Originally Posted by
thefragile_jake
I recently put this album back on again after sitting on it for awhile and I forgot how much there was to enjoy through it. I see this album get more of a negative rep. than it actually deserves. I get the criticism at times, but overall - I still really enjoy this one. Honestly, the only track that doesn't work for me is "Satellite" and that's probably due to how Year Zero the song feels in both a production standpoint and lyrically. Year Zero still remains the one Nine Inch Nails project that no matter how many times I want it to click for me it ... it never does.
Also, if there's a fan club for those who actually really love "Everything" - let me be a member, please. It's SO unlike anything within the rest of the album and I'll fully admit that the track doesn't belong on the record ... but it wears it's love for The Cure on it's sleeve and it's just a really enjoyable track. I think my enjoyment of similar sounding bands makes me enjoy the track as much as I do.
To me, Hesitation Marks is like With Teeth with a little bit of The Fragile mixed in. There are hooks all over the record, but there's a lot more going on within the textures of the tracks than the straight-forward rock of WT. With a little bit more added to them ... songs like "Disappointed", "Various Methods of Escape" (some two of my favorites off the album), "Running" and "In Two" could've easily sat on Disc 2 of The Fragile IMO. I get where Trent is coming from in that the album has a "minimal" approach ("Copy of A"'s rigid, yet awesome drum sequence for sure) but there is a lot beneath the surface to enjoy. Though it's a little all over the place and Trent would kick the shit out of my expectations a few years later with Bad Witch, it was good to revisit this album again.