# Only Life > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Only_Life > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Only_Life.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_Life > Source revision: 1330982202 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1988 studio album by the Feelies Only Life Studio album by the Feelies Released September 13, 1988[1] Length 39:17 Label Coyote/A&M[2] Producer Steve Rinkoff, Bill Million, Glenn Mercer The Feelies chronology The Good Earth (1986) Only Life (1988) Time for a Witness (1991) Singles from Only Life "Away" Released: 1988 ***Only Life*** is the third album by the American [rock](/source/Rock_music) band [the Feelies](/source/The_Feelies), released in 1988.[3][4] It was made with the same line-up that appeared on the band's previous album, *[The Good Earth](/source/The_Good_Earth_(The_Feelies_album))*.[5] The album contains a cover of [the Velvet Underground](/source/The_Velvet_Underground)'s "[What Goes On](/source/What_Goes_On_(Velvet_Underground_song))".[6] The album peaked at No. 173 on the [*Billboard* 200](/source/Billboard_200).[7] [Jonathan Demme](/source/Jonathan_Demme) directed the video for "Away".[8] ## Style *Only Life* has been described as an "updated and mature form" of its predecessor, *[The Good Earth](/source/The_Good_Earth_(The_Feelies_album))*. It features fewer acoustic tracks, with a "greater focus on speedy jangle-strum rockers".[9] ## Production The album was produced by [Glenn Mercer](/source/Glenn_Mercer), Bill Million, and Steve Rinkoff.[10] ## Critical reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic [11] Robert Christgau B+[12] The Encyclopedia of Popular Music [2] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide [13] The Philadelphia Inquirer [14] Pitchfork 7.6/10[15] Rolling Stone [16] The Rolling Stone Album Guide [6] Spin Alternative Record Guide 7/10[17] *[Magnet](/source/Magnet_(magazine))* wrote that "the songs grapple with apprehension and the longing for comfort, which the music delivers in the form of indelible hooks and transcendent rave-ups."[18] *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* wrote: "Driven by the interlocking guitars of Mercer and Bill Million, the band constructs waves of beautiful hypnotic drone, with subtle tempo shifts and percussion accents that ripple through the arrangements."[16] *[Trouser Press](/source/Trouser_Press)* praised the "amazingly exacting sound and performances" and "riveting songs of breathless electricity."[19] *[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)* listed the album at number nine on its list of the ten best albums of 1988.[20] ## Track listing All tracks are written by [Glenn Mercer](/source/Glenn_Mercer) except where noted. Side one No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "It's Only Life" 3:01 2. "Too Much" Bill Million, Glenn Mercer 4:38 3. "Deep Fascination" 4:07 4. "Higher Ground" 4:38 5. "The Undertow" 3:43 Total length: 20:07 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "For Awhile" 4:05 2. "The Final Word" Million, Mercer 2:23 3. "Too Far Gone" Million, Mercer 3:38 4. "Away" 5:27 5. "What Goes On" Lou Reed 3:37 Total length: 19:10 ## Personnel - [Glenn Mercer](/source/Glenn_Mercer) – lead, rhythm and slide guitars, lead vocals, keyboards - Bill Million – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals, e-bow - Brenda Sauter – bass, backing vocals - Stan Demeski – drums, percussion - Dave Weckerman – percussion, drums ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Dupler, Steven](/source/Steven_Dupler) (September 3, 1988). "The Eye". *Billboard*. Vol. 100, no. 36. p. 48. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). Coyote/A&M act the Feelies' new single, "Away," from the album, "Only Life," due out Sept. 13 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CL_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CL_2-1) Larkin, Colin (2006). *The Encyclopedia of Popular Music*. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 415. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The Feelies | Biography & History"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-feelies-mn0000762177/biography). *AllMusic*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Feelies: Only Life & Time for a Witness"](https://relix.com/reviews/detail/the_feelies_only_life_time_for_a_witness/). *Relix Media*. June 10, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). [*Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996*](https://books.google.com/books?id=4ufUBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA104). Voyageur Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780760346488](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780760346488) – via Google Books. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RS_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RS_6-1) *The Rolling Stone Album Guide*. Random House. 1992. p. 242. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The Feelies"](https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-feelies/chart-history/tlp/). *Billboard*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["FEELIES SAYING SOMETHING - Record Collector Magazine"](https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/feelies-saying-something). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). *Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996*. Yoyageur Press. p. 104. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Jenkins, Mark (September 14, 1988). "Records: The Feelies And Pere Ubu: Polished Power". *The Washington Post*: C7. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Ned Raggett. ["Only Life - The Feelies | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/only-life-mw0000197559). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved November 10, 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["CG: feelies"](http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=feelies). *Robert Christgau*. March 26, 1991. Retrieved November 10, 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide*. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 419. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Moon, Tom (October 9, 1988). "A STRONG BAND THAT WINS WITH ITS INSTRUMENTALS". *The Philadelphia Inquirer*: G14. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["The Feelies: Only Life/Time For A Witness"](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21666-only-lifetime-for-a-witness/). *Pitchfork*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_16-1) ["The Feelies: Only Life : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081103074208/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thefeelies/albums/album/111234/review/5946864/only_life). *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*. November 3, 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thefeelies/albums/album/111234/review/5946864/only_life) on November 3, 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** *Spin Alternative Record Guide*. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 146–147. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Essential New Music: The Feelies' "Only Life" And "Time For A Witness""](https://magnetmagazine.com/2016/04/17/essential-new-music-the-feelies-only-life-and-time-for-a-witness/). April 17, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Feelies"](https://trouserpress.com/reviews/feelies/). *Trouser Press*. Retrieved April 15, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Gundersen, Edna (December 13, 1988). "The year in music: Only a few stand out in a so-so period for rock: In 1988, pop falls short on substance". *USA Today*: 1D. v t e The Feelies Glenn Mercer Bill Million Stan Demeski Brenda Sauter Dave Weckerman Anton Fier Studio albums Crazy Rhythms The Good Earth Only Life Time for a Witness Here Before In Between Some Kinda Love: Performing the Music of The Velvet Underground Authority control databases MusicBrainz release group --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Only Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_Life) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_Life?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.