???? http://www.ninwiki.com/Came_Back_Haunted i see no la mer
Obviously the song title is a reference to THIS VERY THREAD.
NIN has "come back haunted" from a hiatus to create a new song which sounds like an amalgamation of old songs. Ever observant, NIN's adoring fans were quick to point this out and make sure that Trent was aware of his previous musical transgressions, or his ghosts of music past, if you will.
Last edited by Oblong Cheese; 06-06-2013 at 10:00 PM.
Sorry, i did the search before the Came Back Haunted was given it's own wiki page (48 hours ago?). It goes right to the song page now. Anyway, here is what i came up with.
Before playing "La Mer," Trent Reznor disclosed the song's origins:
"Can you hear me? About 10 years ago or so I locked myself away in a house on the ocean, and I tried to… I said I was trying to write music. Some of which wound up on The Fragile. But what I was really doing was trying to kill myself. And the whole time I was away by myself, I managed to write one song, which is this song. So when I play it I feel pretty weird about it, because it takes me back to a pretty dark and awful time in my life. It's weird to think how different things are now: I'm still alive, I haven't died yet. And I'm afraid to go back to that place because it feels kind of haunted to me, but I'm going to go back. I'm going to get married there."
source: [www.ninwiki.com]
I like it
[ten characters]
Only in that formerly tongue in cheek style that was once so clever on Only. I really wish it had stayed that way. NIN doesn't sound like this on very many songs at all. I keep hearing that this is so Trent! and it's just like TDS! but I'm not seeing either of those things at all.
After a day to let this song digest, I still have to say... I think it's fucking awesome. I also don't think it's going to be very indicative of how the album sounds as a whole at all.
I think a lot of the TDS references come because of the obvious guitar bit at the end, but also because the song feels layered in a very similar fashion to how TDS was layered... and the sounds making up those layers are more in line with PHM and bits of The Slip. I don't get the With Teeth comparisons at all.
I actually don't hear TDS much at all. I hear a mix of In Motion and Eventually We Find Our Way from TSN, but on complete overdrive and with (very TR) lyrics. Speaking of, the ninwiki entry needs to be corrected:
"Everywhere now *reminding* me"
I don't think I'm in complete love with it, but I'll be damned if I'm not listening to CBH on repeat. I hope the next song released is almost completely different.
I hear The Fragile (Please and Where is Everybody) mixed with Year Zero like production. Some PHM throwback sounds too.
After about 100 listens, Im reminded of
The Slip percussion, The Fragile guitar riff and synths, TDS melodies, PHM baseline, WT/YZ delivery.
I'm reminded of NIN. Im excited to hear the "new direction" and this is just a preview for sure.
PHM synths/WT guitar and YZ/Slip vocals.....I don't hear absolutely any TDS on this at all...
100.listens is easy. Also had time to run through TDS twice. Gotta love repeat NIN while working 8 hrs. Fragile is also a great repeater album for sure.
NIN song compared to cookies. I love ETS. And also cookies.
Well, considering the title (Hesitation Marks) perhaps Mr. Self-Destruct tried to kill himself, but... didn't manage it. People have shot themselves before and lived, wouldn't that be a horrible experience? With the Fragile being broken dreams and memories and thoughts... perhaps now he's awake again and has to face what he's done to himself.
Of course, that's all just conjecture, but still, interesting thoughts.
Took me a few listening to really dig this track. I think I spent the first in lyric focus. Was thrown a bit by his repeat of "hawnted" but I get it..it's Trent. The music is superb and he layers the vocals nicely (as usual) over and around them. A wonderful teaser for a surprise album for us. So looking forward to more.
I'd like to think that if Trent actually attempted suicide (by cutting) he'd be a bit more subtle than to use a phrase like 'Hesitation Marks' as an album title. I mean, TDS kind of conjures some dark imagery as a title and it's just the tiniest bit more subtle than an out-and-out reference to self-harm which can't be mistaken for anything else.
Which leads me to believe it has nothing to do with a suicide attempt and that Trent just decided on a whim to use something incredibly triggering and problematic as a metaphor for something entirely different. Only problem is, 'hesitation marks' can only really refer to one thing. So.
Anyway, on the subject of the song: I hated it at first but it has grown on me a lot. Even the lazy, sloppy synths that come in around 1:38 (and the other synthy stuff that sounds more HTDA than NIN littered throughout the song) don't bother me as much now. The real selling point is Trent's ability to come up with catchy hooks and choruses. As much as Trent paints himself as a bitter, jaded musician with no respect for the music industry, he sure knows how to come up with a winning song formula.