so i've been a good boy and i haven't downloaded any leaked versions of the new nine inch nails album, and i haven't listened to the streaming preview, and i've tried to keep my reading of reviews to a minimum, because i wanna listen to the thing and make my own decision, but i can't help noticing...lots of folks seem a bit cool with their comments on this record. from what little i've let myself read, people are either out-and-out saying it's boring, or they're being hopeful and optimistic and saying, "well, there are some good textures and maybe it's a grower", etc.

i've been looking forward to the new NIN like everyone else, but now that i can finally go out and get it, i'm not so sure i'm in a big hurry.

of course, the new eels album comes out today too, so i'm gonna wind up at the wrecka stow one way or another.

I heard some if it and I like it. It's more chill and organic, relative to NIN of course. There's more real drums and some very cool introspective lyrics between the screams.

I'm trying to figure out what people want, why they expect so much from Trent...is it because it's always so long between albums?

I always say that if people don't like what artists are doing, then they should stop expecting other musicians to fulfill thier creative appetites and creat the music they want to hear themselves, so as a result, I'm not too critical of a lot of artists music.

Anxiety said:

I was a bit disappointed with it when I first heard it (and still am, too "poppy" and "easy" for my taste...) but it's still a great album and the best thing that's out there anyway (except maybe for the new Eels album and the upcoming Foo Fighters discs, we'll see...)

Neversin.

Has the new NIN been all that since "The Downward Spiral" anyway? I'd actually like to hear this record too, but I don't think I am going to buy it. I have too much NIN already on my shelves. Literally collecting dust, as I vacuum far too seldom.

Novabreaker said:

Too much NIN? Are you talking boots because Trent isn't the most prolific artist around.

I think he's already at Halo sixty-four or something. Yes, I do consider owning the "And All That Could Have Been" -deluxe edition as too much NIN.

Novabreaker said:

Possibly, which is remarkable considering that includes only three full studio LPs of new material.

You probabbly won't experience that high of listening to it for the first time like many people did with Broken or The Downward Spiral. Trent has found his niche and been working in a similar manner for over a decade. People know what to expect, and there's no real suprise anymore.

It's a short solid album, and the songs follow a more standard format than the bizzare experimental soundscapes he's done on previous albums.

When he initially mentioned that he brought on Dave Grohl for some live drumming in place of drum machines, I thought this album was going to have a completely different sound. But for whatever reason, it still sounds the same.

Anxiety said:

Sweeeeet.

Novabreaker said:

that's kinda how i feel. i'm excited about the new NIN album existing, but i don't listen to the NIN stuff i already have - i'm either burnt out on what i like (downward spiral, pretty hate machine) or i'm never in the mood for the stuff that didn't grab me the first time (the fragile, broken).

i think it's just a kneejerk response to past enthusiasm more than anything that'll get me to the wrecka stow today - that, and other stuff coming out today that i wanna pick up. i might just listen to someone else's copy and see what i think. from what little i've heard of the new album, i dunno if i'm feeling trent this time around. bummer.

Me...when it comes to Prince music, am the fisrt to be critical. That said. My friend is a die-hard NIN fan. He's got like 95 percent of the HALO releases. According to him...EVERY NIN song is a slice of heaven. He'll prolly love the new album with reckless abandon if it's good or not.

BobGeorge909 said:

i felt that way about NIN after the downward spiral, but after that i was less and less impressed by the songs and albums he'd put out - though i really do like the soundtracks he compiled for 'natural born killers' and 'lost highway'. i'd be really excited if he was behind another soundtrack, or maybe even if he did a mix CD.

*IMO* there hasn't been a good NIN album since Broken.

Anxiety said:

Do you mean one of those 'influenced by' compilations? I have a Felix da Housecat one which is mostly new wave naturally. Ladytron released one which I always meant to get but haven't yet.

I downloaded it today...It was my first introduction to NIN's sound (and yes I live on this planet...).

