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Angst for the memories: Your rubber room is ready, Mr. Reznor has delivered a mature effort. Kuckoo's Nest Trent Reznor: Do not disturb Nine Inch Nails Things Falling Apart (Nothing/Interscope) POOR TRENT REZNOR. I'm a bit worried about him. He seems so very angry and conflicted. Let me explain. His newest CD--the title of which seems to suggest some subtle hidden meaning--is a collection of remixes. In other words, Mr. Reznor has taken songs from his last CD and reworked them through some sort of studio wizardry. Now that might sound like a very nifty, one might even say creative, thing to do. But doesn't it indicate that Mr. Reznor may suffer from nagging self-doubt? One thing is certain--clearly, he is a disturbed person. For instance, the third song on this disc is titled "The Wretched." You see what I mean? He is trying to tell us something, perhaps even crying out for help. On that particular song, Mr. Reznor makes angry noises with his guitar, a sound that is reminiscent of a buzz saw--not unlike those angry little bumble bees that assailed Agent Muldaur on that popular X-Files show--all the while shrieking in a most pained way that things are not the way he wants them to be. I feel his pain. This is a young man--well, not really so young anymore--who is having trouble with interpersonal relationships. I wonder if he has had a girlfriend in recent months. Perhaps he is lovesick. Or maybe his mama didn't give him as much love as he craved as a child. By now you're asking, What can we do for Mr. Reznor? I would like to suggest that if everyone who reads this newspaper purchases his new CD, then Mr. Reznor will be able to afford the kind of psychotherapy he may need so desperately. And if enough people around the world buy the disc and feel Mr. Reznor's pain, then he might also be able to purchase prescription antidepressants (like those pretty little pink and lavender pills the pharmaceutical companies advertise on the X Files program). Won't you help with Find Trent Reznor a Perceptive and Affordable Psychiatrist Campaign? Mary McMuffin Paul Desmond Lemme Tell Ya 'bout Desmond: The Music of Paul Desmond (Label M) HE WAS a lyrical genius, an alto saxophonist who sang sweetly. Like Stan Getz, jazzman Paul Desmond could blow "Cherokee" at lightning speed, but he soon settled into a much more subdued tempo. He possessed a melodic sense that seemed to run contrary to the hard bop of his peers but was no less hip. A San Francisco native, Desmond rose to fame as the reedman in Dave Brubeck's renowned ensemble, lending his voice to such classics as "Take Five." This welcome anthology from jazz producer Joel Dorn's newest label draws ballads and bossa novas from several of Desmond's solo recordings, spanning a period from 1961 to 1974. An all-star cast of sidemen includes guitarists Jim Hall and Gabor Szabo, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan (heard on the dreamy "Stardust"), bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Connie Kay. Smooth jazz the way it was meant to sound. Greg Cahill [ North Bay | MetroActive Central | Archives ]