NIN: And All That Could Have Been Sure I have all of the songs in their original and or remixed form. But as a DVD release, NIN's And All That Could Have Been is a Live project that will be in my disc player for months, even years to come. Having gone to the tour back in 2000 at the Arrowhead Pont, I was treated to the best concert experience of my life. I may be blinded by the fact that this is my favorite band, but the Fragility tour reflected NIN at its most sure state. Even if sales didn't soar for the 99' Fragile album, everything came together for the band at this point in time. It wasn't all nihilistic anger and it wasn't all soft, sell out tunes, it seemed just right. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to learn that NIN --a band that just loves remix or eps; they release each album with a Halo and a number and I am almost up to seventeen-- and this DVD (and the subsequent CD release) almost perfectly captured the concert experience from two years ago.
I would have been pleased had the concert or the new live recording just contained songs from The Fragile album (because that was easily my favorite album of the 90's, well, next to Radiohead's OK Computer of course). But And All that Could Have Been is like a greatest hits album, and this is the first NIN release that could be considered accessible to just about everyone. Trent Reznor opens up his repertoire and revises all of his songs in a way that pleasantly adjusts for the live experience. The live version of "Head Like A Hole" is even better than the album release, and songs like "Closer" (you know, the "I want to f*** you like an animal" song), "Wish," "Starfuc****, Inc." "Terrible Lie" and "Hurt" are such sturdy rock classics that it's a sin not to at least hear this album once.
Sure maybe Trent and his Nothing records are capitalizing on those die hard fans who will gladly buy just about anything they put out, but expect to spend about fifty dollars on all three new NIN releases. I resent having to buy so many Microsoft Windows products too, but they're incredibly effective and get the job done line no other, so what the hell. This DVD is great for two reasons: 1) those who are fans and went to the concert can relive the experience with a crisp transfer and sharp resolution (darkness has never looked so good, providing you have the right setup), but also, the sound is so clear and intense that the closing song, "Hurt," will do any Dolby Digital setup proud. Or reason number 2) those who are fans and couldn't get out to their last concert will be able to see it for the first time in a way that almost rivals the live experience. The editing (also done by director Rob Sheridan) is quite impressive too. The DVD show is neither sluggish nor overly kinetic. We don't always get clear-cut and static shots of the singer but the camera placement wisely reflects the best mood and tempo from just about each moment of every song. When Trent mellifluously belts out, "and doesn't it make you feel better..." the camera keeps its distance as the singer stretches his arms out wide and looks towards the heavens. Pretentious, yes, but an astatically great shot.
I'd buy this DVD alone for the moving song "The Great Below" where three giant screens give us vivid images of an ocean calm, the sky, red flowers and some other things unbecoming of the band. The combo and visuals of the smooth song "La Mer," the slightly turbulent "The Great Below," and the chaotic "The Mark Has Been Made," half way through, felt like the apex of the concert and they still had "Closer" to play. I was blown away. If I had to relay my favorite fictional interpretation of some sort of afterlife, my choice would not be the crap movie "What Dreams May Come" (although that sounds like a fitting NIN title), I would have to say the NIN Fragile CD is the most intriguing to me. Could the lyrics, "ocean pulls me close\and whispers in my ear\the destiny I've chose\all becoming clear\the currents have their say\ the time is drawing near\ it washes me away\makes me disappear...' mean anything else? The album and the crisp DVD concert that represents it, is rich in conflict.
