|
| With Teeth | 
 enlarge | Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Label: Interscope Records
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy Used: $3.00
You Save: $10.98 (79%)
New (37) Used (43) from $3.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  714 reviews
Sales Rank: 5028
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000455302
UPC: 602498813546
EAN: 0602498813546
ASIN: B000929AJQ
Release Date: May 3, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
Let's not look into this thing too deeply... May 7, 2005
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
First off, as far as where this album is musically, forget the comparisons to previous albums, they won't tell you anything. To all those who say this album sounds the same as his others, you obviously haven't listened closely enough (and of course they're gonna sound somewhat similar - after all, it is the SAME person putting out these albums). To all of those who think this isn't a masterpiece like TDS or The Fragile, you're right, it isn't. To be honest, I didn't really want a "masterpiece". Sometimes I just feel like listening to a good rock record that doesn't demand deep concentration and focus to enjoy and to fully "get it". Here, Trent has chilled out a little and given us a record that rocks, grooves, plods, and moves without any pretense.
With Teeth is exactly the kind of album Trent needed to put out. The Fragile (and even TDS before it) were extremely involved, layered, and methodically planned (although it worked very well for those albums). With this album, you get a straightforward rock album recorded with actual acoustic drums (by the way, is Dave Grohl the only rock drummer around anymore??? it's not like the parts he put down are complicated...), all the while still keeping Trent's trademark production, piano lines, hushed to intense vocals, and varied song style/structure. Nothing Trent is doing here is extremely new, but he has placed variations on themes he's explored before while adding an extra sense of musicianship - namely, more beat/drum n bass/groove centered songs, particularly on "Only", "Sunspots", "The Collector", and the lead single "The Hand That Feeds". He also expands on his layered, piano guided themes on "All the Love in the World" and "Right Where it Belongs".
Bottom line, don't get overemotional about this release. No need to expect this album to change your life. This is Trent just jamming out and enjoying his craft.
 Amazing May 5, 2005
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
I have read many reviews on here calling this album too similar to the others, and that it should have been the album after The Downward Spiral because it's not close enough to the Fragile. This could not be farther from the truth. With Teeth, in the sound aspect and lyrical aspect, trancends so many fields of music in one album that it is impossible to call it too similar to the other albums. There are tracks that have elements of previous albums in them, but what Nine Inch Nails album did not have tracks that recall tracks from previous albums? And as a whole, With Teeth has a completely different feel to it than Pretty Hate Machine, Broken, The Downward Spiral, and The Fragile.
The themes of With Teeth are strongly tied with Trent Reznor's addiction problems, his coming to grips with the fact he isn't where he thinks he should be, and finally, his facing of himself. These themes work in a concept like The Downward Spiral throughout the album.
I hate reading reviews by those who simply calssify With Teeth as "teen angst", because it simply isn't. It's a very thoughtfull and meaningful album, for the man who wrote it and for those who listen to it. I love each and every Nine Inch Nails album, and this is no exception. In fact, this is the most interesting of them all. As for fans who were unhappy with the album, I cannot be certain, but I think in time they will learn to like it. It is quite an adjustment from The Fragile to With Teeth.
An incredible album. Mr. Reznor has shown us what real music is once again.
After 5 years, Trent Reznor delivers another masterpiece. May 3, 2005
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
Nine Inch Nails fans can finally breathe. The follow up to 1999's The Fragile is finally here. It's hard to believe that Trent Reznor's music can stay so consistently amazing and relatable for how long he's been around. As with his other CD's and EP's, Trent Reznor's brilliance shines through the grittiness and roughness of his music. With Teeth is no exception. With Teeth is a CD that is approachable to anyone, yet still holds the depth and multiple layers of emotion that will have you listening to it for years to come.
That is the genius of Nine Inch Nails. It is immediately accessible to anyone who is even minimally interested in rock. Before Nine Inch Nails, "Industrial" was a very esoteric type of music. Pretty Hate Machine paved the way for The Downward Spiral to break Industrial into the mainstream. Trent Reznor's pop-influenced song structure and ABAB rhyme scheme helped shape Industrial into what it is today (while still keeping a cult-esque following), and his record sales can prove it.
Don't believe the hype that Nine Inch Nails is dead. At fist, some people may be taken aback by the new textures of the disc. All The Love In The World sounds like a dance track, but amazing nonetheless. However, as with all great artists, it's important to adapt and evolve to keep your music meaningful and refreshing. With Teeth is a small departure from what you may be expecting, but all the elements that made you love NIN to begin with are intact.
