The Fragile: Deviations 1

by Nine Inch Nails

Overview

In late 2016, Trent Reznor issued a remaster of nine inch nails' 1999 double album The Fragile, as well as its counterpart, The Fragile: Deviations 1, a motherlode for NIN completists. Comprised of 37 instrumentals, Deviations strips away the vocals, subtly reinterprets as "alternate" versions, and inserts new songs, creating a more expansive journey. The album's original textures and instrumentation flourish in the spotlight, allowing the dense layers to come to the fore. Fans of Reznor and Atticus Ross' score work, as well as devotees of the Ghosts and Still instrumentals, should find much to appreciate here. For the Fragile faithful, Deviations is a thrill to dissect and examine in obsessive detail. On side one, "Somewhat Damaged," "The Wretched," and "Just Like You Imagined" benefit most from the fresh polishing. New additions include "Missing Pieces," which introduces "We're in This Together," and "The March," last heard on Saul Williams' Reznor-produced "Skin of a Drum." Side two kicks off with "Even Deeper," a highlight that now includes a string section, and quickly descends into madness with "One Way to Get There," a Broken-meets-"The Perfect Drug" cacophony that slides into "No, You Don't." The intensity continues on "Taken" before the noise subsides to reveal the beating heart of The Fragile, "La Mer" and "The Great Below." As a palate cleanser, a trio of new songs -- "Not What It Seems Like," "White Mask," and "The New Flesh" -- provides an interlude. On part two (i.e. disc two of the original), Deviations wanders further into the hidden corners of the Fragile era. "The Mark Has Been Made" significantly differs from the original, its guitar and distortion replaced by disembodied gurgles and synths. The latter half of side three features the standout "Was It Worth It?" -- reminiscent of the soundtrack cut, "Deep" -- and the "Please" addendum "+Appendage," a drum jam originally found on the Fragile cassette. "Can I Stay Here?" and "10 Miles High" (aka "Hello, Everything Is Not OK") provide another buffer before the atmospheric closing run. Side four kicks off with "Feeders," an extended version of the noise originally found on the intro to "No, You Don't." Here, it serves as necessary foreplay to "Starfuckers, Inc.," which works better without the cringe-worthy lyrics and cartoonish rage of the original. "Claustrophobia Machine (Raw)" is a percussion-heavy assault that bleeds into "Last Heard From," an ugly stretch before the thrilling collapse, which finds Reznor inserting guitars and boosting synths to maximize the power of the original three-song coda. With over two hours of instrumental indulgence, this collection is quite the undertaking. Casual fans should delve into the original before exploring this treasure trove, which is best appreciated with knowledge of its predecessor. As an expanded peek into Reznor's creative and emotional state during that period, The Fragile: Deviations 1 serves as both a sonic time capsule and a reminder of one of NIN's most rewarding and underrated efforts. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	11/17/2017
Label:	Island / Nothing
UPC:	0602557386103
Rank:	46197

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Somewhat Damaged [Instrumental]
2. The Day the World Went Away [Instrumental]
3. The Frail [Alt. Version]
4. The Wretched [Instrumental]
5. Missing Places
6. We're in This Together [Instrumental]
7. The Fragile [Instrumental]
8. Just like You Imagined [Alt. Version]
9. The March [Instrumental]

Disc 2

10. Even Deeper [Instrumental]
11. Pilgrimage [Alt. Version]
12. One Way To Get There
13. No, You Don't [Instrumental]
14. Taken
15. La Mer [Alt. Version]
16. The Great Below [Instrumental]
17. Not What It Seems Like [Instrumental]
18. White Mask
19. The New Flesh [Instrumental]

Disc 3

20. The Way Out Is Through [Alt. Version]
21. Into the Void [Instrumental]
22. Where Is Everybody? [Instrumental]
23. The Mark Has Been Made [Alt. Version]
24. Was It Worth It? [Instrumental]
25. Please [Instrumental]
26. +Appendage [Instrumental]
27. Can I Stay Here? [Instrumental]
28. 10 Miles High [Instrumental]

Disc 4

29. Feeders
30. Starfuckers, Inc. [Instrumental]
31. Complication [Alt. Version]
32. Claustrophobia Machine (Raw)
33. Last Heard From
34. I'm Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally [Instrumental]
35. The Big Come Down [Instrumental]
36. Underneath It All [Instrumental]
37. Ripe (With Decay) [Instrumental]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nine Inch Nails   Primary Artist