Michael Stack 2006-04-04
12 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Only", the second single from "With Teeth", has something in common with its predecessor-- its of limited value. I picked it up and was pretty disappointed.
The single itself, "Only", isn't one of the ones I particularly enjoy on the album-- its got a nice enough funky bass line and drum beat, but Reznor's sing-speak "Down In It" styled vocal grates and the piece doesn't particularly hold my interest. Certainly it lacks the immediacy of "Down In It", and I'm generally inclined to want Reznor to look forward, not backward.
The b-sides aren't much better-- the DFA mix of "The Hand That Feeds" is yet another remix, this one pretty much a full techno mix. It's quite different, replete with an odd panting sample that gets somewhat irritating as the piece never ends (it rambles on for well over seven minutes). The live version of "Love is Not Enough" is the only saving grace on the single-- while its not one of the better songs on the record, its decent enough, and live it got bigger. The arrangement is the same, but its more direct and in your face.
For the casual listener, skip this one. The fan will be buying it regardless of what I say, but it's in line with the recent singles, not the older (and superior) ones.
