Search - Feeder :: Seven Days in the Sun Pt. 2

Chasing sonic booms

loteq | Regensburg | 06/12/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Don't let my lukewarm rating mislead you - there is some really excellent music on this exclusively packaged 9-track/ 32-minute EP, which was released in order to win new fans in Japanese markets. Having said that, I still haven't been able to work out the underlying principle or concept of the song selection: "Seven days..." seems to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor - the worthwhile "Another yesterday" EP, which collected all the b-sides and obscure tracks Feeder didn't release on the regular studio album "Yesterday went too soon" - but unlike that compilation it primarily features previously released material which can also be found on other Feeder CD-singles. Given that Feeder's discography is already pretty complicated, with lots of limited seven-inch singles, CD-singles, and Japan-only releases, "Seven days..." would have made much more sense as a complete b-sides collection in addition to the "Echo Park" album. But even if this EP doesn't serve the needs of completists who have missed the countless (and often very worthwhile) single releases from "Echo Park", it's of undoubted interest to rabid fans as well as for people who want some initial exposure to Feeder's ear-catching, melodic pop-punk sound. The most interesting part of this disc is the first five tracks, including the striking title song as well as three cuts from the UK CD-single releases of "Seven days..." plus "Satellite news", which can be found on either the UK version of "Echo Park" or on the CD-single "Piece by piece". On it's own, the title cut was and is one of Feeder's greatest moments, translating the song's juvenile, party-friendly lyrics into an equally propulsive and noisy song that wouldn't sound out of place on a Blink 182 or Green Day disc. The single version which appears here is a little shorter than the album version and cuts off the extended, mantra-like outro. In complete musical contrast are "Home for the summer" and "Forever glow", two acoustic-balladry-in-the-space-of-3-minutes cuts which are nevertheless strangely engrossing - I'm quite surprised that these two tracks didn't find their way onto the "Echo Park" since they would provide a perfect counterpoint to that album's heavier numbers. "Forever glow" is a particularly fine, introspective effort that mixes nothing else than echoed vocals with a simple guitar line, but does so nicely. The more restrained and gentle side of Feeder is also let loose in "High" and "Dry" (there you see it - the song titles as well as the music style directly refer to Radiohead's "High and dry"!): These two numbers resurface in their acoustic versions from the CD-single releases of "High" and "Suffocate", complete with almost whiny vocals and fragile instrumental accompaniment. Nice stuff, if not exactly indispensable. "Satellite news" works rather better, combining a more complex arrangement with thoughtful lyrics and a quite memorable refrain. The remaining numbers, however, return to the brash rock ideals of Feeder's best-known material and have a much harder edge. Perhaps the most striking sonic features of "We the Electronic" (from the "Buck Rogers" single) and "W.I.T." (an older song that originally appeared on Feeder's very first EP, "Swim") are distorted vocals coupled with aggressive rhythms and, in particular, the almost metal-level guitar onslaught that would make bands like Jesus And The Mary Jane cringe. "Reminders", while not offering the same relentless attack as the two aforementioned tracks, also satifies with its `70s-tinged, descending guitar riffs and some more laid-back passages. Sure, this EP will be of interest to hardcore fans only (who else would shell out the cash for a pricey Japanese import version?), but it is more varied and multifaceted than any other Feeder disc and has one of the most successful pop-punk bands working on a set of truly fine songs. Recommended."