I won't go into a track by track review here; there are plenty of other people willing to do that. Instead, I'll give you my personal favorites off the CD:
The aggressive, super-distorted guitar riffs of "Getting Smaller"
The dark, brooding, nihilistic lyrics of "Every Day Is Exactly The Same" (This is my favorite song off the entire CD so far):
"Every day is exactly the same/ There is no love here, there is no pain"
"Sometimes I think I'm happy here, yeah, I still pretend"
The subdued, yet poignant lyrics of "Right Where It Belongs" are among the best of the disc, along with the most euphoric moment on the entire CD. I won't spoil it for you, but trust me: you'll know what I mean when you hear it.
Track 12, "Beside You In Time," slowly builds tension through the amazing synths, and delivers an amazing ending. It sounds as though it would fit perfectly on The Fragile.
Even the tracks that are not immediately your favorites can grow on you. A great example of this is the Title Track. On fist listen, it seems underdeveloped and hastily thrown together. Yet every time I listen to it, I begin to understand it more and more. I'm sure there are other tracks on the CD that I will come to love with time.
With Teeth is a CD no fan of Nine Inch Nails should be without. No matter who you are, you're music collection isn't complete with out the masterpiece that is With Teeth.
If you're curious about Nine Inch Nails, With Teeth is actually a great place to start. The approachability of his other CD's remains intact here, along with the multilayered, emotionally charged lyrics, and dark, rough, gritty soundscapes that make us keep coming back for more.
After 5 years, Trent Reznor delivers another masterpiece.
P.S. to Trent: Please don't make us wait another 5 years for another disc!
The Nine Inch Nails Sound Comes Full Circle (DualDisc Notes) May 3, 2005
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
It's been over six years since the last full-length studio release from Trent Reznor, and a difficult six years at that. Reznor has since come clean about his battles with substance addiction and crises in confidence about his musical abilities. After hearing the pre-release single "The Hand That Feeds", the Internet buzzed with hot-and-cold reactions to its more accessible sound. Had Reznor actually lost the edge that had produced so much crucial music over the last decade and a half?
A single listen to "With Teeth" is enough put such concerns to rest. It's a return to the "Pretty Hate Machine" idea of creating an album of songs, not a synth symphony with returning motifs such as "The Fragile" or an industrial-rock opera like "The Downward Spiral". Each song displays a lot of maturity in the writing and recording - plenty of raw emotion gets across with less aggro-angst overkill (let's face it - too much more of that and Reznor would have been on the way toward becoming a real self-parody). Some songs are upbeat, some are heavier than anything that he's done before, some are delicate ballads that will have crowds waving lighters in the air. But the tracks still maintain enough continuity that no tracks are stranded - although diverse from song to song, the album is without a doubt a comprehensive work.
As for the performance, each song on the record is geared toward being played as-is by the current tour lineup - not that it's stripped-down, but you should be able to count on live performances sounding like the album without overreliance on pre-recorded tracks. Dave Grohl, this millennium's hardest working man in show biz, laid down a lot of the drum tracks on the studio recording and the entire album has a very man-made, organic rock sound. The result is a very satisfying record, not just compared to other acts' current releases, but also to NIN's earlier works.
Here are some notes on the tracks in case you can't wait until the release date:
1. "All The Love in the World": Begins with a complex almost drum-and-bass rhythm over quiet vocals and ends with a major-key piano chord progression over the chorus. Progressive in the Radiohead vein but unmistakably NIN.
2. "You Know What You Are?": When nin.com promised that the upcoming tour would "destroy" audiences, this was the track that Reznor had in mind. A thrashy, incredibly fast beat immediately kicks off the track's verse, sounding a lot like Ministry; this is broken up by a slower but incredibly heavy chorus.
3. "Collector": This is the first of several tracks that express the defining sound of this album: live, organic drums and heavy bass guitar building a rhythm that's a mile-high and two tons of heavy. It's reminiscent of "The Big Come Down" without so much electronic production. Keeping with the in-person feel, it also features a surprising but well-placed piano solo with discordant jazzy chords and scales - think Bowie's "Heart's Filthy Lesson" or "Just Like You Imagined" from "The Fragile".
4. "The Hand That Feeds": You've likely heard it either like it or hate it. Get over the keyboard solo and get on board.
5. "Love Is Not Enough": A quick rock number that features another huge rhythm foundation and a complex beat that is reminiscent of "I Do Not Want This".
6. "Every Day Is Exactly the Same": A mid-tempo electronic number that features many familiar NIN sounds. It includes a very memorable chorus that is anthemic without compromising its tone. It will get stuck in your head with no warning.
