The Stuff

Let’s start with the free music:

Nine Inch Nails is/are now releasing their own albums, and most importantly, their latest album is free. The album is called The Slip and you can start the download process here. I suppose you could say they’ve given the old music industry “the slip” by circumventing old music distribution channels and releasing their own music. I haven’t listened to the album yet, but their music has been pretty consistent over the years, so I assume fans will adore it.

James and Lisa from 3 to 6 Inches fame have some new tracks on their website for download.

CSS have a new track you can download from their site. The song is called Rat Is Dead and it precedes their new album which will be released in the summer (I believe). The new album is called Donkey. Rat Is Dead has a thicker, more alt-rock sound that their previous album — it think I hear a Pixies influence on this one.

Music I had to pay for (you can tell I’m over 30 years of age because I pay for music):

The B-52s have a new album out called Funplex and as the name suggests the album is totally plex… I mean Fun. The B-52s deliver on what we expect from them: fun music to liven up a party. If you’re throwing a summer party with a mixed crowd, give this album a play — your guests will love it. Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson still have the best voices in the music, and Fred is Fred with lyrics like “faster pussycat thrill thrill, I’m at the mall on a diet pill”. The sound of the album is classic B52s with modern production by Steve Osbourne, who produced many classic dance tracks as well as the Happy Monday’s Pills Thrills and Bellyaches, which is a classic party album. Don’t think about it — just play it.

Ministry has/have released their final album. The album, Cover Up, is an album of classic rock cover songs, which is ironic coming from a band who released a song called 70s Rock Must Die (as Lard with Jello Biafra). None of the covers are remarkable or instantly classic as their cover of Black Sabbath’s Supernaut (from 17 years ago — yikes), but tracks like Space Truckin’, Black Betty and Radar Love work well with Ministry’s over the top rock sound. Honestly, I’m glad this is Ministry’s last album, as Al has obviously run out of new ideas. So long, and thanks for all the great music over the years!

Mindless Self Indulgence, a descendant of bands like Ministry and NIN, has a new album called If. If is more of the same sex, drugs and rock-rap-punk-industrial that they delivered with You’ll Rebel to Anything; no new ground, but I don’t think their over-sexed and stimulated fan base will be disappointed. Surprisingly clever melodies, decadent lyrics, hard-driving drums/bass/guitars make for some mindless, self-indulgent fun. Songs to listen for are Never Wanted to Dance, Prescription, Due, Issues (”It’s 3AM, she won’t put out, let’s go make out with her friends, let’s go make out with her friend’s friends”) and Pay for It. If is best enjoyed after not taking your meds for 3 days, drinking 12 Red Bulls, eating a cup of sugar and driving 120 miles per. It’s crazy music for wasted youth (or gr’ups).

It took me about 20 years to get into NOFX but I’m into them now thanks to a documentary on American hardcore music which I found on Showtime OnDemand (which is worth watching). I’ve started with These Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us) and the album has dominated my stereo and fueled many steering-with-my-knees-air-drums-in-my-car attacks. Tracks like The Idiots Are Taking Over, Don’t Call Me White, Dinosaurs Will Die, Bob, The Separation of Church and Skate are great, both musically and lyrically. If you like 175 beats per minute power punk with smart or silly lyrics, you cannot go wrong with NOFX. The one bad thing about this band is that there are a million NOFX copy-cats and they all really, really, really suck — NOFX spawned what punk rock became in the late 1990s and 2000s, and their children are primarily really lame, safe, boring douche bags.