• Magazine
    • Motorcycles
    • Music
    • Tattoos
    • Interviews
  • Design Studio
  • Inspiration
Exkclamation Magazine
Music 1

Nine Inch Nails “Hesitation Marks”

By kc! Bradshaw @exkclamation · On August 30, 2013

In the final minutes of the hour-long adventure, the album ends with saxophone blasts. Jarring and a bit out of place the first time, yes, but honestly since that first listen, I haven’t heard them again without straining or watching the clock. And so goes the experience of Hestitation Marks—a lot of familiar, punctuated with strange new sounds. What’s this? A funky hip-hop beat? A 60’s garage-punk guitar riff? Ultra-pop vocal chorus? Check. Check. And check.

Oddly, while so much new blood is being mixed in, the album sounds decidedly familiar. There are musical hints and reminders of past recordings throughout. As Trent Reznor has said in interviews, this is an reflective album—down to the literal choice for typography and artwork on the packaging—everything looks back, even if the whole while he is running full-steam ahead.

But what is most important is that all of Reznor’s history lessons have just served as fuel. He (and the massive team assembled to put this music out) knows what works, and it shows. And while he is back on a major label record company again (Columbia Records)—and has a team of industry people working like a machine to market and sell this work—it still all feels relatively personal. It honestly seems like the culmination of one man’s finely-honed effort put forth. And that is key.

Nine Inch Nails “Hesitation Marks”
kc! Bradshaw
August 30, 2013
8.5/10
What an epic journey it has been for Trent Reznor. And like any brilliant roadtrip, this album starts off familiar and ends up in uncharted places. Granted, it does take a few listens to completely digest, but stick with it.
8.5 Overall Score
Hesitation smarts.

What an epic journey it has been for Trent Reznor. And like any brilliant roadtrip, this album starts off familiar and ends up in uncharted places. Granted, it does take a few listens to completely digest, but stick with it.

Eater of Dreams (0:52)
5
Copy of A (5:23)
8.5
Came Back Haunted (5:17)
8.5
Find My Way (5:16)
7.5
All Time Low (6:18)
6.5
Disappointed (5:44)
7
Everything (3:20)
7
Satellite (5:03)
7.5
Various Methods of Escape (5:01)
7.5
Running (4:08)
6.5
I Would for You (4:33)
7
In Two (5:32)
6.5
While I'm Still Here (4:03)
6.5
Black Noise (1:29)
6
ElectronicaIndustrialNine Inch NailsRockTrent Reznor
Share Tweet

kc! Bradshaw

kc! Bradshaw works as a freelance UI/UX designer. He enjoys music, art, motorcycles, and the texture of life. He is a proud father, loving husband, and passionate San Franciscan.

You Might Also Like

  • Music

    Blonde. Successful. Sellout.

  • Music

    Looking Up at Jel in this Curious Video Snapshot of Time and Event

  • Interviews

    A Hazy Shade of Loved: Dust Red Skies

1 Comment

  • Charles Hunt says: September 6, 2013 at 12:37 am

    After a first-pass through the record (having only heard Came Back Haunted on the radio a bit), I definitely agree with the 8.5 ratings and the fact that they’re the stand-out tracks on this new record.

    There are some stretches here and there (funk riffs, unabashed pop-rock chord progressions), but at core this is a NIN record and it sounds like it. The dissonance, minor chords, creepy pianos, and unrelenting drum machines are all there. What’s missing though, is the emotional and sometimes visceral connection I felt with their/his earlier work.

    Saw some recent quote where Trent said something to the effect of, “I’m not the same as I was in 94, are you?” Well, yes and no. I may wear less black these days, but classics like Head Like a Hole, Wish, and Burn still make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Where’s the power, the lust, the hate?

    Reply
  • Leave a reply Cancel reply

    • Popular
    • Comments
    • Tags
    • Roy’s Rogue VTR

      August 26, 2013
    • 8.5

      Nine Inch Nails “Hesitation Marks”

      August 30, 2013
    • 7.5

      Meat Beat Manifesto “Autoimmune”

      April 8, 2008
    • And Is Better

      January 28, 2015
    • WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO: “Perceive This Music” by Renowned Visual Artist Komega

      May 10, 2010
    • Wes says: Roy, Good evening partner. Any chance that you would build another? Wes...
    • Roy Cook says: Hi.... Pleased to see Rogue featured on another site if interested search face...
    • Charles Hunt says: After a first-pass through the record (having only heard Came Back Haunted on ...
    Triumph bobber Electronica traditional black parallel twin San Francisco blacked out Honda sleeve LEGENDmag Bonneville café racer Deus Customs Tattoo Snob Thruxton white whitewalls

    What is this?

    Exkclamation Magazine celebrates wonderful and bold ideas through reviews, interviews, thoughts, photography, and event commentaries. It is an ongoing experimental database for temporal distractions and should be treated as such. Please enjoy responsibly.

    Categories

    • Architecture (1)
    • Art (1)
    • Bicycles (2)
    • Books (2)
    • Gadgets (2)
    • Interviews (2)
    • Motorcycles (36)
    • Music (13)
    • Stories (1)
    • Tattoos (16)
    • Video (7)

    The Latest

    • And Is Better

      January 28, 2015
    • Blonde. Successful. Sellout.

      May 30, 2014
    • JVLT 014 Furniturebike

      May 8, 2014

    Search the Site

    © 2018 Exkclamation. All rights reserved.