Feeder
Comfort in Sound
Republic
Following the unexpected suicide of Feeder’s drummer Jon Lee in January 2002, Grant Nicholas and Taka Hirose had to decide whether to continue making music without Lee, their longtime friend and band mate. Lucky for Feeder fans, the band decided to record Comfort in Sound, with the help of former Skunk Anansie drummer, Mark Richardson. Comfort in Sound is a dark and cryptic blend of acoustic and electric rock. The album catalogues Nicholas’s journey since Lee’s death, making reference to the event and its aftereffects on almost every track. Comfort in Sound is, accordingly, a tribute to Jon Lee.
Despite the pain and emotion behind Comfort in Sound, something is lacking. Among the twelve tracks, only a few stand out from the rest – namely the album’s opener, “Just the Way I’m Feeling,” “Find the Colour,” “Summers Gone” and the final and best song on the album, “Moonshine.” Although these songs are certainly highlights of the album, they are not uplifting songs, nor are they the type of sad song with which one can easily identify. Comfort in Sound is an introspective album that allows listeners to get inside Nicholas’s mind and experience Lee’s death from his eyes. Yet, it is this introspection that makes the album unapproachable to new fans.
Feeder’s aim in writing Comfort in Sound is not to garner new fans and a wider following, but rather to put their own minds at rest concerning Jon Lee – a more challenging and emotionally involved task. Comfort in Sound proves that Feeder has maintained a stronger grasp on who they are as a band and, despite the tragic loss of Lee, they will survive.
Republic Records: http://www.republicrecords.com/ • Feeder: http://www.feederweb.com/
