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As a strong believer in the importance of supporting independent artists—whether it’s a self-published writer, an independent filmmaker, or a indie musician—I was intrigued when I first heard of Saul Williams, an artist who was following in Radiohead’s footsteps by releasing a download-only album called The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust. I was even more intrigued because the new album was produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. And I had a feeling that the result could just be something very different—and very cool.
This 15-MP3 album is clearly a Trent Reznor collaboration. From the beginning, Reznor’s heavy, industrial footprints are everywhere. But it’s also clear that Williams has a style of his own—and he doesn’t waste any time trying to slowly ease his listeners into it. The album’s first track, “Black History Month,” is one part industrial, one part hip-hop, and one part tribal. It’s a completely unique sound—one that took just seconds to completely hook me in. With that one track, Williams lays it all on the line. He holds nothing back. This first track, with its original sound, comes complete with a concrete, in-your-face message—one that continues throughout the rest of the album. It’s not a light and fluffy album. In fact, it’s full of lyrics that might be seen as offensive and/or controversial. But it’s a solid, thoughtful, and incredibly creative album nonetheless.
Though Niggy is every bit as dark and haunting as you’d expect from a Trent Reznor production, Williams uses his background as a dancer and his smooth yet powerful voice to give the album a rhythmic, soulful feel—and the final product often feels like a mix between Nine Inch Nails’ edge and Lenny Kravitz’s soul (especially on the second track, “Convict Colony”). But it’s more than that, too—from Reznor’s gritty industrial sound (especially on “WTF!”) to the smooth, stripped-down “Raw” to the poetic “Skin of a Drum” and “Scared Money.” There’s even an industrialized cover of U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which isn’t bad at all (and that’s saying a lot, coming from a die-hard and somewhat overprotective U2 fan).
And, just for the record, even those who hesitate to download their music—those of us who are still attached to our liner notes and cover art—will be happy with this download. It comes complete with plenty of images, as well as 33 pages of liner notes (which include all the songs’ lyrics). So, if you want, you can still burn the whole thing to a CD and print out your liner notes—and you can keep a copy in your car.
Though The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust won’t appeal to everyone (much like Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails isn’t for everyone), it’s a solid—and inventive—album. And with such a great download price (meaning that you can choose whether or not you want to pay for it), it’s definitely worth checking out. You can pick up a copy at SaulWilliams.com.
