Damn.

Love the chest and belly combo.

That is some serious fur.

Whatcha thinking about?

Nice gutters.

A little further please.

Someone is shy.

Woof.

Those eyes.

Ginger beef.

I'd stare/rub/molest that belly all day long.

Sexy ax man.

Sexy.

What's in those shorts, Daddy?

Daddy jock.

Cutie bear wearing my tank top.

Ginger rower.

Bear duo.

Sexy Daddy.  Probably one of the sexiest, in my opinion.

Damn, hot nips.

Sometimes I come up with weird insults in my head that I think would make good band names. The latest was Bitchy Twat. Granted, the name would have very limited appeal. It has a catchy ring to it though.

One of the worst band names I have seen in recent memory is Diarrhea Planet.

I'm guessing the new season of Project Runway is hitting all time rating lows, as no one I know is even watching and/or commenting on it.

I will admit to having Lazy Bear envy.

I love this.

There will always be Starbucks detractors, but I think their Cafe Verona coffee is so darn tasty.

I rarely ever post anything serious on Facebook.

And I hate when people take what I say seriously on Facebook; though it amuses me when people get all philosophical about certain things that to me mean nothing at all.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card from American Express should be called the Pyrite Card, as it is essentially worthless.

I am not ready for school to start back, which ultimately means that I will have to endure 5 months of mindless chatter about football.

I agree.

Three people from FB I met at Bear Week have messaged me and said they wished they had met me in Provincetown. Hmmmm. I guess I don't leave a lasting impression.

The Cure's Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me is a really diverse album (sometimes to its detriment) which for the most part I really enjoy. But for the life of me, I cannot listen to "The Kiss," "Like Cockatoos," or "Icing Sugar." They just grate on my nerves.

I watched a live stream of The Cure's Lollapalooza set and they sounded great and did a wonderful 2 hour set of most of their hits. Robert Smith looked horrible though; like an geriatric drag queen.

Trent Reznor, however, is looking like a buff god.

I bet they would be tasty.

If you are a good friend of mine, there is almost nothing I won't do for you. But if I have just met you, and your first interactions with me is to ask me for a huge favor, then it is likely I will view your attempted friendship with me with high skepticism.

Long story as to why, but I had to catch a flight to Charlotte from Atlanta, and what should have been a short 35 minute flight turned into a epic 2 hour one full of mechanical issues, planes not getting out of the way, minor children screaming at the top of their lungs, and Jesus freaks pontificating the whole way. I was never so glad to get off a plane in my life.

I need a translator for some of my friends.

LOL.

Paleo-shmaleo.

If you don't like the fact that I am a huge music buff and that I post mostly music related things, then you are more than welcome to depart my life post haste.

The imperfections make you human.

I have been trying to grow my beard out, but I am thinking it looks best and is easier to take care of when it is kept at a normal length.

Yes, my sense of humor is twisted.

Taking life advice from Earnest Hemingway is a bad idea.

Spain is definitely my next out of country destination.

A panini is really just a high-fallutin quesadilla.

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"There's some gold
In my bones
That I told you about.
So I'm pulling out my teeth and
Burying them deep under ground.
There's some lights
In your eyes
That I follow about.
But they're dimming quick,
and you're getting sick, so now I wander out alone.
All my love
Is circling the drain now.
All my love
Won't bring you back to me.
Oh my God
I'm wasting away.
Pulled flowers at my feet
Lost in the wind.
There's a ghost
In the sky and in
All my fields of stars.
So I'm following the wind and
Singing all my hymns in the dark.
And when I shake your shadow from the trees.
Theres a color in your eyes that
Nobody knows but me.
All my love
Is circling the drain now.
All my love
Won't bring you back to me.
Oh my God
I'm wasting away.
Pulled flowers at my feet
Lost in the wind."

Houses
"The Beauty Surrounds"

"Breathe your smoke into my lungs
In the back of the car with you I stare into the sun
Still not too old to die young
The lovers hold on to everything
And others hold on to anything

I chased your love around a figure 8
I need you more than I can take
You promised forever and a day
And then you take it all away
(And then you take it all away)

Place a kiss on my cheekbone
Then you vanish me
I'm buried in the snow
But something tells me I'm not alone
But lovers hold on to everything
And others hold on to anything

I chased your love around a figure 8
I need you more than I can take
You promised forever and a day
And then you take it all away

So, Lovers hold on to everything
And others hold to anything
So, Lovers hold on to everything
And others hold to anything."

Ellie Goulding
"Figure 8"

Appealing Things

Cold Bud Light
The Cure's set at Lollapalooza
Banks
"Hold On, We're Going Home"
Los Bravos' margaritas

Annoying Things

Talkers
Loud, drunk women in gay bars
Drivers in Atlanta when it rains
Friends not being able to make it to Folsom