It had to come eventually. After such a mild December and January, the snowfall was due, and mother nature took a big white dump on us this week. On the plus side, the first big hurrah, may also have been the last big hurrah of the season, as the long term outlook is looking at weather getting up above freezing again soon. It will be nice to not creak when I go outside in the mornings.
Its officially reading week now, which for some people means flying off to nice white sand beaches in the tropics. For others it means trying to put together a Bachelors thesis in a week, while also playing catchup in actual reading and assignments. Its what I signed up for ultimately.
I also signed up years ago for the NIN mailing list, and unlike other bands whose mailing lists I've also been on at one time or another, there is very little garbage advertising that gets pumped into the account from NIN.com. So yesterday when I got an e-mail I was obliged to open it, and found that there is already a new full length album coming out in 2 months, and that two of the songs are posted on the NIN myspace page.
Of course for the slightly more initiated, the songs are available out there for download, though not in spectacular quality. The first single, Survivalism, follows a political tone more apparent in Trent's latest work, while still replete with biting sarcasm and enough variation in sound again to make it a decent single.
I'll admit I was slightly shocked to see the songs available a full two months before the album release date, but then Trent Reznor is known for embracing technology and inviting fan remixes, as well as providing various forms of media under the NIN name. And when there is invariably a leak of material before the official release of an album these days anyways, why not embrace the opportunity. I'm looking forward to the release.
I also heard on the radio in the lab yesterday that Chris Cornell has once again decided to fly solo, leaving Audioslave. I think Audioslave was getting tired anyways, and this just opens the door for a more permanent reunion of Rage Against the Machine, should their gig at Coachella in the spring inspire them.
Now about inspiring myself.