7. "With Teeth": Far and away the oddest track on the album. First off, it has a shuffling beat that will throw listeners off-kilter for the first several bars. Imagine an uber-muscular version of Siouxsie's "Peek-a-Boo". But the real kick is the incredibly quiet piano interlude in the middle of the song. This track manages to be possibly the noisiest on the album without resorting to the typical aggro conventions.
8. "Only": This, the second single from "With Teeth", begins with a very unorganic eighties-throwback drumloop backing Reznor freestyling spoken vocals - not a rap, but almost a beat poetry reading. The arrangement of guitar and synths and the lyrics of the chorus are vintage NIN ("Ringfiner") while the beats are very danceable ("Into the Void").
9: "Getting Smaller": Another mosh-ready rock number similar to "You Know What You Are?". Probably the most disposable track on the album.
10: "Sunspots": A slinky, seductive number that builds to a catchy rock stomp during the chorus. Think "The Only Time" from "Pretty Hate Machine".
11. "The Line Begins to Blur": Trent's vocals are at their emotional peak on this one. Virtually atonal during the verses, with live drums that are distorted and electronically chopped up to great effect. The chorus is almost dreamy in comparison but anchored by a 4/4 war-drum tempo. By the time it hits the chorus, this track sounds very much like "The Day The Whole World Went Away" except fully realized this time around.
12. "Beside You In Time": This is the track that is played under the recent web ad on nin.com. It's not all instrumental, but it maintains it's 2/4 electronica feel throughout. It's a throwback to the Coil remixes on "Fixed".
13. "Right Where It Belongs": The album ends with its sole quiet track. A plainly pretty melody (reminded me of the verses on "Even Deeper") sung over top of keys and a detuned piano. Not quite "Hurt", but not bad, either.
"With Teeth" solidifies Reznor's place in musical history by displaying his capacity for growth within the sub-genre that he created for himself. It's undeniably Nine Inch Nails without being tired, repetitive or derivative of earlier works.
DUALDISC NOTES: The 5.1 mix is great, but the extra content is pretty lackluster. The video for "The Hand That Feeds" is the one being played on MTV, not the fabled alternate clip. The only other extra is a discography that contains short pieces of selected songs/videos. Plus, DualDisc editions aren't as universally compatible as the standard CD. If you're only going to get one, go for the standard CD over the DualDisc.
 And All That Could've Been? May 4, 2005
11 out of 20 found this review helpful
Hi. My name is Ben Dugan and I loved "The Fragile".
Phew, there I got that outta way. So let's talk about the five and a half years in the making "With Teeth".
Let's be perfectly honest with each other, no lies or any false hopes or any of that hogwash: "With Teeth" isn't very good. I'm saying this with a geavy heart because there was nothing more I wanted then to this be a great record, the next stage of evolution from one of the few bands I still listen to after the crumbling of the ninties. Sadly, this was not the case.
Now I am not saying that "With Teeth" is unrepentingly awful. There are a handful of good songs, the Gary Numen-esque "Only", the lead off track "All The Love In this World", the first single "The Hand That Feeds", "Every Day is Exactly the Same" and the great final track "Right Where It Belongs".
But the problem here is that these songs just feel lazy, and when Reznor sneaks up on what seems to be a good song, most notably on the title track "With Teeth", he ruins it. Tracks like "The Line Begins to Blur" and "The Collector" are buried underneath layers of sludge that do to little to help distinguish the songs(this is a big problem with the middle section of the C.D.: every song sounds just alike.)
Another problem is the lyrics. I've never believed Reznor to be a poet, but the lyrics usually went along with music just right so you really didn't care what he was saying, but how he was saying it. But this time around he just sounds dumb. The guy is nearly forty but still writes about the same things he did when he twenty five, except now there is little to no conviction in his words, and I found it hard not to 1)roll my eyes, and 2)laugh hysterically at certain parts.
Now I'm not telling you that "With Teeth" is a bad record. The Cure's "Wild Mood Swings" was a bad record. "With Teeth" just isn't a very good record. It's dull and tiring, monotonous and for a good five to six song stretch boring. It doesn't live up to any of Reznor's previous catalog, or really doesn't even belong in the same ballpark.
Oh well, at least I got the back catalog, right?
NOTE: The DualDisc content is really quite worthless. The record quality sounds pretty good in the DVD surround, but the record itself still isn't great. The video for "The Hand that Feeds" looks no better than it does on MTV and the interactive discography is pretty worthless for any semi-NIN fan, so I would just recommend that you still with the standard C.D.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
