Review: Marilyn Manson's "The High End Of Low"
Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 9:09PM 
Oh, Marilyn Manson. Where to begin, right? This shock-rocker has been scaring parents, pissing off the religious right, and empowering angry teenagers for two decades. After a few unsuccessful albums as of late, The High End Of Low is a make-it-or-break-it attempt for Manson.
Starting off with momentum-building "Devour", you land face-first into a love song. (Wait, what?) Listening to this song brings you right back to "Man That You Fear" from Antichrist Superstar. It's a quiet, growing beginning that continues the momentum building through the next several songs.
Five songs in, it becomes obvious that this album in general is shaping up to be more palatable than a typical Marilyn Manson release. Most of the songs have melodies you can follow and instruments you can hear. Songs like "Running To The Edge Of The World" and "Unkillable Monster" have you realizing that Manson is toning down the god-hating, baby-killing persona that has helped him grow his young fan base through the years.
Of course, Manson has to sprinkle in a little shock rock here and there. "We're From America" and "Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon" Are obvious shout outs to rebel kids that want to feel like they're breaking the rules by listening to naughty music. It's a little immature, but it's Manson. We'll give him a "gimmie" on this one.
If you're a child of the 90's, you'll recognize a few of the sounds presented in the record. "15" has the drum machine and creepy background vocals that make for a classic Nine Inch Nails song. The guitars in "WOW" are the kind of droning chaos that made up older Smashing Pumpkins albums - the kind that take a lot of patience to listen to (I had to grab a beer during this part).
Overall, this album is a step in the right direction. It's rare to find a 15-song album these days, much less one that lasts more than an hour. It's a lot of music and a well-produced record. Manson is clearly stretching his songwriting muscles. The High End Of Low is a refreshing step away from the electronica-rock that he's been pumping out lately, and it scores a solid "B+" in my book.
Marilyn Manson, reviews in Reviews
Reader Comments (1)
I've given the album two spins at the gym this week. The album provides a strong mix of slower, introspective songs amid strong alt-rockers that never quite reach the metallic highs of Antichrist Superstar. Twiggy's (eclectic) sensibility is prominent by the third track 'Leave A Scar' and takes a surprising turn with the acoustic stomper 'Four Rusted Horses'.
Manson seems very comfortable performing with his old sparring partner and at ease with the diminishing returns of his 'shock' image. Not to say that he isn't willing to push and punch society's buttons - but this version of Manson seems content plying his wares dressed in a pair of leather pants and a Spinal Tap shirt as opposed to the Horror on Stilts that we saw in the Holy Wood era.
This is certainly packaged as a 'return to form' after Manson's collaboration with Tim Skold. Eat Me, Drink Me is a challenging slab of well-written gothic rock that presents a consistent tone from beginning to end. The High End of Low lacks the cohesion of Eat Me Drink Me, but this works in favor of album. Fans of any era should find an entry-point here.
I agree with the B+ rating for the album, and a few tracks would integrate seamlessly into a revised 'hits' collection. In fact - I may update Lest We Forget with a few tracks from the last two LPs.