Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral Double LP
This is one 90s album that’s stood the test of time and then some. Some call The Downward Spiral the White Album of the 90s, and it’s hard to argue with that assertion. This double vinyl edition of the classic Nine Inch Nails record is fairly impressive. For all the minimal visuals, (the gatefold sleeve reveals one seriously creepy piece of art, but only one) the album is something to hear on vinyl–quite an accomplishment over four sides of black vinyl.
The experience of listening to The Downward Spiral on a double LP is far more interesting than listening to it on compact disc. True vinyl junkies everywhere know this singular joy, but The Downward Spiral is, for some reason, far more enjoyable than many of its double-LP fellows in a variety of genres. The double album format serves this title quite well. It’s somewhat similar to the memories some have of listening to Kiss Alive II on the turntable back when it first came out–it’s that sort of experience.
The Downward Spiral was recorded, infamously, at the house where the Manson Family killed Sharon Tate in Beverly Hills. Reznor fled the house soon after he moved in, saying the building had too much history for him. It’s also said that Reznor met Sharon Tate’s sister and had a serious attack of conscience. After Reznor left, the house was torn down.
Did the murder house seep into this record? Many believe it did, others laugh off the very notion but whatever you think, it’s tough to deny The Downward Spiral as a major conceptual work in the tradition of too many others to name.
Naturally some people don’t take it that seriously. For Turntabling, the greatest accomplishment of this album is the 30 seconds at the end of Hurt. That might seem to be fairly dismissive of other tracks on the record–far from it–but there are those of us who think that the abupt gear-shift on Hurt is a profound thing indeed.
The double vinyl edition of The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails is a new double album in a sealed plastic LP sleeve. Buy it now from Turntabling for $35 plus shipping.
