Pretty Hate Machine
The anger on Pretty Hate Machine is easy to recognise, but the music around it is surprisingly accessible. Trent Reznor builds the Nine Inch Nails debut largely with synthesizers and drum machines. Guitars give the sound sharp edges, while the songs retain clear verses and choruses. Industrial music and a strong pop melody stay close together throughout the record.
Head Like A Hole makes that combination obvious immediately. Its chorus takes little time to settle in, however unfriendly the performance sounds. Terrible Lie works with a similar tension between an attractive melody and a voice that seems to come under increasing pressure. Reznor does not need complicated structures to give his songs an identity.
Sanctified draws much of its appeal from the bassline, revealing how much rhythmic space exists within this record. Sin maintains the electronic movement without constantly reaching for the heaviest possible sound. Something I Can Never Have reveals another side of the album. Piano and voice receive more room, turning frustration into a quieter sadness. It provides an important pause within music that puts its feelings firmly in front of the listener.
Some songs maintain that tension better than others. Later in the album, certain ideas have less direction, and the sounds clearly reveal the period in which the record was made. The lyrics can also feel young and unfiltered. That makes their emotion relatable, although occasionally rather overstated.
The best moments comfortably outweigh those limitations. Pretty Hate Machine demonstrates Reznor's ability to write inviting songs while keeping a sense of discomfort inside the sound. The combination of catchy structures and unpleasant feelings makes this a strong debut with a clear personality.
