Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Vietnam War – Album Review by Killian Laher

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross seem to be in some unspoken duel with Nick Cave & Warren Ellis as to who can be the pre-eminent film composer with an ‘alternative’ background for all your favourite dark and brooding soundtracks.  Their latest sees them soundtrack a series about The Vietnam War.  Right from the outset, the spooky, high-pitched electronics of Less Likely and Four Enclosed Walls will feel familiar to anyone who enjoyed their soundtracks to The Social Network, Gone Girl and others.  It’s not without its ponderous moments (Other Ways To Get To The Same Place, The Right Things) but none of it jars and it could be easily left on in the background somewhere to unsettle the unsuspecting listener.  But elsewhere, there are plenty of quality moments such as piano piece Torn Polaroid, scary electronica Before Dawn, and fans of more propulsive Reznor are catered for with Before After Faith.  What Comes Back even harks back to classic Nine Inch Nails territory by borrowing Closer’s beat, while Justified Response goes even closer to that band’s material with a more balls-out approach.

Not sure what it all has to do with The Vietnam War but great music for conjuring up a creepy, threatening atmosphere.  It’s a little overlong at an hour and a half but still, high quality stuff.

Less Likely –

Track List –

CD 1

1. LESS LIKELY

2. FOUR ENCLOSED WALLS

3. THE FOREVER RAIN

4. REMNANTS

5. OTHER WAYS TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE

6. TORN POLAROID

7. BEFORE DAWN

8. WHAT COMES BACK

9. JUSTIFIED RESPONSE

10. COUNTING TICKS

CD 2

1. A WORLD AWAY

2. THE RIGHT THINGS

3. PASSING THE POINT

4. STRANGERS IN LOCKSTEP

5. BEFORE AND AFTER FAITH

6. THE SAME DREAM

7. HAUNTED