Reviews by plasma

Title track goes hard

Edit Apr 2 2026: 4 --> 3

I liked it more than the other Paul Simon album so far. I think it's the synths. Makes me excited to get Graceland, so I ended up listening to that one for the first time today too hahaha

Edit Apr 2 2026: 4 --> 3

Actually great stuff. Stay With Me is such a good song

Not bad

+1 for use of guitar

No One Said It Would Be Easy has a great riff

Me when Congratulations wasn't a PewDiePie cover: 😔

Eh another jazz

Edit: changing from a 2 to a 3 on Oct 5 2025, I like jazz a bit more now

6 stars if I could. A masterpiece. The sound and lyrics are really well done. You know it's a great album when someone did a thesis on it: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5322&context=thesesdissertations

1 - Mr. Self Destruct

My favourite song on the album after Hurt. I love the intense bursts of sound soooo much. That is, the sound that plays when saying the lyrics during the 4 lines leading up to and including the "Mr. Self Destruct" line.

2 - Piggy

Sets up the album well: "Nothing can stop me now, 'cause I don't care anymore"

3 - Heresy

My favourite chorus on the album. Also, the raw drum sound is amazing. The synth that is there from the start is great too

4 - March Of The Pigs

I love the increase in energy here. The "Now doesn't it make you feel better?" is a nice surprising change of tone for a second

5 - Closer

Has the most streams cause of frat parties I bet, but Hurt is still the most well known song from this album (Johnny Cash made sure of that). Still very good song. I like the electronic sounding beat in the background. Also the fast synth after "You get me closer to God" is greatttt

6 - Ruiner

The synth at 0:49 is so satisfying. It feels very grand

7 - The Becoming

Pretty dark

8 - I Do Not Want This

Nice change up with the piano

9 - Big Man With A Gun

Nice intensity

10 - A Warm Place

A bit of a break after the previous track

11 - Eraser

I dig the hum-sounding sound

12 - Reptile

Good set up for the title track

13 - The Downward Spiral

Well-deserving of being the title track

14 - Hurt

SUCH A GOOD SONG. My favourite off the album and by NIN even. Honestly, a favourite song of mine in general

The lyrics really aren't that deep... like REALLY cmon... makes me think chat gpt existed back then

The only thing I sorta liked was the electric guitar in Black Cat... but ehh the guitar felt muted

A vibe for sure

I recognized the popular song

Liked it more than I thought I would. Pleasantly surprised. Nice and relaxing

Edit Mar 23 2026: 3 --> 2. I don't like the vocals that much

Track 11: "Do You Think It's Alright?". Spoiler for the next track: it was not alright 💀

Quite the unique story album

Edit Apr 22 2026: 4 --> 3

Closing track ("Tell Him") goes really hard, and "Nothing Even Matters" too. I Knew "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" before, great too. Also I like the discussions separate from the songs, a nice touch

Still, this rap album isn't as much my thing. There *is* certain rap I really like though, like Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by OutKast (it also has discussions separate from songs, which are done very well there)

Solid vibe

I vibe with it

When I first heard it I put a 4 with comment “Good Stuff”, but I’ve been returning to this album and it’s really grown on me. I really really like it now

I love Everybody Hurts so much

Edit Apr 22 2026: 4 --> 3

Ehh I'm not that big on jazz

Edit: changing to a 4 on Oct 5 2025, I like jazz a bit more now

"Pitchfork ranked it as the 13th best album of the 1980s."

Really?? 13th best of the 1980s??? That's actually so cap. Like the album isn't *bad* but CMON... how much were they paid to say that lmao

The people at Pitchfork have probably only ever listened to 13 albums from the 1980s. Let me list 14 1980s albums. Apparently Pitchfork says this album is better than at least 1 of these:
- Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses
- Disintegration by The Cure
- Master of Puppets by Metallica
- Hysteria by Def Leppard
- Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi
- The Joshua Tree by U2
- Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order
- Full Moon Fever by Tom Petty
- Thriller by Michael Jackson
- Remain in Light by Talking Heads
- Closer by Joy Division
- Purple Rain by Prince
- Reign in Blood by Slayer
- Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain
- Graceland by Paul Simon
- Back in Black by AC/DC
- Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
- Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes
- The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden
- Bleach by Nirvana

OOPS I... accidently... listed 20 huge albums from the 1980s cause there's so many better albums than this one!!! Ok this review is just a dis on Pitchfork at this point lol

Edit Apr 15 2026: 3 --> 2. I don't find it that memorable