Album Review: Nine Inch Nails | Hesitation Marks

Review for www.meg.ie

http://www.meg.ie/nine-inch-nails-hesitation-marks/

Album Review: Bob Mould – Black Sheets of Rain

After the (artistically) successful stripped-down departure of Workbook, in 1990 Bob Mould went back to rocking like a man possessed on Black Sheets of Rain.  This album is for lovers of the heavy guitar onslaught.

The powerful title track sets the tone, an almost eight minute long wall of guitars, coming off like a distorted, rocked up version of The Cure's In Your House (from their Seventeen Seconds days). There are several guitar breaks in this track as Mould sings bleak lyrics: "where will you be in my darkest hour of need? Someone stopped the sun from shining".

The rest of the album struggles to measure up to this track, though the brooding One Good Reason comes close to matching the guitar heaven matched with bad moods of the title track (and it's almost as long), and later Hanging Tree is an a similar vein. Elsewhere It's Too Late is a Westerberg-style rocker, Stop Your Crying invents 'emo' alt-rock, The Last Night is a mellow anthem, and weirdly, Disappointed comes off sounding like one of Grant Hart's Husker Du songs!

As with Workbook this album ends with roaring catharsis, this time in the shape of Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace. It's a decent, but barring one or two tracks, inessential follow up to Workbook.

Album Review: Morrissey – Bona Drag

Morrissey’s late 80s singles were complied on Bona Drag. It’s a little hit and miss, opening with weak, jaunty single Piccadilly Palare. Much better is Interesting Drug, which features glorious guitar from Craig Gannon and a soaring melody. In other words vintage Morrissey.

Just as good, though markedly different is November Spawned a Monster. It’s darker, featuring a forlorn vocal from Morrissey, but most notable an almost strangled wordless vocal from Mary Margaret O’Hara in the bridge. There are some great lyrics here: “and if the lights were out would you even dare to kiss her full on the mouth or anywhere.”

Morrissey since his days in the Smiths had always released strong B-sides, and thankfully many of them are captured here. Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference has a quirky melody with some unpredictable twists and turns, while Hairdresser On Fire has a soaring melody ably aided by Stephen Street’s piano showcasing Morrissey’s preoccupation with London.

The collection does contain some of his weaker singles, Ouija Board, Ouija Board being a case in point. The single arrived at precisely the point when my previously ardent devotion to buying up all things Smiths and Morrissey related began to waver. It’s a pretty uninspiring tune, almost inoffensive. Much better is final track Disappointed, featuring a strutting guitar line and wonderfully self-deprecating lyrics from Morrissey: “this is the last song I will ever sing”, followed by cheers from the crowd… then he sings “no I’ve changed my mind again”, followed by a disappointed “awww”! It’s cheesy but it works.

This album is not far off being essential for Morrissey fans. It’s let down by one or two Morrissey-by-numbers tracks (Last of the Famous International Playboys, Yes I Am Blind) but these are more than made for by the high points mentioned above.