Marilyn Manson
The Golden Age of Grotesque
2003 Nothing/Interscope Records
Reviewed by Sean Patrick Thompson
Marilyn Manson achieved his goal relatively early in his career: He became a household name. Whether you appreciate the man and the band or not, there are not many out there who do not know him. “Even bad press is good press”. As I noted in my pre-review, I have been a fan for quite some time. I first encountered Rev. Manson while living in Reno. My supervisor at the time had two tickets to see Nine Inch Nails during the Downward Spiral tour. I had already seen NIN once on this tour (with Type O Negative opening at the Warfield in SF), but I have never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. At that point, I had never heard of Marilyn Manson. Over the years, I have enjoyed and been entertained by his various transformations: From a pseudo death rocker with a penchant for Willy Wonka and drugs (Portrait of An American Family), to a beautifully evil yet ultimately doomed creature emerging from a cocoon (Antichrist Superstar), to an androgynous drug-addled Ziggy wannabe (Mechanical Animals). Holy Wood – In The Shadow of the Valley of Death showed traces of another being digging its way out from Marilyn’s psyche. The Golden Age of Grotesque gives free reign to this decadent and glistening new persona. After a brief musical intro to lay the foundation of this new concept (think vaudeville, burlesque, cabaret, and strip clubs from Hell), the CD kicks off with This Is The New Shit and doesn’t miss a beat before transitioning to mOBSCENE (the first single and video). Both of these songs are evidence that Manson’s song writing has evolved, as well as his vocals. While the music and lyrics are relatively simple in nature, the production is flawless. Sometimes less is more. Doll-Dagga Buzz-Buzz Ziggety-Zag is infectious: The more I listen to it, the more I like it. Use Your Fist And Not Your Mouth explodes with rock ‘n roll rage and is perfect for the commuting hour while the title track brings it all back into perspective with its amusing carnival of nightmare imagery. (s)AINT is one I have had to listen to a few times to appreciate and Slutgarden is perhaps one of my favorite songs. Para-noir is interesting. Marilyn claims it has more instances of the word “fuck” than any other song ever written by anyone in history. It is a good listen given the way it is paced, but I cannot validate his claim! The remaining songs (Spade, The Bright Young Things, Better of Two Evils, Vodevil, and Obsequey – The Death of Art) I have mixed feelings about. I feel they are almost more filler, but what band isn’t guilty of that?
While the live shows have, at times, left much to be desired, I am truly looking forward to this tour (lovingly referred to as The Grotesk Burlesk). A few changes in Manson’s super-ego control of everything he touches may help: The new image has been enhanced via Jean-Paul Gaultier’s costume designs which are actually quite stunning, enhancing the concept forward of WWII-era German cabaret, sex, drugs, and general debauchery. Marilyn Manson has always been a combination of the visual as well as audible and this new effort does not disappoint. Also, this CD is noted as being co-produced by Manson as well as Tim Skold of KMFDM notoriety. Skold has taken the bassist slot left vacant by Marilyn’s long-time friend and comrade-in-crime, Twiggy Ramirez. Twiggy left late last year to pursue other interests and has himself found an unlikely new gig: as bassist with A Perfect Circle. I must admit to being a bit annoyed with the special edition DVD included with the CD: Manson should stick to music and painting. Art house-style rambling visual poetry is not his forte.
So, whether you love him, hate him, or are completely indifferent to his existence, there is no escaping. Be prepared to see and hear much more of Manson (he has already started making the late night talk show rounds – as a guest, not an act – and This Is The New Shit will gain much exposure in The Matrix Reloaded). Within my review for The Murderdolls CD, I made a comment about Marilyn not being able to muster up sick fun in his music anymore. I would now alter that statement a bit: Manson’s sick fun is much more refined and polished and entirely on a different level. The Golden Age of Grotesque may actually alienate some fans with its image and content, but it is my humble opinion that this is perhaps Manson’s best release to date.
For more info, pictures, press and overall weirdness, check out www.marilynmanson.com.