The two big new releases this week that aren’t the two releases by Avril Lavigne (her new disc “The Best Damn Thing” comes in an edited version for children) would have to be the new Joel Plaskett Emergency record “Ashtray Rock” (Maple) and “Year Zero” (Interscope) by Nine Inch Nails. The latter is sixteen tracks of heavy shit. And by heavy, I mean Trent Reznor really wants to make you feel something with this record. Mr. Plaskett also makes you want to feel something, but it’s more for teenage nostalgia than anything else.
Let’s talk about “Ashtray Rock”. This is the fifth solo release from Plaskett since the disbanding of the mighty Thrush Hermit in 1999, and the third under the “Joel Plaskett Emergency” moniker. Aside from that, last summer Joel released “Make a Little Noise”, a DVD/CD combo that anthologized his videos and collected a few choice live performances. But the real kicker of that package was the three-song single that was produced by Ex-Big Sugar and current Grady frontman Gordie Johnson. I only mention this because Johnson sits behind the controls on “Ashtray” and even provides some of his patented lap steel guitar skills. His friend Mr. Chill makes an appearance as well on the mouth harp.
Guests aside, this is clearly a Plaskett summer party record, which is really what the world needs right now. He is known for his memorable lyrics, as witty as they are sappy. On “Drunk Teenagers” he sings, “I hate Clayton Park/I wanna giant spliff”. The lyric mostly makes me wonder if he’s hating on Nova Scotia or his old band’s farewell record. This seems to be a real nostalgia album for Plaskett, perhaps it’s because the baby-faced singer/songwriter will be turning thirty next year and less people will recognize him for his cameo in the first Sloan video and more for his Zeller’s commercial. But I love Plaskett, and it’s hard not to when he has lyrics like “Penny for your thoughts/music for your money” and songs called “The Instrumental” that aren’t instrumentals, but actually beautifully sweet post cards read by Rebecca Kraatz.
If his last full length “La De Da” was a late night camp fire album, this is the top down/drive around record to put on when you want to share a laugh with the pretty girl in the passenger seat. Maybe she’ll hold your hand and return that smile when you both chuckle at the falsetto on “Fashionable People”. I really love this record and you will too.
Halo 24? Where has the time gone …
On a completely different plane of existence is Reznor’s newest baby, “Year Zero”. Normally we have to wait a good five years between NIN records, but (presumably) because Nintendo Wii hadn’t come out yet, Trent had nothing else to do on tour but record these 16 tracks on his laptop. And we’re glad he was bored…
It opens with a few minutes of “Hyperpower”ed noise before slowly sucking us in and chewing on us for the next hour. If you’ve ever heard a Nine Inch Nails record, you know the basic themes that Reznor laments on (hating everything) so I won’t bore you with the details. Not to say that these lyrics are growing tired, you can’t ignore him when he yells at you. But the thing is, whether he’s screaming or actually singing, the man has one of the strongest voices in music. If you’ve ever seen them in concert, you know that it is one of the most intense rock shows on the planet. This is a record that will sound great live, and it’s also a record that works as a full record. The largest problem with 2005’s “With Teeth” was that it seemed like a succession of songs put together into a record, and that isn’t a common feel for something that Trent spent that long on. This, not unlike “The Fragile” is very much a listening experience, best served through headphones or while burying your ex girlfriend on a rainy Thursday night. Overall, Reznor succeeds and will continue to succeed as long as his sound is still like nothing else.
If “Pretty Hate Machine” was ahead of it’s time, “Year Zero” is right on time. Because as much as we need up-beat rock n roll, we also need a man who is rocking like the world is ending and there’s no time for an encore.
For more information check out these links:
http://www.nin.com/
http://www.joelplaskett.com/
