If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power

     

      I would normally wait until Sunday to write this, but this just couldn't wait. This has been living rent free in my head for the last couple of days, and I don't see it leaving any time soon. What is it you ask? It's the new album by Halsey, "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power". Ahh, you see where the title came from now. I had been seeing several posts about this album from people I follow on Instagram and Twitter. The two biggest were Taylor Swift and Trent Reznor. The last one is why I searched it out. Turns out that this new album was produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. If you don't know them, Trent is Nine Inch Nails, and Atticus is part Nine Inch Nails (came into the band after "Broken" I believe), and part massive writing team that has been laying waste to Hollywood soundtracks. You probably remember their first big success as a writing team with the movie The Social Network. That soundtrack won 9 major awards including Best Original Score. They most recently took home more awards for the soundtrack for the animated movie Soul, which should check out if you have the chance. 

     I have been a fan of Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails since Pretty Hate Machine, which was the first album that basically changed my whole concept of music. It was a groundbreaking album that took the hidden genre of Industrial music and moved it into the mainstream. Some people would lead you to believe that it was a soft approach to Industrial that allowed it to happen, but that really wasn't the case at all, it was just so good that it resonated across genres. From that album on I have listened to everything and anything that Trent was a part of. This isn't about Trent, well not wholly, nor Atticus who took Trent to new levels of music. This is about Halsey, and honestly, I don't know her music real well. I've heard a few songs here and there, and I knew who she was. I mean there was this big controversy just recently when she posted pictures of her breast feeding her baby. Really do people have nothing better to do than to criticize someone for feeding their child? That was my two cents on that, Ok here is two more cents. If you have a problem with a woman feeding her child in public, the problem isn't her, it's you. Back to the music. After seeing all this buzz about this album I had to give it a listen. From the first track "The Tradition" I was hooked. You can hear the heavy influence of Trent with a track that sounds like it was pulled from Pretty Hate Machine or a new version of Hurt (you may think that Johnny Cash did that song first, but it was Nine Inch Nails). Each track gets better and better, and then when you listen to it again (which is directly after listening to it the first time) it happens all over again.

     My take on this album is that in ways it is a reimagining of Pretty Hate Machine, which I find completely enriching to my soul. From song to song you have classic fades to quick endings like Trent is known to do. Those small choices leave you always wanting more and this album delivers. There are a few songs on the album that don't have that Nine Inch Nails sound, and they range from hip hopesque, to pop, to folksy. Even though these songs sound out of place when compared to the rest of the album the also sound like they are exactly on the right album. This is one of those albums that I'm going to say is a fundamental to your music collection. You must give it a listen. I truly want to share every song with you, but I'm going to go with the one that was my first favorite on the album. That favorite changes with each new listen, and I'm going to believe that it will all rotate around. It's basically a perfect album. You don't get many of those throughout history, but they are there and this is one of them.

     The song that I'm going to share with you is one of those ones that seems to not fit, but fits perfectly. This is a more folky sounding song with a very strong fingerpicking guitar riff that is reminiscent of Blackbird by Paul McCartney. If you know you will hear those little influences in this. I happily present to you Halsey with one of her great new songs "Darling".

     I don't know who came up with that riff, Halsey, Trent, or Atticus, but it's pure genius. I have to admit, searching out this video and watching it, while posting it on here, I went down a deep dive, and I'm going to share one more with you to hear that iconic NIN sound. So without further adieu, her is a second song form Halsey, "I Am Not A Woman, I'm A God"

     I simply couldn't resist, like I said, I want to share every song on the album with you, but I'd rather you experience them on the album like they are intended. This album has instantly jumped up into my all time favorite albums and I'm looking forward to listening to it on repeat for the next month or so. I should quickly mention that the picture above are different covers for the album. The top being the Urban Outfitters exclusive album which has already sold out, and the second is the actual album cover. If you are offended by that one, you are offended by art. Get over it. If you are looking for the vinyl good luck, it sold out on her website immediately. There is a indie variant that you might be able to pick up at your local record store, but I'm sure that one is already gone as well. Your best bet for vinyl is to head to Walmart and Target, both of which have their own exclusives, each having a bonus track that is exclusive to that vendor. You of course don't have to go that route, I'm just on a vinyl kick lately and searched them out just to see. The digital download or stream doesn't have any bonus tracks, but please please please, get this album. I really think you will enjoy it.

     It's safe to say that this is my Favorite Thing of the Week, and more than likely I will have another song for you on Sunday. Until then peace in and goodnight.