onday May 16, 2005 arts.michigandaily.com artspage@michigandaily.com Reznor's angst plagues new LP By Gabe Rivin Daily Arts Writer ARTS 9 MUSIC R-..... Sixteen years into Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor still suffers from the same aggressive depression that made his music a popular counterpart to Nirvana in the early '90s. But post-NIN material has shown how Reznor's songwriting has entered Nine Inch a stagnance that's inappropriate for the Nails 39-year-old rock star. Reznor has always capitalized on his With Teeth 'tortured artist" image. Most listeners Interscope feel some affinity for the band's S&M- style lyrics ("I wanna fuck you like an animal," anyone?), but with Nine Inch Nails' MTV popularity mostly behind them, With Teeth remains dedicated to their quintessential style. Fans will especially appreciate the effort that Reznor put into making the album, which is a masterwork of stu- dio production. The opening track, "All the Love in the World," is a catchy and enjoyable song; fitted with poppy drum machine beats and an ominous piano line, it moves in several directions before settling on Reznor's howl. But while Nine Inch Nails' diehard fans won't be disap- pointed by With Teeth, anyone who isn't stuck in the rebel- lious phase may find Reznor's efforts insincere and forced. Song titles like "Every Day is Exactly the Same" dem- snstrate how Reznor is trying to force the torment. And though several songs offer a unique form, With Teeth gen- erally consists of the standard, verse-chorus-verse layout topped with Reznor's whisper-scream vocals. } How long does Reznor think he can act like a tortured artist before his fans catch on to his formula? Despite his wannabe-expressionistic style, With Teeth inspires ambiva- lence because Reznor is wasting his considerable capabili- ties. It's time he moves past his anger and depression and embraces a more sophisticated songwriting medium. 'MONSTER' MASH FONDAS RETURN MARRED BY SLIPSHOD MATERIAL By Zach Borden Daily Arts Writer A simple way to describe the new romantic comedy "Monster-In-Law" is tocall it afemale- oriented (and less funny) version of "Meet The Par- ents." But while both films Monster- pivot around a couple going in-Law through the awkward, oft- At Showcase humiliating first experience and Quality 16 with the in-laws, "Monster- New Line In-Law" is an insipid wreck of a movie that doesn't even come close to reaching the comedic heights of the already overrated "Parents," or, worse yet, its utterly inane sequel. Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) is a temp worker who falls in love with Kevin (Michael Vartan, TV's "Alias"). But when they go to meet his neurotic mother, Viola (Jane Fonda, "Nine to Five"), a former television personality, she plots to ruin the couple's relationship. Nasty deeds, harsh words and catty backstabbing ensue. When it comes to plot and characters, "You know, my 'Lower Body Solution' workout would do numbers on that ass.' "Monster-In-Law" is strictly by the numbers. There's the obligatory epiphany scene at the climax, when characters learn moral lessons that exist primarily to bring the film to a sappy close. Many of the supporting characters are also cookie cutter, like the former flame who tries to woo Kevin away and Charlie's gay best friend, a media-obsessed stereotype who gives her love advice. Add to that the sophomoric humor (just how funny can food allergies and cathartic revenge fantasies be?), and it's clear that director Robert Luketic ("LegallytBlonde") has lost his touch for comedic rhythm. Meanwhile, Lopez makes Charlie a stan- dard, nonchalant character without any real spunk or appeal. Vartan's presence is equal- ly puzzling, as he lacks any chemistry with Lopez. Thanks to Fonda, though, the film's cast isn't a complete waste. While it's unclear why she chose this movie as her long-await- ed return vehicle, Fonda is delightful as the nutty, overbearing title character. Despite this, romantic comedies don't get much more mundane than "Monster- In-Law." Still, the movie marks an above- average comeback performance for Fonda, who has been away from Hollywood far too long. Hopefully, it won't be another 15 years before audiences get to see the one-of-a-kind Oscar winner on the silver screen again. CHECK MICHIGANDAILY.COM FORF " NEW STORIES DURING THE WEEK. ;Fiction' adds to Spoon's great catalog By Evan McGarvey Daily Arts Editor In the calfskin-taut midsection of Spoon's brilliant Gimme Fiction, the aesthetic com- Spoon parisons to Spoon's forefa- :hers fall away and we're Gimmiel left to ponder: Is the trio Fiction from Austin, Texas - a Merge cradle of indie civilization in the middle of red-state wasteland - in he midst of a winning streak great enough :o warrant comparison to the famed trifec- :a of Stones albums (Beggar's Banquet, et It Bleed, Sticky Fingers)? Are Spoon's ists in sound, from the brooding bed- :oom rock of Girls Can Tell to the thin, welterweight strong-structures of Kill The Voonlight, convincing enough to warrant >otential rock blasphemy? Gimme Fiction has more meat on its iones than the negative space-chewing ngs on Moonlight. "The Two Sides of Ionsieur Valentine" gets a boost from an unforced string section that compliments inger Brit Daniel's puzzling and ulti- nately tragic narrative. The deft turn into 'I Turn My Camera On" and its haunting sleaze-funk, complete with murmured vocals, establishes a rhythm of thematic crests and shadowy valleys for the rest of the album. Lurid, voyeuristic songs like "The Infinite Pet" and "Was It You?" dip their toes in dirty electronic noise pools. Clean, acoustic tracks build up in crescen- dos that lead to a guitar-smacked cathar- sis. "Sister Jack" rambles through brassy percussion and jangling guitars. Each attempt to pin down a concrete influence on Gimme Fiction brings with it a different interpretation. The acous- tic movements gain distance; previously cold tremors of feedback, as in the opener "Beast and Dragon, Adored," suddenly feel downright necessary. It's equally dif- ficult to pick a favorite track on Gimme Fiction. The album doesn't feature an obvious crowd pleaser, though "Monsieur Valentine" comes closest. Moonlight's lead single, "The Way We Get By" con- verted listeners to the Spoon bandwagon, but anyone who stopped to listen to the whole album found a trove of tracks wor- thy of adoration. The reverse is more true here: You're attracted to the concept of Gimme Fiction before slowly discovering the appeal of individual songs. The moody sexuality and piano-driven songs on Spoon's latest may trick listen- ers into mistaking Gimme Fiction for a distillation of Girls Can Tell, but Daniel's romantic grimace lurks under the surface with more visceral bite. And while the title alone evokes both the Stooges' and Stones' more desperate moments, Spoon avoids rank imitation again: They tell stories with pure truth and lay down raw indie-rock beside malleable, drowsy bal- lads that slither over the ear like a snake. Again, discussing which bands in the past 40-odd years of rock have influenced Spoon isn't a completely fruitless exercise, but it's certainly more fun and productive to imagine the bands that are going to be made in their image. They're going to want to sound like Spoon. They're going to remember the moment they first heard Gimme Fiction on their stereo growing up, and we should, too.