Stubby Member
How are you playing the two EPs already released? Do you play them as the are or do you think that he songs from the three EPs are meant to be played in a different way telling a story. As I listened to the last interview of Trent on apple music it's obvious that the songs are meant to play as they were released, because the story is told like that - so the first EP, then the second EP and then the last LP. What do you think?
Active Member
I did throw together a playlist of
Branches/Bones
Less Than
The Lovers
Dear World,
She's Gone Away
This Isn't The Place
Not Anymore
The Idea of You
Burning Bright
The Background World
Nothing too crazy, more grouped for continuity. I might edit this once BW drops, but I've never really been one for totally rearranging an album's tracklist.
To paraphrase Goonies "God put that rock there for a purpose and I'm not going to be the one to move it".
Active Member
Also, what the fuck could possibly come after the meltdown apocalypse of Background World?
Stubby Member
The Background World into Burning Bright actually sounds REALLY goodOriginally Posted by paul_guyet
Active Member
I'll give it a shot.
I feel the same way about RWIB. Of course I could just jump right into ATLITW, but I feel like I just need silence after WT wraps up.
Throbbing Member
Some shit
Throbbing Member
I think the noise apocalypse of The Background World is meant to represent the destruction of the perspective the second EP offers; it's generally more accessible and tamer than the first, and then something goes... wrong. So I'm fine with the track order just being the EPs as released, especially since Bad Witch seems like it will be an unusual sound for NIN.
Hairy Member
Perhaps the placement of the ^^^^ markers on the albums is the order (if there is indeed proper order?)
Applying this theory, and assuming order is top to bottom, it would make it: Add Violence, Bad Witch, Not the Actual Events
Stubby Member
Perhaps the placement of the ^^^^ markers on the albums is the order (if there is indeed proper order?)
Applying this theory, and assuming order is top to bottom, it would make it: Add Violence, Bad Witch, Not the Actual Events
has anyone figured out what this shit says yet anyways? it looks like text to me tbh
Stubby Member
Now that Bad Witch is here...I'm playing with the order and it's REALLY difficult. Each one of the EP's final songs would be a good album closer...
Stubby Member
Burning Bright to me seems light the ultimate closer/finale of the two EP's.
Stubby Member
Agree 100%
Since Add Violence was released I've consistently listened to Add Violence then Not the Actual Event back to back on one playlist. I think it works well, and was anticipating the third EP being the begging of the trilogy thematically...now I'm not so sure.
(Unused symbol)
This whole concept seems really weird to me given the importance the vinyl album plays in the presentation of this trilogy. Trent has stated that is the preferred format, to then also suggest you listen to the songs in an out-of-order sequence seems counterintuitive to the format.
Counterpoint: What an odd concept to suggest unless the interviewer was sort of tipped in that direction.
Hairy Member
Is anyone taking into account the B side of NtAE? The backwards TDS songs need to play (their goddamn) part.
Throbbing Member
Yep I always listen to the B side, really adds to it. Works better than directly going Burning Bright -> Less than.
If you finish with the crashing Burning Bright, you get some kind of rollback with the three TDS tracks, and then you go into Less Than, which seems way more "positive" than Burning Bright, but still with that tainted, compressed quality to it. It works.
You get one way to present the events with NTAE, then you actually go back to the beginning, restart, try a new way. But then it just destroys itself and burns with the loop of The Background World, and we can really start the actual events, the right way, without compromise : Bad Witch.
It's linked just as much to the narrative and to Trent's view of The Trilogy, as a view of the current world, in three different ways.
Throbbing Member
I have to test it out but I think if we keep the EP track lists, it has to go AV / NTAE / BW. And it'll always feel like it's a three act album but that makes it more interesting to me. I'd have to play with it for a long time to figure out a tracklist that actually works with three sets of obvious closing tracks and three songs that are really good openers.
.net (24.24.2.1447)
I’m not sure whether Trent would chuckle or facepalm at the thought of people seriously listening to the backwards TDS tracks as part of the album.
Throbbing Member
Here we see a close-minded individual in the wilderness. Try it. Art is more than entertainment, and I know it's difficult for you to understand that. A weirder thing is than even if it's a simple "easter egg", it legitimately works. What an insult to Trent, seriously. Purposefully putting a whole vinyl side and people thinking he would just chuckle when someone happens to like it.
Edit : "Fuck, I got goose bumps just thinking about that possibility right now - the idea that someone could be thinking so hard about an album"
Sounds like @teitan would just get goose bumps
@laur.a Best one yet IMO, the two sides really solves the loop placement
Last edited by StockAvuryah; 06-20-2018 at 11:54 AM.
.net (24.24.2.1447)
I have. They sounded kinda weird, interesting, compelling, but you are ignoring (or missed) the last bit of what I wrote
It's clear to me that they're an interesting aside (literally) and not part of the continuity of either that EP or the set of EPs. The proof is in the fact you only got them with the vinyl edition.
But maybe you are on to something: We literally have twice as much NIN music if you reverse everything! Wow he's hidden half his oeuvre this under our noses the whole time!
I'm sure Trent is capable of deciding what insults him by himself. Or maybe he has you on speed dial for that?
Throbbing Member
Just answering that : Yes, let's rewind all of NIN's discography. I'm ready. Certain some of it is interesting. Like the tracks which have already backwards samples, like in TDS. Oh wait.
