Feeder Old/Feeder New

Feeder have a brand new album out this year. I seem to be one of the only few who still care about this band and it seems that the days of wanting to be Coldplay are now over. Pure rock music is now back on the agenda for this Welsh trio. Miss You is a short, sharp and catchy song with the pop sensibilities that have been their trademark on so many occasions. In a way, however much I like the song, I get the impression that they're trying to recreate past glories. I now fully accept that the days of Polythene are over, but I don't think the band do. However, this is an excellent taster of an album that promises to be more Kerrang (well...close to it anyway) than Magic FM.

But speaking of past glories...

Today on my shopping escapades in London, whilst with my girlfriend's parents on their holidays here, I managed to find a copy of Swim by Feeder on vinyl (as pictured above). I checked the vinyl to see if it really was what I thought it was. This 6-song mini-album is the band's first proper release. This was a taster of what would become the band's debut album. I bought it and, despite a few scratches that ruin things slightly, it works most of the time. And it was £8.

This album showcases the abilities that Feeder displayed in abundance early in their career. They could rock hard with pummeling rhythms and beautifully distorted guitar melodies (Shade and Stereo World), tender moments that were so much better than anything off Pushing The Senses (Swim), and it had Descend, a song so powerful it still feels good in 2008. The re-released CD version, which you might be able to find in some rip-off record shops, have five extra tracks that just do not match the quality of the original article.

As opposed to songs about 'drinking cider from a lemon', this is what I'll remember Feeder for when their career finally subsides.

DIGG IT!