Still is the title of the second disc of the deluxe CD version of Nine Inch Nails' And All That Could Have Been, containing new and "deconstructed" (more on this below) songs from Nine Inch Nails. Released in North America on 22 January, 2002 on Nothing/Interscope Records.
General Information
And All That Could Have Been was released in three different formats (four, if you consider that the Dolby Digital and DTS DVDs were released separately): A 2-disc DVD set of live footage from the Fragility v2.O tour and some hidden features, a VHS version of the concert footage, and the audio of the concert material (minus two songs on the DVD/VHS versions due to less available space) on CD.
In addition to the three media types, the compact disc versions also vary. The limited edition deluxe package includes Still on a second disc (and is, obviously, more expensive). A single-disc version of And All That Could Have Been with only the concert material (the first disc of the deluxe version) is also available (and is not limited edition). Still can be ordered through Nine Inch Nails' official website, nin.com (the online order form can be found specifically at http://www.nin.com/still/), with an order form found in the DVD or CD package. Still, alone, can only be ordered this way and costs $10 (USD).
Still's track list is as follows:
- Something I Can Never Have (6:39)
Deconstructed. Original studio version appears on Pretty Hate Machine (1989 - TVT Records). Written by Trent Reznor. This version performed by Trent Reznor and Jerome Dillon (who was the drummer on the Fragility tours), engineered by Alan Moulder (co-producer of NIN's The Fragile) and Leo Herrera, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- Adrift and at Peace (2:52)
New material. Written by Trent Reznor. Performed by Trent Reznor, engineered by Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie (producer for, among others, Skinny Puppy), and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- The Fragile (5:12)
Deconstructed. Original studio version appears on The Fragile (1999 - Nothing/Interscope Records). Written by Trent Reznor. This version performed by Trent Reznor and Jerome Dillon, engineered by Alan Moulder and Leo Herrera, and programmed by Keith Hilldebrandt.
- The Becoming (4:30)
Deconstructed. Original studio version appears on The Downward Spiral (1994 - Nothing/Interscope Records). Written by Trent Reznor. This version performed by Trent Reznor and Jerome Dillon, engineered by Alan Moulder and Leo Herrera, and programmed by Keith Hilldebrandt.
- Gone, Still (2:36)
New material. Written by Trent Reznor. Performed by Trent Reznor, engineered by Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- The Day The World Went Away (5:17)
Deconstructed. Original studio version appears on The Fragile (1999 - Nothing/Interscope Records). Written by Trent Reznor. This version performed by Trent Reznor, Robin Finck (NIN's live guitarist since 1994), Danny Lohner (NIN's live guitarist/bassist/keyboard player since 1994 and remixer of songs), Jerome Dillon, and Keith Hillebrandt, engineered by Alan Moulder, Jon Lemon, Chris Shepard (producer for, among others, KMFDM), Leo Herrera, and Ron Lowe, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- And All That Could Have Been (6:14)
New Material. Written by Trent Reznor and Danny Lohner. Performed by Trent Reznor and Danny Lohner, engineered by Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie and Alan Moulder, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- The Persistence of Loss (4:03)
New material. Written by Trent Reznor. Performed by Trent Reznor, Deniz Ayco-Yaman, Howard Pink, Weston Davis Probst, John Reeks, and William Schultz, engineered by Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
- Leaving Hope (5:57)
New material. Written by Trent Reznor. Performed by Trent Reznor, engineered by Alan Moulder and Leo Herrera, and programmed by Keith Hillebrandt.
Deconstruction
The old material that appears on Still has been referred to as deconstructed by Trent Reznor in interviews and on Nine Inch Nails' website. These deconstructed songs aren't exactly remixes as they are actually performed rather than cut up in a computer (though since this is Nine Inch Nails, there was undoubtedly some computer manipulation involved somehow), merely performed differently than they have been during live shows and the original recordings in years past. The songs seem a lot simplier now since the music is being made primarily through live instruments that haven't been messed with via audio editing software. (Trent Reznor has a delightful habit of doing this until a sound can't even be traced back to the instrument used to originally create it on a few songs.) As a result these songs have a very ambient feel which goes well with the new tracks.
Impressions of the Songs
Something I Can Never Have
With only some of the vocals altered somehow, this version of the song contains only a bit more beyond the piano and Reznor's voice. The focus of this song for most people will undoubtedly be on Trent Reznor's voice. The piano isn't quiet, per se, but it is of much less volume than the vocals for most of the song. This version is much simplier than the one on Pretty Hate Machine and also more concentrated. The vocals really pull the listener in, as opposed to the song as a whole (which is how I'd say the Pretty Hate Machine version gets its attention).
