NINJA 2009 Tour Sampler

Carson gave this album on2009-03-31.

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If the NIN/JA 2009 Tour Sampler is any indication, the tour itself should be a great event.

First of all, it is important to note that listeners should not expect to hear the most cohesive album in existence as this is a sampler EP with 3 very different groups. Keeping in mind the vast differences in style between Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction, and Street Sweeper the EP seems exceedingly well arranged. There are an equal number of songs from each group, and they are equally spaced so you can hear them in relation to the offerings from the other groups.

The first track, "Chip Away", is very percussion heavy and not what would first come to mind when I think of Jane's Addiction. Likewise, while less percussive, "Whores" is still a bit heavier than I expect from them. This change over what I expected turns out to be beneficial though as it makes the tracks fit better with the tracks from Nine Inch Nails.

Nine Inch Nail's first track on the EP, "Not So Pretty Now", feels too repetitive, but other than that is decent song. "Non-Entity" is a superb song that sounds somewhat like The Downward Spiral era music but is better than most of the tracks on that album. Both of these tracks have similar instrumentation and effects but different feels which keeps the EP from seeming too repetitive.

Street Sweeper, whom I had not heard of prior to this EP is the "odd man out" and are a fusion of Rap and Rock. Their two tracks are fairly guitar heavy though, so they do not seem completely out of place. "Clap for the Killers" features good guitar work and the clapping adds to the overall percussive feel of the first half of the EP, but seems to be lacking something. The second offering from Street Sweeper, "The Oath" is more musically interesting and switches focus between melody and rhythm.

Even though it is difficult to have a cohesive sounding album containing Industrial, Alternative, and Rap Rock groups, this EP manages to pull it better than expected. Fans of Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails should definitely give it a listen.

Track	Name		Carson	Katherine		Track	Name		Carson	Katherine
1	Chip Away					4	Whores
2	Not So Pretty Now					5	Non-Entity
3	Clap for the Killers					6	The Oath