The Fragile: Deviations 1 - Limited Edition 4xLP (Spring 2017)

[Sandy Phimester]

I seriously need to hear "Was it Worth It?" with lyrics. If ever such a thing existed, it definitely wouldn't feel right on the actual album as we know it, but I really like this a lot.

Edit: and "The March". Yes, at times you can just imagine it. Excellent stuff in my opinion.

[EndlessLoveless]

I seriously need to hear "Was it Worth It?" with lyrics. If ever such a thing existed, it definitely wouldn't feel right on the actual album as we know it, but I really like this a lot.

Must exist right? Didn't boss say that any songs that say (instrumental) after them had lyrics at one point? I think that song in particular is the strongest of the unreleased along with the march. I think both would've fit great, both have the fragile instrumentation and feel. My guess would be that he never settled on vocals that felt perfect to him so left them off, cause they are too good of songs to not add if fully completed.

Hello, everything is not OK (10 miles high) is also amazing. That song fully rocks and with the "huh"s during the verses it feels somewhat more complete than the others. Would love to know why that version was shelved for the more subdued song we know.

[Sandy Phimester]

Must exist right? Didn't boss say that any songs that say (instrumental) after them had lyrics at one point? I think that song in particular is the strongest of the unreleased along with the march. I think both would've fit great, both have the fragile instrumentation and feel. My guess would be that he never settled on vocals that felt perfect to him so left them off, cause they are too good of songs to not add if fully completed.

Hello, everything is not OK (10 miles high) is also amazing. That song fully rocks and with the "huh"s during the verses it feels somewhat more complete than the others. Would love to know why that version was shelved for the more subdued song we know.

Agreed. Also this one, more than most (or all new additions on this LP?) seem like they'd fit with lyrics so well. I need to hear it.

Also, not sure what was mentioned about what had what and what didn't... but I would imagine he had something lined up for this.

[trollmanen]

Started listening to Niggy Tardust, and it's been so long, I forgot about the Fragile outtakes used for that album, and Skin on a Drum being a version of The March. Did a quick search and see it's been mentioned. I'm not sure if it's still floating out there on the internets, but I purchased a publishing copy of the Niggy Tardust Instrumentals years ago and posted it on a certain W website. I've since sold that promo, but I have the WAV files still. Not sure if there's a good way to share those instrumentals, but I doubt Trent would care at this point.

[Amaro]

[Seed_0]

Why is this marked as a new halo? Shouldn't it be halo 14D1 or something of that nature?

[neorev]

@Amaro : Interesting question. I do definitely see it as a precursor to the similar, but superior (in my opinion) "Underneath It All." I'd be shocked if they didn't start as one piece, or if "Underneath It All" didn't evolve out of "Claustrophobia Machine." And the parenthetical "Raw"—which I originally speculated might mean it was connected to the Niggy Tardust track called "Raw"—coupled with the sound of the track makes me wonder if indeed it is closer to a demo than the rest of the apocrypha; and thanks to "Piggy," we know Trent isn't hesitant to play demo drum tracks.

I figured "Raw" meant it was more of a one take demo piece than a fully layered track. It sounds very stripped down, especially you get a room sound with the drums. It sounded like they just set up a mic, hit play while some programmed sounds played thru speakers, and someone played drums to it. I like it.

[KingDeathMachine]

I'm really loving these Fragile outtakes. It's crazy to think that Trent had enough material from that session to make a Fragile sequel, or an entire new album.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

Hopefully one day he releases the outtakes with the vocals *fingers crossed*

[botley]

Why is this marked as a new halo? Shouldn't it be halo 14D1 or something of that nature?

Reznor states that it is a different listening experience. If you get this but not the original, you're missing the whole story — but you get more of a different story. Hence the different halo, for a "complementary but different picture" of the same music.

[fillow]

Where did he say that? The only interview I saw regarding this release period was the Zane Lowe thing.

at the nin.com

[botley]

Heh. What he actually said (emphasis mine): 'As an experiment, I removed all the vocals from the record and found it became a truly changed experience that worked on a different yet compelling level. The Fragile: Deviations 1 represents Atticus and I embellishing the original record with a number of tracks from those sessions we didn’t use before. The result paints a complimentary but different picture we wanted to share.'

[Seed_0]

Like I said halo 14D1. The material is not new.

[botley]

Like I said halo 14D1. The material is not new.

Never has a halo number been duplicated across different releases without the most important parts being carried over. Obviously the lyrics and vocals are important to Halo 14, and without them it's not the same album.

[wizfan]

With a little more reverb and deeper bass, "Last Heard From" could have easily been a Dragon Tattoo track, especially from 1:30 onwards, after the noisy part stops.

[Seed_0]

Never has a halo number been duplicated across different releases without the most important parts being carried over. Obviously the lyrics and vocals are important to Halo 14, and without them it's not the same album.

A song doesn't have to contain lyrics to be a song. The music is not new. It should be halo 14D1

[Jon]

Like I said halo 14D1. The material is not new.

My brain automatically tries to finish the designation after "14" as "DE" (Deluxe Edition) when put that way.

