Nine Inch Nails - With_Teeth
This album is from April of 2005 (I know). I just ~now~ figured it out (enough at least to bother talking about it).

I finally listened to the newest NiN record. Reznor is back to his (obvious) brilliance in a big way. If this album is a sign of where rock (and alternative/industrial) is going – then awesome, I’m satisfied! NiN's sound on this album is less "externally" angry and more "live" (as opposed to synth). I think I actually like this sound more than the early-90s sound. Maturing, evolving and progressing is -very- good (and good for Reznor on this album).

My favorite track off the CD is Only. It leads with a light melody (via quick synth and piano intro) and then opens right up with crisp/bright drums and the highlight of the song - a forceful bass-line (slap bass w/ string slides!) and recurring crunchy synths. Only’s humorous theme, increasing intensity and layered/distorted sounds hook the listener until the very last hit of the high-hat. IMO – this is a top-notch tune – a little bit of a throwback to PHM – but atypical compared to most NiN tracks (creative in that respect).

Check out the video for Only – it’s pretty damn cool: http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningr...sicvideos/1824/

Dave Grohl playing drums on this record gives a nice change from the "beat box" Reznor is known for. The way the drum kit is mic'ed on this album creates really tight/compact percussive bed – I dig.

A few other tracks from the With_Teeth album I really like: Every day is exactly the same, Getting Smaller and The Hand That Feeds. Try The Line Begins To Blur for a jolt of change.

I'm still "digesting" the rest of the record. With_Teeth is a good album and worth the money spent

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Side note: Trent Reznor released the source files for The Hand That Feeds and Only to allow people to remix the songs. The files can be found on http://www.nin.com.

I just might have to remix a hip-wigglin', ass-shakin' house version of Only - the original driving bass line but edited to give it big-room authority. Maybe something like "Only (joker's 4-by-4 feet stomp edit)" or "Only (joker's airline dub)". Stay tuned.

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- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

Last edited by rabbitjoker on Dec-05-2005 at 13:50

IMO the worst nin album ever made. Has my music tastes changed, or has Trent completely lost touch with reality? I mean really, the state of electronic music today has finally caught up with what Trent was pushing 10 facking years ago, and what does he do? He makes a facking alt/rock album. lmao

The trademark sound is still there (at times) but overall, I feel it sounds very old.

Cuzo and Chris (Endlesswave) are also huge nin fans...

1- Downward Spiral
2- the Fragile
3- Further Down the Spiral

ps. glad to see this review mind you, thanks RJ!

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http://www.beatport.com/jonathan-rosa/

Last edited by jon jon on Dec-05-2005 at 14:09

quote:

Originally posted by jon jon the worst nin album ever made.

Ok, perhaps long-time NiN fans (as opposed to casual fans) may not approve of the new evolving direction Trent has take - that is totally reasonable.

(Minus a few tracks) NiN in the 90s felt totally "misery", "pain" and "angst" obsessed (at least it did to me). I appreciated the music for what it meant in its significance in the overall evolution of music, but it was really hard (for me) to relate with such somber musical themes (thus my casual fan designation).

I like that this album seems to be less about eternal angst/despair and more about "sorting out one's shit" - it makes it more approachable. Maybe Reznor is getting old, growing up, softening-up. Who knows - either way good feedback, it's interesting to hear a thoughts from "more familiar" fans.

PS - what did you think about the video?

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- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

RJ, what did you think of the Fragile?

As I thought it kept true to his edgier shit without getting too cliche angst ridden. (re: with teeth). The Fragile also kept this balance of "edge" coupled with brooding, atmospheric, moody layers that held together it's depth as an LP.

His message and content just wasn't clear enough for me on "With Teeth".

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http://www.beatport.com/jonathan-rosa/

quote:

Originally posted by rabbitjoker PS - what did you think about the video?

amazing.

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http://www.beatport.com/jonathan-rosa/

Love NIN.. and LOVE the new stuff just as much as the old stuff...
one of the most amazing groups to ever make music

Nikitha

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Take me home, in time you'll love me like one of your own..take me home.. with you.. no one on earth knows me like you do....

I think the problem with alot of old fans with bands who've been around for a long time, is that they expect the band to reproduce the same sound that got them hooked. But like RJ said they've evolved over the years.

And also I think a band comes to a point in their career where they are at their peak of creativity and expression, and they can't top it afterwards. IMO they reached that point when they made The Downward Spiral. Other bands like The Cure with Disintegration and Depeche Mode with Violater, made these albums at the pinnacle of their career and they will never make anything as good (hopefully I'm wrong ).

It definitely seems like they are moving towards a more alternative rock sound. At their last appearance here, their older industrial/electronic influenced tunes sounded much more rock. Hopefully other alt rock bands will take notice and learn how to write music!

Last edited by jdjd on Dec-05-2005 at 18:17

quote:

Originally posted by jdjd But like RJ said they've evolved over the years.

I find Trent has taken 2 steps backwards focusing on the guitar elements rather than the stripped down minimal sound of NOW that he has been gunning for since day one. (well maybe not PHM, but Broken for sure)

He seems to get it sometimes, there are somr flashes of brilliance. But then he quickly reverts back to the smash smash of guitars which just doesn't do it for me anymore.

So in the end, it may very well be that my tastes have matured. Being spoilt by some exciting things in dance music I'm sure has changed said opinion.

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http://www.beatport.com/jonathan-rosa/

quote:

Originally posted by jon jon Being spoilt by some exciting things in dance music

You just wait until I spoil you with my "Only" uber-haus remix that I'm working on.

___________________
- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).

z00t

___________________
http://www.beatport.com/jonathan-rosa/

I love that track (Only), I haven't heard the rest of the album except "Hand that Feeds" but I'm sure it's good. I dig NiN.

quote:

Originally posted by jon jon z00t

You wanna do the harmony vocal part of the track? How about it - you and Trent harmonizing to uber-haus...?

I smell a stormer...

___________________
- rabbit.joker [funny¿rabbit] | www.rabbitjoker.com |www.ddtt.org

Dark Dirty Tech Tribal. | Hands in air (trance) and feet on the floor (house).