The "A Conversation With...." from the iTunes version has appeared. It's 40+ minutes in length and has full demos of unreleased and released tracks in it. You can find it in places.
It's considered a very on-off record among NIN fans. The last 4 songs of that CD are agreed to be great. Everything else (aside from All The Love In The World) is considered meh. Trent even considers that CD one of, if not THE worst records he's put out. But the great thing (and, depending on how you look at it, the worst thing) about NIN is that everyone generally has very divisive opinions on all albums. Some consider TDS the best thing since sliced bread. Others, The Fragile. Others PHM. Some love Ghosts I-IV. Others think it's trash. That I can think of, Hesitation Marks is probably the first time since '94 that the fanbase as a whole (judging by the ETS forums) has been unanimous in something - the opinion that HM kicks ass.
I got into NIN about 08 and With Teeth was my favourite album when I first went through the discography, TDS and Year Zero tied for second. My opinion has changed now and I can't make it through With Teeth anymore, i'd certainly consider the last track as one of NIN's classics though.
One of the worst studio NIN albums. Now I will clarify and say I LOVE that album. His 'worst' album is still great. All The Love, Right Where It Belongs. Beside You in Time, Line Begins to Blur. Amazing. Without counting this new album for me it goes: (Not including EPs and remix albums) 1. Fragile 2. Year Zero 3. TDS 4. The Slip 5. With Teeth 6. PHM (I appreciate it but its definitely sounding dated) I won't add Ghosts since it's instrumental and I'm still on a HM high so that's not really fair either. But you also have to understand most fans love his concept albums. TDS, Fragile, Year Zero and now Hesitation Mark. He really excels at making concept albums where most albums fail and he abandoned making With Teeth a concept album.
After a couple of listens I have to say: I absolutely adore this record. Damn, the Sonical Spheres Trent has created are beyond mind-bending. Dind`t expect something this great after "With Teeth" (although it still has great songs, don`t get me wrong) and "Year Zero" (which i didn`t really like). Awesome! And I fucking love Came Back Haunted. Even if it is a bit poppy.
I took the last 24 hours off from listening to it to let my ears freshen up. Gonna get back at it now.
I like it a lot in fact. Sunspots, Rigth Where It Belongs, Getting Smaller, Every Day Is Exactly the Same are some personnal favorites. I just think most of the other NIN records are even better
After my initial listen nothing really jumped out at my (except for Everything and Various Methods of Escape). Granted, I only had a single listen so my opinions will probably change
So taking a break from the album I find the songs that worm their way into my head at work are definitely Various Methods of Escape and In Two. I randomly find myself singing the choruses with VMoE being on top.
Also: Home, The Hand That Feeds... I think that people don't like because it's not as crazy as his other records... but With Teeth has some memorable simple songs and great lyrics...
Just listened to "In Two" using my earphones in a pitch-black room with my eyes closed. What a great song. I'd recommend replicating that listening experience for the whole album. You get lost in it.
I did that my first listen through. There's a ton of great things going on in these songs that headphones really make clear.