Thinking along those same lines, I was a bit disappointed the song "Into the Void" didn't make the cut on And All that Could Have Been." We were treated to a perfect remix of that on the bands last great remix album (the song is called "Slipping Away" and its on the Things Falling Apart album) but I never get tired of that song in any form. I was surprised Trent didn't play it live. It seemed like an apt choice, but was as strangely absent from the set list as Beck's "Sexx Laws" was when he toured that same year. And for that matter, the moving track "Were in this Together," NIN's most optimistic song ever ("You and me, were in this together now, nothings going to stop us now, we will make it through somehow," how's that for positive) wasn't included either. The absence of these two recent songs in the somewhat damaged And All That Could Have Been, is the only major shortcoming. I guess some songs that work well in the studio, don't always gel in a live setting; let alone a moody Nine Inch Nails setting. But alas, this wouldn't be a NIN product if you didn't have to go through some pain to uncover all that was on the disc. This edition packs an impressive amount of hidden extras; one of which is something I was hoping would be on the CD, and that's the version of "Starfuc****, Inc" with Marilyn Manson. If you own the DVD, to access it, rapidly press the enter button on the remote towards the end of that song and you'll be rewarded to the live version of "Starfuc****, Inc." and "Beautiful People" that Trent performed with his newly reconciled friend, Manson. A memorable event that, as Rollingstone put it, made "Goths wept openly, although they always do." I'm not a Goth but I too got misty eyed when the two destroy the stage together.
Other than those confusing Easter eggs, the edition is fairly straightforward. We get to see the selected songs from different concerts but also, the DVD edition has a few nifty tidbits: the ability to change angels during the concert is cool, but the one that I really got off on was the commentary by director/artist Bill Viola, who designed the unforgettable visuals from the concert. He talks about, among other things, the method behind the transition of serene water, to a heavy undertow, to fire. Very cool stuff. Viola also gets into the reason behind the title "La Mer" in conjunction with a woman that appears on the screen and her ties to Greek myth. He goes on to describe the screen, "This crowd of people, who, a moment before had been revved up with maximum intensity, when the images started to appear, they went into this viewing mode. The whole energy shifted and calmed down." And that beautifully captures what it felt like.
Like all music, all three releases are intended for the dedicated fan base and short of the band coming out with a new album (which is rare occurrence because they only release one ever five or so years, though I hear one is coming this summer) this kind of treatment is the next best thing. I figure, after this well produced tri-part collection of music, fans will have something to chew on for a long while. In closing, I would like to state again that the ten year evolution of Nine Inch Nails has been nicely documented and capsulated with the stellar And All That Could Have Been package. And now is hopefully the time for the one man band to concentrate on what is and what will be. As a fan... And All That Could Have Been (CD): A+ And All That Could have Been (DVD): A+ Still (bonus CD): A
I would have been pleased had the concert or the new live recording just contained songs from The Fragile album (because that was easily my favorite album of the 90's, well, next to Radiohead's OK Computer of course). But And All that Could Have Been is like a greatest hits album, and this is the first NIN release that could be considered accessible to just about everyone. Trent Reznor opens up his repertoire and revises all of his songs in a way that pleasantly adjusts for the live experience. The live version of "Head Like A Hole" is even better than the album release, and songs like "Closer" (you know, the "I want to f*** you like an animal" song), "Wish," "Starfuc****, Inc." "Terrible Lie" and "Hurt" are such sturdy rock classics that it's a sin not to at least hear this album once.
Sure maybe Trent and his Nothing records are capitalizing on those die hard fans who will gladly buy just about anything they put out, but expect to spend about fifty dollars on all three new NIN releases. I resent having to buy so many Microsoft Windows products too, but they're incredibly effective and get the job done line no other, so what the hell. This DVD is great for two reasons: 1) those who are fans and went to the concert can relive the experience with a crisp transfer and sharp resolution (darkness has never looked so good, providing you have the right setup), but also, the sound is so clear and intense that the closing song, "Hurt," will do any Dolby Digital setup proud. Or reason number 2) those who are fans and couldn't get out to their last concert will be able to see it for the first time in a way that almost rivals the live experience. The editing (also done by director Rob Sheridan) is quite impressive too. The DVD show is neither sluggish nor overly kinetic. We don't always get clear-cut and static shots of the singer but the camera placement wisely reflects the best mood and tempo from just about each moment of every song. When Trent mellifluously belts out, "and doesn't it make you feel better..." the camera keeps its distance as the singer stretches his arms out wide and looks towards the heavens. Pretentious, yes, but an astatically great shot.