Adrift and at Peace
Another mainly piano piece, "Adrift and at Peace" is completely instrumental and sounds exactly as the title describes. The song is very ambient and relaxing. It fades in quiety at the beginning (and out again at the end) and, unlike many Nine Inch Nails songs, doesn't seem to have any painful topic, even implied by the instruments. The song seems fragile, in a way, and would definitely fit in on Nine Inch Nails' double album, The Fragile.
The Fragile
Like the version that appears on the album of the same name, this version of "The Fragile" has a very ambient feel (as does most of Still). Unlike The Fragile version though, this deconstruction doesn't suddenly emerge from ambience to loud guitars and screaming during the choruses and coda (though Reznor's voice clearly changes tone during the chorus). The piano also plays a large role in this song but towards the end a background droning and the drums become very apparent and more focused on than the piano. The ending effects remind me a lot of the end of "Mr Self Destruct" on The Downward Spiral but not anywhere near as harsh.
The Becoming
And with that reminiscence of The Downward Spiral, "The Fragile" fades into a song from that album; "The Becoming." This version lacks the screeching, tortured manipulated guitars and electronic noise that dominated the original, instead relying on largely recognisable instruments to create a toned down but still chaotic soundscape. If the original version of "The Becoming" is the numbing descent into apathy it describes, this version is the remembrance of that. Like looking back on pain after overcoming it.
Gone, Still
An incredibly ambient piece. At first containing only a piano and guitar, as the piece continues it fades into just ambient noise and the guitar until, eventually, it's just the guitar until the next song fades in. Not so calming as "Adrift and at Peace," "Gone, Still" has just enough uneasiness to it to invoke a calm but slightly disturbed feel to it. As though a significant and unsettling event has just happened or is about to: The calm before the storm or eye of the hurricane.
The Day The World Went Away
Fading in as only "The Day The World Went Away" can (the original version, this version, and the "quiet" remix all seem to have this ability to sound perfectly natural coming out of another song or nothing at all), this version at first sounds a lot like the "quiet" remix without the screaming, overlapped "na na na nah"-ing. Largely piano and vocals, like the quiet version, but without the calming background noises. Shortly after the vocals end, the drums come in: Calm and simple. The original version of this song had no drums, though there are drums in live performances (Can't let poor Jerome just sit there!) Overall, this version is a lot like a quiet version of the quiet remix (which isn't really so quiet at all). It ends with the sound of water (and so begins the next song).
And All That Could Have Been
The only new song with vocals, "And All That Could Have Been" is a sorrowful song about what didn't work and all that could have been (see lyric transcription here). Unlike previous Nine Inch Nails songs with similar subject matter, "And All That Could Have Been" doesn't seem to capture the moment of pain but a resolved and more mature point afterward. The music compliments the words well and goes along with the calm, ambient theme of the whole album. The song contains drums and guitars creating a beat in unison, similar to what Reznor did with "Hurt" on The Downward Spiral. Regardless of the lyrical content, this song is fit to be the title track simply because it acts as one of the most defining moments of the album. It reminds me a bit of "The Great Below" on The Fragile not because of the words or music but just the feel of the song and the imagery it provokes (water, and not merely because of the trickling sound at the beginning of the song).
The Persistence of Loss
Full of bass heavy sounds, "The Persistance of Loss" sounds a bit disoriented but slowly works its way together. Like independent machines coming together to build something greater than themselves. The individual instruments, while sharing some similarities in their harmonies, seem awkward together yet unified (especially when the horns come in). The song builds and builds, slowly but surely, like something out of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or a similarly strange story. The soundtrack to something's strange workings.
Leaving Hope
Long time Nine Inch Nails fans probably recognise the title of this song as Trent Reznor's publishing company (for lyrics, through ASCAP). I can't help but wonder how long this song has been in Trent Reznor's mind. "Leaving Hope" is probably the only other song on Still as provocative as "And All That Could Have Been." It evokes imagery of leaving something, the end of something, with determination and melancholy. The song uses the piano, powerful, warped background noise, and droning to express all this. The song is completely engulfing and is in perfect place at the end of Still. It gives the disc a feeling of completeness, despite it only being 43 minutes and 20 seconds long.