It's grows on us...chill-out sound!

one thing is true i'm really diggin' this album...Can't wait 2 get the other albums!

trent is really gifted.

But he'll never a man-Tori Amos!

PurpleKnight said:

No... I think it's his best work next to "Pretty Hate Machine"...

Neversin.

It's pretty good.

Not earth shattering, but much better, to me, than The Fragile--the fragile sought too much to be an art piece. This is more of a pop album. A refreshing break, me thinks.

I guess this is the normal reaction now for a NIN album.

sextonseven said:

an 'influenced by' comp would be cool, or just a dj mix with stuff he's remixed and crazy stuff gluing the tracks together - sound collage and whatnot...i love the way he pieced the tracks together for the 'natural born killers' soundtrack and i'd like to hear more stuff like that from him because i found that project to be really imaginatively compiled and really colorful with regards to the music chosen.

the ladytron compilation is worth picking up. lots of good stuff on it.

by the way, i'm listening to the NIN album for the first time as i post this...it's not as dull as i thought it would be. the first song did a good job of drawing me in. so far, it kinda reminds me of a less funky 'pretty hate machine'.

Anxiety said:

I really love the new album.

With every album, I notice Trent's work sinks in more with repeated listens, gets in your blood. This one I think may have to grow for some people.

The highlight of the album for me is definitely Right Where It Belongs, Such a beautiful song.

I think it's hard to put a real definite comparison on the new album in reference to the past NIN albums, there's some self referential moments lyrically but I think he's once again gone forward as an artist rather than just retread the same ground.

I think it ends much more hopeful than you'd ever expect a NIN album to as well.

Whoah, the album artwork actually has a picture of its author!

Novabreaker said:

i think the downloadable liner notes is kind of cheesy. if i knew this is how it would be packaged, i would have opted for downloading the album altogether so i'd have less useless packaging cluttering up my music collection. did the dualdisc version have proper liner notes? at least, i think he shoulda put out a special edition like beck did with 'guero' with a decent booklet included. i'm a sucker for that stuff, and i'm at the point now where not only will i shell out a few extra bucks for it if i really like the artist, but i kinda expect it.

yeah, i'm a geek.

I think the cover art is very uninspired though. His worst to date, totally perfunctory and boring (looks like a mid-90s shareware computer game graphics), haven't heard the album yet myself but I'll get to it later.

i've been spoiled rotten by stuff like the recent cure reissues, the deluxe-o-riffic bowie reissues and the aforementioned beck deluxe version of guero, and as shallow as it may seem, being able to look at the 'visuals' of an album really have an effect on the mood i get when i'm listening to an album...as visual as NIN's sound is, the art direction of his 'halos' seems key to me. perfect examples: 'the downward spiral' and 'the fragile'. this whole album seems kinda farted out. good music - better than i expected - but 'with teeth' feels to me like it's a frustrated response to folks who thought 'the fragile' was too indulgent, and its failure in general to be a big piece of the NIN catalog. maybe that's just me letting my imagination go overboard, i don't know. it just feels like 'with teeth' is trent's way of saying 'you want a basic pop album? well, here ya go, bitches.' to which i say, 'hmm. thanks!'

I definitely feel like this record is something of a reaction to all the people who didn't get/didn't like The Fragile. No instrumentals, single disc, etc. I think the problem a lot of people had with The Fragile was that they didnt' give it enough of a chance. It wasn't an album you could absorb in 2 or even 3 listens, and I feel like this one will be the same. But again, I think Trent's definitely reacting to the reaction...(allow myself to introduce myself!) of "The Fragile" (which was an AWESOME record by the way!)

Ok, this album is a grower.

It sounds good on the first listen--nothing special, but not tedius like "The Fragile"

But it seems to grown on me with each listen.

Have to say that this will be one of my all time favorites.
With Teeth takes a big bite right out of my heart.