How could you not be a fan of a band like The Features? They have been signed and dropped by record labels and have been so close to stardom for years.
The Features were originally conceived in 1994 by a bunch of rowdy band geeks that have persevered through the years. Sacrifice and fear of getting real jobs has kept them focused and determined. They have now “made it” with the release of Some Kind of Salvation. With the support of Kings of Leon, they were the first act signed to the Kings’ new record label, 429 Records, and they are ready for some much deserved recognition.
It’s rare to find an album that has no weakness. This is such an album. The songs on Some Kind of Salvation are raw, but with a true pop sensibility. You can feel the angst in songs like “The Drawing Board” and “GMF,” as the distorted guitars build from whispers, into moans and then into rage.
On “The Temporary Blues,” a song about giving up on your dream for a moment only to regret it later, they speak to all the dreamers who have given up on themselves and accepted a life that is less than what they had wanted. The lyrics “My god what have I done, just look what I’ve become” sounding like a working class battle cry.
Beautiful melodies fill “Baby’s Hammer” and “Lions” as those once heavy distorted guitars start to sound as if they have found there way into a lullaby. The songs found here are adventurous but still grounded in rock roots.
The Features maybe just be geeks from rural Tennessee or they might be the saviors of American rock. Some Kind of Salvation is exactly what the title suggests — salvation. They’re not just another sound alike indie rock band with nothing to say. They’re an indie rock band with a whole hell of a lot to say.
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