| COMFORT IN SOUND : FEEDER 2002 |
| With the bright white cover and the innocent angel, plus the other *kawaii* illustrations of children, one thought is that Feeder's fourth studio album is full of purity and hope. Gone are the hard edge guitar riffs of 'Polythene', the battle between a present harmony and a cluttered future of 'Yesterday Went Too Soon' and the experimental symphony of 'Echo Park'; 'Comfort In Sound' sees epic ballads of holding onto what's left, reflections and dedications. Sweeping melodies, gentle vocals and the most simple, heartbreaking lyrics are combined with such emotive force that 'Polythene''s biggest fan is crushed to tears. It's hard not to look for references to the late and dearly missed Jon Lee in the lyrics as there are many of them, but the music itself acts as a tribute: it's faultless and each note comes from the bottom of Grant and Taka's hearts. 'Child in You' and 'Quick Fade' are littered with lines about deep friendship and love- there has been no effort to disguise these themes in cryptic metaphors. There's no need to. Even the louder tracks on 'Comfort In Sound' like the recent single 'Come Back Around, 'Helium' and 'Godzilla' can't hide the pain from the events from the beginning of the year. Added with the detatched 'Forget About Tomorrow' and the clarity of 'Moonshine', this melodic album shows that Grant and Taka have tackled a difficult situation with much bravery, and are looking to the future with as much hope as they can muster. Jon would be proud. |
| "Oh, you're thinking back You're going back to places that you've been, Where days could last forever- but you can only dream. Oh, we're going back I'm looking back to places that we've seen Moments that have been, Places we can dream." 'Summers Gone' |
| October 2002 |