Fans of restraint, look away now
Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 02/21/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Five-piece band The Feeling brought a certain air of genteel English sophistication to a British pop scene on the verge of death back in 2006, with the release of their debut album Twelve Stops and Home. With hits (and personal favourites) like "Never Be Lonely", "Sewn", "Kettle's On", "Strange" and "Love It When You Call", I'd never heard UK pop music so utterly cool, yet so obviously radio-friendly at the same time. I was so impressed with them, I did the very unusual and bought a few of their singles as well, just so I could get the non-album tracks that appeared on them. They didn't let me down once.
Well, the boys are back with their sophomore effort "Join With Us" and while it certainly isn't the instant classic their debut was, it's a second album much better than I dared hope for. (All fans exhale). Songs like UK top ten lead single "I Thought It Was Over", couples a disco-like bass line from Richard Jones with some remarkable piano cascades and guitar that is reminiscent of Queen's Brian May. "Without You", another favourite, sounds incredibly festive for mid-February - but in a good way - and the sax solo in "Won't Go Away" is simply heaven. "Spare Me", a piano led haunting reflection on a slightly dysfunctional relationship, "Connor" and "This Time" are other personal favourites. There's even a hidden track that should be pure delight if you're a diehard Abba fan like I am.
There's a strong temptation to laugh off what these dudes are doing as pure farrago - they do have a knack for meshing the old and the new - but there's too much sincerity on display. They somehow bring it all together and they make it work. The lyrics are mostly about love, (usually frustration at its absence), with the only notable exception being "Turn It Up", which is a slight dig at the tabloid media, but The Feeling make it interesting. Besides, it's clear to me at least, that what these dudes are singing about IS actually love and that they're not just doing the commonplace thing and using the word as a euphemism for sex.
All in all, a tad sumptuous. Even a tad overstated, perhaps - I hear no restraint here - but to me, that's all part of The Feeling's appeal. This is still a pretty decent album from a pretty decent band. The Feeling are definitely here to stay.
I for one say, whoopee. Now all this album needs is a reasonably priced US release."
A Fine Followup (now please release it in the USA!)
Somewhere in Texas | Planet Texas | 06/11/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As someone who became a fan of The Feeling via the BBC and Virgin (now Absolute) Radio streams on the internet and bought the import CD of "Twelve Stops and Home" I was extremely disappointed in the way Universal/Cherrytree handled the USA release. A re-designed cover and track listing that messed up the flow of the original UK album was pointless. And they promoted the group to college, AAA and alternative stations first instead of promoting them directly to the mainstream CHR, Adult Contemporary and Hot AC stations their sound is perfect for.
"Twelve Stops" could have been a Top 10 monster success had Universal given the band the huge mass promotion they give to their USA hip-hop and pop-rock artists like Maroon 5.
That said, "Join With Us" is a fine second CD with many radio friendly and instantly catchy tracks. Unlike a lot of UK bands that have a great debut and then flop with their second CD, The Feeling aren't one-CD wonders.
And I agree with another reviewer the band has "turned it up" a volume wise. The band plays and sings with plenty of fire and spirit, while lead singer Dan Gillespie-Sells tears his heart out on many songs. I love "Turn It Up" with it's strong piano work that reminds me a lot John Waite's Babys in the late 70's.
"I Thought It was Over" is a great mix of ELO meets Duran Duran dance-pop. It was a top 10 single in the UK and should be all over US radio. I love the melody and beautiful chorus of "Without You" though the mentioning of the Virgina Tech murders gives the song a creepy edge that might turn off American listeners. But the title track, "Wont Go Away", and "Loneliness" are completely sweet yet not annoying or trite pop.
Though there's some weak ballads there's really not a complete dud in the whole bunch. Even sappier efforts like "Connor" might annoy at first listen but the band's impressive grasp of melody and song arrangement (reminding me of Crowded House and Dodgy) will lure you in.
Now I hope Universal/Cherrytree will release this CD in the USA as soon as possible. This band has the musicianship, songwriting, charisma and sincerity that most of today's pop artists barely have. With the right promotion of their second CD, The Feeling could be superstars here."
Light-years from being a "sophomore slump". This album is j
JOHN P. HANSSEN | ventura, CA USA | 08/21/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Join With Us", the latest sophomore outing by one of the UK's finest bands, "The Feeling", is absolutely superb and is easily just as good as their debut album, "Twelve Stops And Home." A previous reviewer stated that on this album they completely forgot the hooks that made their first album so great. Uh, excuse me? This album contains a hookfest that will definitely have you singing the songs hours later. Also, every last one of the songs are so upbeat and energetic, you can't help but feel great when listening to them. I think that "The Feeling" are, unfortunately, going to go down in history as one the most underrated bands of all time. They are really big in the UK, from what I hear, yet, hardly anyone knows about them in the US, which is really a shame and these guys with their amazing talent deserve so much better. Go ahead and give this album a spin. You will not be disappointed."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1