Hairy Member
I threw together a quick combination of the songs that I will edit a little bit after I give a couple more listens. Shit on it if you'd like.
1. This Isn't the Place
2. Dear World,
3. Not Anymore
4. Play the Goddamned Part
5. Less Than
6. She's Gone Away
7. God Break Down the Door
8. I'm Not From this World
9. The Idea of You
10. Ahead of Ourselves
11. Branches/Bones
12. Over and Out
13. The Lovers
14. Burning Bright (Field on Fire)
15. Shit Mirror
16. The Background World
Hairy Member
Posted a theory regarding BW and how it fits into the trilogy in the BW thread. Going to share the trilogy portion here so as not to copy the entire post. More details on BW as a standalone with more specific song notes in the other thread.
I see BW as a condensed, simplified version of the trilogy's story which works on its own as well as a final third. So as far as examining the trilogy as a whole:
Remember the Reznor interview where NTAE is described as exploring and lashing out at oneself for answers. The lyrics are incredibly insular. It's music written for a character trapped within their own head. Occasional observations of the outside world and past experiences are made, but we're viewing that world through a tiny slit in an otherwise impenetrable fortress. We are, for the most part, keeping to our own devices. Sticking to what and who we know. We uncover some potentially disturbing facts, but with Burning Bright, we absolve ourselves. We're not perfect, but it can't possibly be us. It's got to be them. It's got to be the world that's the problem.
In AV, we step out into that world. We notice destruction. We notice the deaths of our heroes. But if the blame lies with the outside world, would that conclusion truly satisfy us? Are we sure this is what we want? Daunting situation, if so.
Maybe it's a combination of the internal and external, which Reznor alluded to in the aforementioned interview. Maybe it's all of humanity. So in BW, we synthesize what we've learned. Our own arrogance, confidence, frustration, and righteous anger fueled by what we've observed outside lead us to do a deep dive into the human condition. We're strong enough to handle this. We're ready for it. We go in guns blazing with the first two tracks of the record. They're rocky, they're angry, they're confident. Yet by the time we descend into Sax World™, we realize we're anything but confident. The two middle tracks paint the picture of a place we shouldn't have gone. A place that, if it holds any answers at all, are not the ones we want to hear. We've dug ourselves so deep that the way out won't be easy, but we take it because it's the only option. I'm Not From This World sees us running away from that place, haunted by what we may have discovered. In Over and Out, we emerge and question whether the journey was even worth it.
tl;dr: citing the lyrics, atmospherics, and Reznor's words, it seems to me that we're intended to listen to these in the order of release. NTAE -> AV -> BW
Stubby Member
I can see a story of Trent in these albums ( 3 albums that fit perfectly as review for all his carrer as musician)
They talk about his problems with addictions
His perspective, his fears, the paranoia, the need of this, the addiction (as a "she") is talking to him, their relationship, is he happy now? he is fighting,
he doesn't want this again but he doesnt know who is he now, the fall , the cycle is repeated
Copy of A /In two /The idea of you (he can't recognize him anymore)
The lovers (the addiction as a relationship)/all time low (they are talking)/Disappointed/Dear World (is he failing as an artist without the drugs?)
The eater of dreams/Burning bright/Background world/I'm not from this world (he is on drugs again, the addiction is talking to him she won, the cycle is repeated...the end)
Those are just random ideas, but I Think they have some kind of connection (Not the actual events/Bad Witch/Add Violence/Hesitations Marks)
Hairy Member
As the trilogy is pressed on vinyl it has to have two sides:
SIDE A:
01. BRANCHES/BONES
02. LESS THAN
03. SHIT MIRROR
04. DEAR WORLD
05. THE LOVERS
06. THE BACKGROUND WORLD
SIDE B:
01. THE IDEA OF YOU
02. GOD BREAK DOWN THE DOOR
03. BURNING BRIGHT (FIELD ON FIRE)
04. THIS ISN'T THE PLACE
05. I'M NOT FROM THIS WORLD
06. OVER AND OUT
I just don't have a name for it... must be something with "...: Deviations 2"
Flaccid Member
Excellent point! Also, this is a pretty solid mix.
bastard from blue city
Those half hour long sides would sound great on vinyl!
Throbbing Member
I used to have :
Burning Bright
Branches / Bones
Dear World,
The Idea of You
She's Gone Away
This Isn't The Place
Not Anymore
The Lovers
Less Than
The Background World
Too soon to pitch Bad Witch in yet. I would probably remove both instrumentals and The Background World's ending. Maybe next year I'll have my perfect setlist.
Active Member
I like the idea of "create your own album" with these three releases. I don't think there's anything hugely conceptual behind it, though.
Matador de Froot Loops
Musically, i would begin with "Add violence", it's the most "straightforward" of the 3, then "NTAE" and finish with "Bad Witch".
I also thought that the three albums as released tell a story about "past", "present" and "future" of mankind.
Last edited by henryeatscereal; 06-21-2018 at 08:48 AM.
Matador de Froot Loops
Not for anything but afer reading the NIN.com interview i think my idea wasn't that far off...
- The first EP is about (an alternate) "PAST"
- Second EP is about (a strange and problematic)"PRESENT"
- Third EP is about a (bleak) "FUTURE"
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