I was challenged to review this by fellow member Crazy-Christian after I commented to him that I thought Feeder were bit dull. As a result of my mouthing off I now find myself reviewing an album of his choice by the indie-rockers. Mmmmmm, can’t wait.

And luckily some community spirited chap pointed out I’d reviewed some special import version BEFORE Crazy-Christian got back from holiday so I can tidy it up before he mocks me.

* Polythene Girl *

Opening up with some backwards guitars and a little synth riff the light hearted intro’s nice and cheerful and pretty good. The chorus is fairly standard grungy rock and so not bad but not particularly grabbing. However there’s an anger filled middle section that really stands out. Overall the song doesn’t initially grab you but is a bit of a grower.

* My Perfect Day *

A sad tinge of summer to this song (Don’t ask why I said that, it just makes sense). It’s a fairly rocky song but never really does much. Fairly forgettable.

* Cement *

A slight jangly touch to the guitar before Feeder thrown in some rocky bass which is itself shortly joined by a more rocky guitar. From here on Feeder don’t tend to stray from the indie-rock feel but it’s better executed than a lot of bands who just pump out indie-rock by numbers. One thing I will mention though are the lyrics, they have a definite sixties sort of Kinks feel to them. I wasn’t overly keen on the lyrics to Polythene Girl but these are better – not mind blowing, not Art Alexakis – but better.

* High * (Not present on first review)

If Travis ever made an interesting song (Miaow!) then I’d imagine it would sound similar to the verse to this song, while the verse goes more U2 but about drugs. Nothing particularly wrong with the song but it’s not particularly memorable. Wouldn’t turn it on, wouldn’t turn it off – but would perhaps like it more the later at night it was.

* Crash *

Starting off with a gentle tremolo’d guitar riff, the song fools you into thinking it’s a ballad. But when the distorted guitars crash in you know Feeder have pulled the wool over your eyes. Once the song is off and running the music switches between full out rocking sections and parts where the rock guitars are merged with the intro riff. Effective and easily the best song on the album so far.

* Radiation *

Starting with a slow grungy, almost Soundgarden feel, Radiation keeps the grunge feel but loses the distortion as the guitars jangle with a few wailing distorted guitars faintly audible in the background. The distortion and the angst are cranked up just before the chorus everything’s fine and great and yet when the chorus itself starts Feeder resort to doing pop-rock (cf housewife-rock, Brian Adams etc). Spoils what would have been a pretty good song.

* Suffocate *

I think this track may actually be a ballad. Mixing gently strummed acoustic and electric guitars. Again Feeder chuck in some quiet wailing guitars in the background and once again it’s very effective. It’s a nice ballad, but perhaps a bit overlong for the number of ideas in the song. Although the more I listen to it the less likely I am to think that.

* Descend *

Driven along by it’s bass line, layers of jangly guitar and strangled synths provide the slightly unnerving background. Again, just before the chorus the distortion and the angst is pumped right up but yet again Feeder lapse into pop-rock for the chorus and spoil what would have been a great song.

* Stereo World *

Argh! Squeaky guitars along with low growling guitars start the song off incredibly well but they keep chucking pop-rock sections in. I suppose if you like that sort of thing then you’ll love this but personally I just find it a bit forgettable, especially compared to the great intro.

* Change * (Not present on first review)

Again it’s a fairly forgettable song from Feeder, this time a ballad. Indie Rock goes power ballad although like the other addition to the album (Or review rather) it would suit a late night listen more.

* Tangerine *

Pumped up bass and fuzzed up guitar set the track off at a flying pace. Makes for a great intro, and the quality continues as Grants half whispered vocals add a further sense of urgency to the song but then after a little wah wah guitar section Feeder AGAIN go pop-rock. Another song let down…

* Forgive *

Starting with an intro that sounds scarily like the start of Classic Girl by Janes Addiction the song continues as a ‘half ballad’. There are moments of angry vocals and distorted guitars but the overall feel of the song is of a ballad though it does build up towards the end. While there is a slight poppy feel to the chorus, the occasionally shouted vocals stop it bugging me. Not bad!

* 20th Century Trip *

A slow, short and dreamy ballad. Mainly acoustic guitars with a staccato, almost train like synth in the background. Mellow vocals wash over you for two minutes and then it’s over. Short but pretty damn good.

I have to admit I was surprised by this album – I had expected it to be fairly dull but it wasn’t. Sure the way they kept throwing pop sections in made me want to head but things but I’ve heard plenty worse albums. Still, if you like this try Superunknown by Soundgarden and So Much for the Afterglow by Everclear – both much better.

Oh and Crazy-Christian, I retract the dull comment – at least for this album!

Right, OK – I think my head got sorted out now and actually reviewed the version of the album that’s on general release in the UK. But, yes but! The UK release only gets two stars and falls very close the ‘Feeder are Dull’ level. If you can find (Or even know what it is, I got off cddb http://www.cddb.com/xm/cd/blues/a7e57f9818901dfa34a7ed7d9d8aa11a.html) then it can have three stars and not be called dull

Next challenge… BUT GIVE ME A TRACK LISTING! :)

* The random extra tracks from the first review *

* Waterfall *

More backwards guitars introduce the song before the guitars proper are released in a soaring, anthemic kind of fashion. Again, it sounds a bit like Soundgarden but the rapid vocals are more punk than grunge. It’s a nice combination but incredibly, unbelievable and stupidly Feeder again go pop-rock for the chorus and spoil the song.

* Chicken On A Bone *

A slightly funky feel to the clean electric guitar riff is soon destroyed as the guitars are fuzzed up. But I’m not using destroyed as a negative term there, contrast is a good thing! Chicken On A Bone has all the ingredients of a classic rock song, the quiet bit, the loud bit and the angsty bit. Feeder of course though like to chuck in a short poppy bit but the rest of the track is good enough to make up for that.

* Here In The Bubble *

A slow dreamy ballad with lots of simple ideas stacked up to create a fairly rich listening experience. However, pretty much all the ideas (mainly lots of simple clean guitar licks) are used up very quickly and at almost four and a half minutes the song tends to drag a bit. Good at the start but just to long.

* Swim *

Acoustic guitar and subtly echoed vocals start us off and indeed, carry us through the three minute ballad. This time though the song doesn’t drag, while all the song has is the guitar and the vocals it’s well enough executed to avoid being boring. Although you could moan that it was a fairly uninspiring way to end the album as Swim instead of having and ending just, well, stops.