The Fragile

The Fragile
Studio album by Nine Inch Nails
Publication (s)	September 21, 1999
Label (s)	Nothing Records
Format (s)	2CD, 3LP, 2MC
Genre (s)	Alternative rock , electronica
Title (number)	23
running time	103: 38 min.
occupation	Vocals , guitar , keyboards , programming: Trent Reznor Drum programming , ambience, synthesizer , guitar : Danny Lohner Programming, atmosphere: Charlie Clouser u. v. a.
production	Trent Reznor , Alan Moulder
Studio (s)	Nothing Studios, New Orleans
chronology Further Down the Spiral ( 1995 ) The Fragile Things Falling Apart ( 2000 )

The Fragile (also known as Halo 14 ) is a double album released in 1999 by Nine Inch Nails . It is the 14th official release of the band and the 3rd release of an album with completely new tracks. Previously, The Downward Spiral came out in 1994 .

History of origin

The album took a long time to complete. In interviews, Trent Reznor said he wanted the music on this album to sound "broken" and represent a state in which existing systems "fail and fall apart". Before it was released, he expressed his interest in Intelligent Dance Music and that the new album could be influenced by this genre.

As with its predecessor, it is a concept album , according to Reznor it continues the story of The Downward Spiral , which suggests that he survived the suicide attempt in The Downward Spiral and is now trying to do everything better again, but only partly with the desired success.

Singles

The first single from The Fragile was the song The Day the World Went Away , which several months appeared before the album. A video was originally shot as well, but it was never fully released. Parts of it can be found on the live DVD And All That Could Have Been as an Easter Egg . On the B-side of the single is the song Starfuckers, Inc. , which was also released on The Fragile and a little later as a single. In the video for Starfuckers, Inc. , Marilyn Manson can be seen as the main character alongside Trent Reznor . There is a radio version under the more harmless title Starsuckers, Inc. with slightly different text. We're In This Together and Into the Void have also been released as singles.

With Things Falling Apart , a remix album was released in 2000, analogous to the previous albums Broken and The Downward Spiral .

Track list

CD version

CD 1, Left :

1. Somewhat Damaged - 4:31
2. The Day the World Went Away - 4:33
3. The Frail - 1:54
4. The Wretched - 5:25
5. We're in This Together - 7:16 am
6. The Fragile - 4:35
7. Just Like You Imagined - 3:49
8. Even Deeper - 5:47
9. Pilgrimage - 3:31
10. No, You Don't - 3:35
11. La Mer - 4:37
12. The Great Below - 5:17

CD 2, Right :

1. The Way Out Is Through - 4:17
2. Into the Void - 4:49
3. Where is everybody? - 5:40
4. The Mark Has Been Made - 5:15
5. Please - 3:30
6. Starfuckers, Inc. - 5:00 am
7. Complication - 2:30
8. I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally - 4:13
9. The Big Come Down - 4:12
10. Underneath It All - 2:46
11. Ripe (With Decay) - 6:34

Other versions

The vinyl version was released on three LPs and had two bonus tracks compared to the CD version : 10 Miles High (5:13) as the first track of the third record (before Please ) and The New Flesh (3:40) (between Complication and I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally ).

Contributors

The Fragile was written and recorded by Trent Reznor with the following contributions from other people:

music

• Somewhat Damaged : written by Trent Reznor and Danny Lohner ; additional guitars : Danny Lohner
• The Day the World Went Away : Background Choir: The Buddha Debutante Choir
• We're in This Together : Drums Chorus: Jerome Dillon
• Just Like You Imagined : Piano : Mike Garson; additional guitars: Danny Lohner and Adrian Belew
• Even Deeper : written by Trent Reznor and Danny Lohner; Assistance with the mix: Dr. Dre ; Drum programming and additional synthesizers : Danny Lohner
• Pilgrimage : Percussion : Steven Duda; Choir : The Buddha Boys Choir; Trumpet : Cherry Holly
• No, You Don't : Guitar: Page Hamilton
• La Mer : vocals : Denise Milfort; Drums: Bill Rieflin; Cello : Willie
• The Great Below : Guitar: Adrian Belew; Guitar Ambiences: Danny Lohner; Atmosphere: Charlie Clouser
• The Way Out Is Through : written by Trent Reznor, Keith Hillebrandt and Charlie Clouser; Piano : Mike Garson
• Into the Void : background vocals: Kim Prevost; Drum programming: Charlie Clouser
• Where is everybody? : Guitar: Adrian Belew
• Starfuckers, Inc .: written by Trent Reznor and Charlie Clouser; Choir: The Buddha Boys Choir
• Complication : additional guitars: Danny Lohner
• Ripe (With Decay) : violin: Steven Duda; Piano: Mike Garson

technology

• Programmed by Keith Hillebrandt, Charlie Clouser and Trent Reznor with Paul Decarli, Steve Duda and Clinton Bradley
• Second engineering: Brian Pollack
• Additional engineering: Leo Herrera, Dave "Rave" Ogilvie
• Additional drum recordings: Steve Albini at Electrical Audio
• Additional sound design: Keith Hillebrandt, Charlie Clouser and Steve Duda

Chart positions

album

• 1999 The Fragile - The Billboard 200 1st place
• 1999 The Fragile - Top Canadian Albums # 2
• 1999 The Fragile - Top Internet Albums 1st place
• 1999 The Fragile - German album charts number 17
• 2000 The Fragile - The Billboard 200 1st place

Singles

• 1999 The Day the World Went Away - The Billboard Hot 100 # 17
• 1999 We're in This Together - Mainstream Rock Tracks # 21
• 1999 Starfuckers, Inc. - Modern Rock Tracks # 39
• 1999 We're in This Together - Modern Rock Tracks # 11
• 1999 We're in This Together - UK singles chart at number 39
• 1999 The Day the World Went Away - Canadian Singles Chart # 1
• 2000 Into the Void - Mainstream Rock Tracks # 27

swell

1. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from September 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 

Web links

• The Fragile at Allmusic (English)
• Review of Rolling Stone, 4 out of 5 stars
• nincollector.com: halo fourteen