Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 30, 2026

Only Life

Only Life is the third album by the American rock band the Feelies, released in 1988. It was made with the same line-up that appeared on the band's previous album, The Good Earth. The album contains a cover of the Velvet Underground's "What Goes On".

Last revised
Jul 30, 2026
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Only Life
Studio album by
the Feelies
ReleasedSeptember 13, 19881
Length39:17
LabelCoyote/A&M2
ProducersSteve Rinkoff, Bill Million, Glenn Mercer
The Feelies chronology
The Good Earth
(1986) 		Only Life
(1988) 		Time for a Witness
(1991)
Singles from Only Life
  1. "Away"
    Released: 1988

Only Life is the third album by the American rock band the Feelies, released in 1988.34 It was made with the same line-up that appeared on the band's previous album, The Good Earth.5 The album contains a cover of the Velvet Underground's "What Goes On".6

The album peaked at No. 173 on the Billboard 200.7 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. It features fewer acoustic tracks, with a "greater focus on speedy jangle-strum rockers".9

Production

The album was produced by Glenn Mercer, Bill Million, and Steve Rinkoff.10

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar11
Robert ChristgauB+12
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar2
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album GuideStarStarStarHalf star13
The Philadelphia InquirerStarStarStarStar14
Pitchfork7.6/1015
Rolling StoneStarStarStarStar16
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarStarHalf star6
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/1017

Magnet 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 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 praised the "amazingly exacting sound and performances" and "riveting songs of breathless electricity."19 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 except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."It's Only Life" 3:01
2."Too Much"Bill Million, Glenn Mercer4:38
3."Deep Fascination" 4:07
4."Higher Ground" 4:38
5."The Undertow" 3:43
Total length:20:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."For Awhile" 4:05
2."The Final Word"Million, Mercer2:23
3."Too Far Gone"Million, Mercer3:38
4."Away" 5:27
5."What Goes On"Lou Reed3:37
Total length:19:10

Personnel

  • 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

References

  1. Dupler, Steven (September 3, 1988). "The Eye". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 36. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Coyote/A&M act the Feelies' new single, "Away," from the album, "Only Life," due out Sept. 13
  2. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 415.
  3. "The Feelies Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. "The Feelies: Only Life & Time for a Witness". Relix. June 10, 2016.
  5. Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760346488.
  6. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 242.
  7. "The Feelies". Billboard.
  8. "Feelies Saying Something". Record Collector.
  9. Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Yoyageur Press. p. 104.
  10. Jenkins, Mark (September 14, 1988). "Records: The Feelies And Pere Ubu: Polished Power". The Washington Post. p. C7.
  11. Ned Raggett. "Only Life The Feelies". AllMusic. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  12. "Feelies". Robert Christgau. March 26, 1991. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  13. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 419.
  14. Moon, Tom (October 9, 1988). "A Strong Band That Wins with Its Instrumentals". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. G14.
  15. "The Feelies: Only Life/Time For A Witness". Pitchfork.
  16. "The Feelies: Only Life : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. November 3, 2008. Archived from the original on November 3, 2008.
  17. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 146–147.
  18. "Essential New Music: The Feelies' 'Only Life' and 'Time for a Witness'". Magnet. April 17, 2016.
  19. "Feelies". Trouser Press. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  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. p. 1D.