like The Fragile

November 3, 2010 7:44 PM

I rather like Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile. What is some music like it? Sonically, stylistically, thematically, etc.
posted by nrobertson to Media & Arts (13 answers total)

Check Gary Numan's Jagged and Pure. If you like those, try Exile -- it's a much better record, I think, but isn't quite so NIN-y (and perhaps those variables are not independent, in this case).
posted by vorfeed at 8:01 PM on November 3, 2010

Gary Numan is where Trent Reznor bit most of his style and sound from, and you'd do well to check out the albums "Replicas", "The Pleasure Principle", and "Telekon".

Numan's stuff after that goes downhill fairly quickly, and while many praise his newer works, I can't get into it.
posted by SansPoint at 8:52 PM on November 3, 2010

I love The Fragile.
While not really quite along the same lines as it, but nearly as enjoyable, check out some mid to late 90s David Bowie.
Also try Adrian Belew, King Crimson (ConstruKction of Light, Power to Believe), Autolux.
posted by nickthetourist at 8:54 PM on November 3, 2010

I've always considered Marilyn Manson to be in the same vein as NIN (don't throw rocks at me, please). I would also put the later work of Ministry in the same category.
posted by Gilbert at 8:55 PM on November 3, 2010

Coil, maybe? (Though probably closer to earlier Reznor.)

Also, maybe Massive Attack's 100th Window.
posted by en forme de poire at 9:10 PM on November 3, 2010

You didn't mention other NIN, but some of the stuff on The Downward Spiral and Broken portends The Fragile. I was also going to suggest Marilyn Manson and Ministry. Also, maybe A Perfect Circle and Audioslave.

The following aren't very similar to The Fragile, but they frequently appear in my playlist alongside NIN, so maybe they tap into some of the same stuff:

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Ugress
Rammstein
Jason Webley
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:16 PM on November 3, 2010

Every time I have a thought like this I pick the song that most represents what I'm thinking the best and then make a new station on Pandora. I usually find some new stuff I like. It's supposed to match things up based on a musical genome and through your input on how much you like a given random song.

NIN - With Teeth is worth checking out if you haven't already. KMFDM has some similar vibes as well.

The 90's David Bowie is a cool suggestion, you have some other good ones already too.
posted by zephyr_words at 9:55 PM on November 3, 2010

As far as 90s David Bowie goes, what you're really looking for is the album 1. Outside. Great album. I'd call it underrated, but it seems that most people realize that it was a great one in retrospect.

I would check out:

Coil - Love's Secret Domain
Coil - Horse Rotorvator
VAST - Music For People
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Pink Floyd - The Final Cut
King Crimson - THRAK
A Perfect Circle - The Thirteenth Step
Tool - Aenima
Tool - Lateralus
Failure - Fantastic Planet
Meat Beat Manifesto - Subliminal Sandwich
Meat Beat Manifesto - Original Sounds & Voices
Scorn - Ellipsis
Prick (s/t) (this is an AMAZING album, truly a hidden gem of the 90s)
Skinny Puppy - Last Rights
Skinny Puppy - Too Dark Park
12 Rounds - My Big Hero
modwheelmod - Enemies & Immigrants
Marilyn Manson - Portrait of an American Family
Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works II
Aphex Twin - ...I Care Because You Do
Amon Tobin - Foley Room
The Orb - Orbus Terrarum
Pop Will Eat Itself - Two Fingers My Friends (remix album for very good album Dos Dedos Mis Amigos. Rare, but so worth it. This is arguably the best remix album of the 90s.)

I would also recommend checking out almost anything NIN has done, especially the remix album Further Down The Spiral.
posted by Sticherbeast at 10:28 PM on November 3, 2010

The The - NakedSelf
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:12 PM on November 3, 2010

You can get a free download of The Social Network soundtrack.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:42 AM on November 4, 2010

I agree with zephyr_words to use Pandora to build a radio station. I've used it to turn me on to other bands that I'd either never heard of or just hadn't listened to much.

In addition to other recommendations, I'll include some Industrial Rock:
Front 242 - Up Evil
Skinny Puppy - Rabies
Revolting Cocks - Beers, Steers, and Queers
Delerium - Morpheus
Front Line Assembly - Caustic Grip
Diatribe - Diatribe
Chemlab - East Side Militia
Final Cut - Consumed / Atonement
16 Volt - Let Down Crush / Super Cool Nothing / Skin
posted by indigo4963 at 8:59 AM on November 4, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions. Yeah, actually, I do have a few NIN albums already and am planning to fill in the gaps in my collection a bit fairly soon.

Got the TSN soundtrack, too.

Pandora: maybe I'll have to check it out again. I used to use it when I could, but haven't for a long time.
posted by nrobertson at 3:07 PM on November 4, 2010

I'd check out Aphex Twin, who a lot of his more glitchy electronic stuff takes inspiration from.
posted by Artw at 2:09 PM on November 12, 2010