1001 reviews and my plain simple opinion---OVERRATED.

I am a NIN fan from almost back before they were known outside of Cleveland, Ohio. And I think that Trent Reznor's emotional bond with his audience is so strong that they have been blinded to this double-CD set's >many< faults.



There are some excellent songs on The Fragile (almost all of them on the first disc), yes--including the superb "The Wretched," "La Mer," "Even Deeper," plus a few more. But they are not enough to save the album from becoming a slog...that is specifically, full of some of the most pedestrian lyrics he has ever written, some of the most tuneless (and I mean that in a bad way...Reznor's command of texture and beat alone cannot save him here) compositions of his career.



And yes, there is just plain filler. There are tracks here I don't care if I ever play again, and 5 years later I still reach for the skip button on the remote. These include the cringeworthy "Starf---ers, Inc.," "No, You Don't," and possibly the weakest song of his entire canon, "Where Is Everybody?" This is where Reznor briefly joined the unwanted company of such poseurs as Linkin Park, purveyors of inarticulate uncreative "rage rawk."



There are certain musical talents who actually >benefit< from going toward the more accessible side of the spectrum. Reznor is one of those. His strongest material arises from a certain self-discipline in songwriting which he mostly forgot after the phenomenal success of The Downward Spiral. Thankfully, it seems to be back in evidence with his new LP With Teeth...and my expectations for that are much higher.



For The Fragile, I will chalk it up to a period of confusion and experimentation for Trent, necessary for his progress but far from the best work of his career.

One of the best albums IN THE WORLD!!!

OK, that's a lie. Ii haven't been very far around the earth, and I never hear much music but what's in English; I don't care much for stuff I can't at least attempt to understand, lyrically.



So I have somewhat of a bias. However, this album is pure emotion on so many scales I can't even begin to speak with words what it means to me. But you should find out for yourself; unless, of course, you have an unhealthy aversion to aggressive self-deprecation, occasional (but perfectly sculpted) dissonance, or anything opposite to sunny skies - and pink little bunny rabbits freely hopping about on a limitless grassy-green knoll.



If you wish those bunnies would spontaneously combust with their fur melting into their skin and little sound organs making expressionless screams... well, this album isn't quite so sadistic as I am. Which is good, for most listeners out there. You don't have to be a nearly so depraved individual as myself to enjoy this greatness.



Recommended for all ages.

The most underrated album of all time

if you read peoples reviews youll notice a sinle word used a lot. That word is "masterpiece." well, to call it a masterpiece is a grose understatement.



becoming a nin fan, i heard closer on the radio one day. i didnt know what was so great about that song but i had to have it. one of my firends had it on a mix cd of his. he let me listen to the mix tape. well i dont even know what the other songs on there were, all i listened to was closer. to me it was an amazing song. i had to see what this band was all about.



i bought pretty hate machine. i didnt know what to expect, and i loved it. I then bought the downward spiral. at first i was a little dissapointed that hed left his industrial routes, but i quickly abandoned all grief and loved that album. then i bought the fragile.



i was expecting it to be the ultimate sequel to tds. lets just say i was collosally dissapointed. i was ready to throw this album away. i viewed it as a piece of trash. but the big come down and where is everybody hooked me..so i decided to give the album another chance. well soon i fell in love with the frail/the wretched...then the great below (which is 20x better than hurt).. then i started to see what this album truly was........... ..modern classical music....



this album is a complete work of art. if i knew what trent was trying to go for with the fragile, i would have loved it a lot more. this album is the greatest album of all time. it is perfectly executed and trent is truly a genius and a perfectionist. its hard to say whats so great about this album... its just so...relateable...lets just say every song on here is flawless and works into then next one, with the exception of starf*ckers inc..wich is a terrible song and does not fit on the album...



it starts of with a songle guitar riff and it ends with decaying matter and substance as if rezners soul was dying as it was written. between those two points, it will take you through an emotional, electronic, and dark journey through the mind, heart, and soul of trent reznor. no artist could express themselves through an album better than this.. no one can touch this..



the reason why this album is underrrated is because there were pople like me out there expecting tds ressurrected after 5 years... except they werent patient enough to pull through... the highest point on here is the wretched, the great below, even deeper, the way out is through, into the void, just like you imagined, the fragile, the big come down, where is everybody, hell...all the songs are worth mentioning...except (again) for starf*ckers inc...thats the only bad song on this album...everything else is untouchable... the albums is flawless..



so to summarize, to whoever is looking to buy this THIS IS NOT THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL!!!! this has no "hard" songs on here..its all completely through an artistic viewpoint...if you go into the album with that thought you WILL be surpirised and pleased...