[Seed_0]

My brain automatically tries to finish the designation after "14" as "DE" (Deluxe Edition) when put that way.

Not sure what the "1" is about anyway. Is there going to more??? Or is he stating he wanted 1 more crack at it? lol

[Archive_Reports]

A song doesn't have to contain lyrics to be a song. The music is not new. It should be halo 14D1

Some of it is.

Finally had a chance to listen to this all the way through. The amount of things contained in these songs that I've not noticed before is insane. So much depth that I don't think I've ever really appreciated.

[Seed_0]

Some of it is.

Finally had a chance to listen to this all the way through. The amount of things contained in these songs that I've not noticed before is insane. So much depth that I don't think I've ever really appreciated.

TF is great and TFD1 is as well. Just because he made some changes such removing lyrics, adding some things/ etc should not mean it is a new halo #. New halo # usually indicate new material not rehashed old material.

[perterje]

Not sure what the "1" is about anyway. Is there going to more??? Or is he stating he wanted 1 more crack at it? lol

There are two opposing theories:

1. There will be at least one more Fragile deviations with even more unreleased material from that era
2. The numbering doesn't refer to The Fragile at all, and there will be deviations released of other albums, such as With Teeth or The Downward Spiral

I believe in the latter. I think the next one we will see is "With Teeth: Deviations 2" (based on a certain Apple Music release some time ago).

[Seed_0]

There are two opposing theories:

1. There will be at least one more Fragile deviations with even more unreleased material from that era
2. The numbering doesn't refer to The Fragile at all, and there will be deviations released of other albums, such as With Teeth or The Downward Spiral

I believe in the latter. I think the next one we will see is "With Teeth: Deviations 2" (based on a certain Apple Music release some time ago).

That would be cool. Maybe he will revisit TDS

[trollmanen]

A song doesn't have to contain lyrics to be a song. The music is not new. It should be halo 14D1

Apparently Trent felt otherwise, and thus, Halo 30.

[Seed_0]

Apparently Trent felt otherwise, and thus, Halo 30.

He should through some seeds in there just for fun.

[Pbgut]

Started listening to Niggy Tardust, and it's been so long, I forgot about the Fragile outtakes used for that album, and Skin on a Drum being a version of The March. Did a quick search and see it's been mentioned. I'm not sure if it's still floating out there on the internets, but I purchased a publishing copy of the Niggy Tardust Instrumentals years ago and posted it on a certain W website. I've since sold that promo, but I have the WAV files still. Not sure if there's a good way to share those instrumentals, but I doubt Trent would care at this point.

If only those WAVs could be out there in the world ...

[GentlemanLoser]

the chorus of "the march" sounds like it could have been on Disintegration or Wish by The Cure and really really makes me wish (wink wink) that trent and robert smith would collaborate on something.

I agree! Also, 'And All That Could Have Been' has always sounded rather Cure-y to me.

[vincenzomilione]

There are two opposing theories:
I believe in the latter. I think the next one we will see is "With Teeth: Deviations 2" (based on a certain Apple Music release some time ago).

my dream is to wake up one morning and find bleeding through available in the nin store.

[slopesandsam]

My opinion, now that I finally found a spare 150 minutes to listen to the album in full:

So, TF is my all time favourite album, and I've been dreaming of hearing the unreleased material from it for 17 years now. So getting my hands on this was the best Christmas gift imaginable.

Of the new tracks, only one didn't immediately grab me. The rest were awesome, and I'm so glad I finally got to hear them. (I'm sort of disappointed that "White Mask" was already released as a Saul William's track. As much as I loved it on Niggy Tardust, I would have preferred to hear it as a NIN track. It'll take a while and more listens before I mentally shift gears and start thinking of it as of a piece with the rest of TF).

But, I actually think that this presentation wasn't the optimal one. I understand why most of these tracks weren't included on the original release - not because they're lesser, but because a lot of them don't share the same aesthetic as the rest of the album. A lot of them really broke the flow of the album for me. I think what would have worked much better would have been to create a whole new disc - a "Center" disc for something. And to include the vocals. I would have preferred a "Definitive" version of TF, rather than this Deviation.

Still, though, listening to this for the first time were 150 of the best minutes of my life.

(Oh, and maybe because I'd only ever heard a crappy rip from the cassette, but "Appendage" sounded monstrously awesome on this album, where I'd previously thought of it as an interesting but unnecessary addendum.)

[joplinpicasso]

I find "Not What It Seems Like" warmly comforting. It reminds me of a Boards of Canada track. It's got this descending, light riff and resignation to it.

I also find it fascinating how many drum and bass elements/tracks were cut. Someone mentioned elsewhere that this unearthed material shows the connection between "TPD" and this LP.

[Seed_0]

My opinion, now ...

I don't think the original singing content would fit right on some of the tracks due to altercations. I was thinking about trying to add the original vocals to it which would require some work. As for the unreleased material, if there are recorded lyrics it would definitely be nice to hear. I highly doubt it as those tracks were removed, and probably underdeveloped.

side note - I splits the tracks up in to 3 and labeled them as left, center and right in my Itunes. lol