I'd buy this DVD alone for the moving song "The Great Below" where three giant screens give us vivid images of an ocean calm, the sky, red flowers and some other things unbecoming of the band. The combo and visuals of the smooth song "La Mer," the slightly turbulent "The Great Below," and the chaotic "The Mark Has Been Made," half way through, felt like the apex of the concert and they still had "Closer" to play. I was blown away. If I had to relay my favorite fictional interpretation of some sort of afterlife, my choice would not be the crap movie "What Dreams May Come" (although that sounds like a fitting NIN title), I would have to say the NIN Fragile CD is the most intriguing to me. Could the lyrics, "ocean pulls me close\and whispers in my ear\the destiny I've chose\all becoming clear\the currents have their say\ the time is drawing near\ it washes me away\makes me disappear...' mean anything else? The album and the crisp DVD concert that represents it, is rich in conflict.
Thinking along those same lines, I was a bit disappointed the song "Into the Void" didn't make the cut on And All that Could Have Been." We were treated to a perfect remix of that on the bands last great remix album (the song is called "Slipping Away" and its on the Things Falling Apart album) but I never get tired of that song in any form. I was surprised Trent didn't play it live. It seemed like an apt choice, but was as strangely absent from the set list as Beck's "Sexx Laws" was when he toured that same year. And for that matter, the moving track "Were in this Together," NIN's most optimistic song ever ("You and me, were in this together now, nothings going to stop us now, we will make it through somehow," how's that for positive) wasn't included either. The absence of these two recent songs in the somewhat damaged And All That Could Have Been, is the only major shortcoming. I guess some songs that work well in the studio, don't always gel in a live setting; let alone a moody Nine Inch Nails setting. But alas, this wouldn't be a NIN product if you didn't have to go through some pain to uncover all that was on the disc. This edition packs an impressive amount of hidden extras; one of which is something I was hoping would be on the CD, and that's the version of "Starfuc****, Inc" with Marilyn Manson. If you own the DVD, to access it, rapidly press the enter button on the remote towards the end of that song and you'll be rewarded to the live version of "Starfuc****, Inc." and "Beautiful People" that Trent performed with his newly reconciled friend, Manson. A memorable event that, as Rollingstone put it, made "Goths wept openly, although they always do." I'm not a Goth but I too got misty eyed when the two destroy the stage together.
Other than those confusing Easter eggs, the edition is fairly straightforward. We get to see the selected songs from different concerts but also, the DVD edition has a few nifty tidbits: the ability to change angels during the concert is cool, but the one that I really got off on was the commentary by director/artist Bill Viola, who designed the unforgettable visuals from the concert. He talks about, among other things, the method behind the transition of serene water, to a heavy undertow, to fire. Very cool stuff. Viola also gets into the reason behind the title "La Mer" in conjunction with a woman that appears on the screen and her ties to Greek myth. He goes on to describe the screen, "This crowd of people, who, a moment before had been revved up with maximum intensity, when the images started to appear, they went into this viewing mode. The whole energy shifted and calmed down." And that beautifully captures what it felt like.
Like all music, all three releases are intended for the dedicated fan base and short of the band coming out with a new album (which is rare occurrence because they only release one ever five or so years, though I hear one is coming this summer) this kind of treatment is the next best thing. I figure, after this well produced tri-part collection of music, fans will have something to chew on for a long while. In closing, I would like to state again that the ten year evolution of Nine Inch Nails has been nicely documented and capsulated with the stellar And All That Could Have Been package. And now is hopefully the time for the one man band to concentrate on what is and what will be. As a fan... And All That Could Have Been (CD): A+ And All That Could have Been (DVD): A+ Still (bonus CD): A
